Although Peeping Toms were more common years ago, these types of claims do still exist. For those of you who have not heard the expression “Peeping Tom,” it describes people who get pleasure from secretly watching others and invading somebody else’s personal space. Reported claims can be made by either sex. A peeper can be a service contractor working in your salon, one of your guests, even a member of your staff.
Your business could be held liable for illegal actions taking place in your facility.
Obviously, the higher the tanning room walls in your salon, the more private the experience will be for your guests. When a new salon is in the build-out phase, we highly recommend that owners consider walls that go from floor-to-ceiling. If you’re unable to increase the height of the divider area, there are several ways to reduce the chance that these incidents happen at your salon. It may sound simple, but it is important to remind tanners to lock the door when they enter the room. If their room is next to the bathroom, people might accidently mistake the tanning room door for the bathroom door, or mistake room five for room six. If the tanning room doors are locked, honest mistakes are prevented.
Be careful when contractors work in the salon during business hours. Whether they intend to look or not, they can easily see into the tanning rooms when they are on a ladder. After your guest has locked the door and started to undress, they should have a feeling of security and privacy – not fear of being watched. If that happens, the guest most likely will be unhappy and could sue you for “personal injury” for invasion of privacy. If possible, it is better to have the contractor work on or at the salon after hours.
Another concern with low partition walls is that other tanners could climb up on the equipment or other furniture in the room to take a peek into the neighboring room. Think about the arrangement and height of the furniture in the room. You want the room to be comfortable, but not to invite inappropriate behavior. Your business could be held liable for illegal actions taking place in your facility.
There is also the possibility that your staff might invade your guests’ privacy – they are probably the most aware of your guests’ schedules and able to anticipate when the regulars will show up. There are ways that staff could unintentionally put your business at risk, as well. Although it’s not recommended to have them use ladders, if an employee is up on a ladder, putting up holiday decorations or changing light bulbs, they could be accused of peeking at guests. Reducing this risk could be as simple as having your staff do these activities during their opening and closing procedures, rather than during business hours. A guest who feels that your salon has in some way invaded his privacy could very well initiate legal action.
This type of incident might not sound like a big deal, until it happens at your salon. Many times, irate customers will use social media to voice their displeasure, which could be detrimental to any business. If a tanner feels she has been violated, she might take it another step and get lawyers involved. Not only could you be sued for thousands of dollars, but, your other customers also might no longer feel comfortable in your salon. The legal defense costs alone are usually astronomical for this type of claim.
Here are some ways to reduce your exposure to Peeping Tom claims:
- Opt for higher dividing walls
- Make sure you have the right insurance coverage, such as legal defense outside your limit
- Sufficient coverage limits
- A specialized tanning salon policy
- Experienced claims-handling
- When contractors are working on ladders, make sure tanning rooms are empty
- Be aware of furniture in rooms that could be used as a step-ladder
If a guest feels her privacy has been invaded, listen to her complaint and report the situation immediately to your insurance agent. ■
