The indoor tanning industry continues to evolve. Today’s salons offer more than just UV sessions, and sunless tanning services are considered by many to be an industry standard. A least one room in most facilities is dedicated to either a spray-booth or custom airbrushing. These services bring in a wider clientele which should provide operators with additional foot traffic, leading to more revenue.
Adding new services is an exciting part of running a business; but many times, insurance is the afterthought. It is always important be thinking of the potential risk and reward. By contacting your agent, you can get an indication of additional premium, potential exposures, and confirmation that there is coverage for your new service. A simple change to your business model might be a change that your insurance company can’t address. Every business is at risk, and the tanning industry is unique; so you need confirmation that the services you offer are covered by your policy.
Simple Considerations When Offering Sunless:
- Professional Liability Coverage
- General Liability Coverage
- Education & Training
- Employees vs. Independent Contractors
- Property Coverage
- Proper Equipment Needs
- Equipment Properly Installed & Well-Maintained
- Offer Undergarments
- Gender-Specific Technicians
- Keep Floors Dry
- Non-Skid Rugs on Tile
- Auto Liability Coverage
If you plan to add a spray-booth, correct installation is huge in preventing major water lines issues. A broken water line overnight could leave your entire salon flooded, along with your neighboring tenants. Part of your maintenance schedule should include making sure the water lines are connected and that proper valves are used and in good condition. Installation of the booth (and any work done at the salon) should be performed by a licensed and bonded technician. You can check with your booth manufacturer or distributor for recommendations. Additionally, there should be a shut-off valve installed and the nightly closing procedures should include turning off the water. The morning shift can then turn the valve back on when they opening the salon. These steps might seem like just one more task for your staff; but these types of occurrences usually happen when the salon is closed, and cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Just think, not only will you have to deal with your insurance claim, but also with your neighbors coming to you to repair damage to their suite (along with their lost income). This is not a good scenario, and we have seen it too often.
Simple housekeeping solutions could prevent some of the more serious occurrences we have seen. Besides damage to the salon, spray-tan services can increase the chances for slip-and-fall hazards due to wet feet/floors. It becomes more important to constantly check your hallways to make sure the floors are always clean and dry. Most spray-tan systems are located in rooms with tile flooring, but your beautiful floors become slick when wet. To reduce fall risk, make sure you have a non-skid mat outside the spray-booth entrance. Also, make sure your guests are aware of proper procedures for protecting their face, hands, feet, and other body parts from the excess spray solution. Any time you are using a lotion-type product, you run the risk of your guests having an allergic reaction; so, try to confirm that they don’t have any allergies. It is easy to show them the list of ingredients in the products, as people with sensitive skin are usually aware of their allergies.
To reduce the risk of accidents, a business owner needs to take the necessary preventative measures! A little extra work up-front could lead to reduced risk and a safer salon. Sunless tanning services can be great additions to a salon’s business model – it just needs to be done safely.
It is always important be thinking of the potential risk and reward. Feel free to call us for more industry tips.
