Effective communication during emergencies determines whether an incident is resolved quickly or escalates into a crisis. Salons present unique communication challenges because the work environment is noisy with blow dryers and music, staff are distributed across multiple stations often with limited sightlines, and clients are present during every emergency, requiring simultaneous staff coordination and client management. Training staff on the salon's communication systems, emergency codes, notification procedures, and client communication protocols ensures that information flows accurately and quickly when it matters most.
Emergency communication in salons typically fails in predictable ways. The staff member who discovers a problem shouts across the salon, creating panic among clients. Or they leave their station to find the manager, abandoning a client mid-service. Or they call 911 on their personal phone while other staff members, unaware of the situation, also call 911, creating duplicate emergency responses. Or they attempt to handle the situation alone without alerting anyone, allowing a manageable incident to escalate.
These failures occur because the salon has no established communication protocol for emergencies. Staff do not know who to alert first, how to alert them, or what information to provide. There is no discreet way to communicate that an emergency is occurring without alarming clients. There is no system for accounting for all staff and clients during an evacuation. There is no predetermined assignment of communication roles such as who calls emergency services, who directs clients, and who provides first aid.
During normal operations, poor communication also creates safety risks. A chemical spill in the mixing area is not communicated to staff approaching the area. A client's allergy information recorded at reception does not reach the stylist who will perform the service. A maintenance issue reported by one staff member is not conveyed to others who may encounter the same hazard. These routine communication failures create the conditions for preventable incidents.
OSHA's emergency action plan standard at 29 CFR 1910.38 requires employers to establish and maintain an emergency action plan that includes procedures for reporting emergencies and an employee alarm system.
OSHA requires that the employee alarm system be capable of being perceived above ambient noise conditions by all employees in the affected areas and must be distinctive from other signals.
Fire codes require that fire alarm systems in commercial buildings be maintained and tested according to the applicable fire code, typically NFPA 72.
OSHA's general duty clause requires employers to maintain communication systems adequate to ensure worker safety, including the ability to summon emergency assistance.
State cosmetology board regulations may address communication requirements related to client safety, including the ability to contact emergency services from the salon.
ADA requirements may affect communication systems by requiring that alarm systems include both audible and visual components to accommodate staff and clients with hearing or vision impairments.
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Communication systems reflect the emergency preparedness that the MmowW assessment evaluates.
Test whether a staff member at the farthest station from the front desk can communicate with the front desk without leaving their client. Check whether all staff know the salon's emergency codes. Verify that the emergency phone list is current and posted at every phone location. Ask a new staff member to describe the communication procedure for a medical emergency.
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Try it free →Step 1: Establish Emergency Code Words
Create a set of code words that staff use to communicate emergency situations discreetly without alarming clients. A code word system allows a staff member to alert colleagues to a situation requiring response without creating panic. For example, a specific phrase could indicate a medical emergency at a station, another could indicate an aggressive or threatening person, another could indicate an evacuation need, and another could indicate that emergency services have been called. Keep the code system simple with no more than four to six codes, use words or phrases that are easy to remember and do not occur in normal conversation, and ensure that every staff member has memorized all codes. Practice the codes during training so that recognition and response become automatic.
Step 2: Install Physical Communication Systems
Evaluate the salon layout and install communication systems that allow staff to communicate across the salon without shouting. An intercom or paging system allows announcements to reach all areas simultaneously. A wireless call button at each station can signal the front desk that assistance is needed without requiring the stylist to leave their client. A visual alert system such as colored lights can communicate status information, with a green light indicating normal operations and a red light indicating an emergency requiring attention. For small salons where electronic systems are impractical, establish visual signals such as a specific flag or sign that can be displayed to alert other staff. Ensure that whatever system is used is perceivable above the ambient noise of blow dryers, music, and conversation.
Step 3: Create an Emergency Phone Tree
Establish a phone tree or notification chain that specifies the order and method for contacting key people during different types of emergencies. The tree should include the salon manager or owner, the backup decision-maker if the manager is unavailable, emergency services including 911 and the salon's address which should be posted at every phone, the building manager or landlord for facility emergencies, utility company emergency numbers for gas leaks and electrical emergencies, the poison control center number, and staff emergency contacts. Post this information at every phone location in the salon, including the front desk, break room, and any back-of-house areas with phones. Store the numbers in salon cell phones as well so that calls can be made from any location.
Step 4: Define Communication Roles During Emergencies
Assign specific communication responsibilities by role rather than by individual so that the protocol works regardless of who is working on any given day. The person who discovers the emergency is responsible for alerting the manager using the code word system. The manager or senior staff member on duty is responsible for assessing the situation and directing the response. A designated person, typically the front desk staff, is responsible for calling emergency services and providing the salon's address, the nature of the emergency, the number of people affected, and any specific information requested by the dispatcher. A designated person is responsible for directing clients to safety or to a waiting area away from the emergency. A designated person is responsible for meeting emergency responders at the entrance and directing them to the location of the emergency.
Step 5: Train on Client Communication During Emergencies
Clients require honest, calm, and directive communication during emergencies. Train staff to use clear, simple language that tells clients what to do without explaining the full situation in the moment. Instructions such as please move to the front of the salon and wait there, or please follow me to the exit, are more effective than detailed explanations during an active emergency. After the immediate emergency is resolved, provide clients with a brief, honest explanation appropriate to the situation. If services were interrupted, explain what will happen next regarding rescheduling. If clients witnessed a medical emergency involving another client, reassure them that the situation is being handled while respecting the privacy of the affected person. Never provide medical information about one client to another client.
Step 6: Practice Communication Systems Regularly
Conduct communication drills at least twice per year that test the complete communication chain from initial alert through emergency response to client management. Unannounced drills are more effective than announced drills because they test the system under realistic conditions where staff are occupied with client services. After each drill, debrief with all staff to identify communication breakdowns, delays, or confusion. Update the communication protocols based on drill findings. Test electronic communication equipment monthly to verify that intercoms, call buttons, and alert systems are functioning. Update the phone tree whenever staff changes occur, contact numbers change, or building management contacts change. Replace posted emergency number lists whenever information changes rather than relying on staff to remember updated numbers.
Personal cell phones serve as a backup communication method but should not be the primary emergency communication system. Relying on personal phones creates problems because staff may not have their phones with them during services, phones may be on silent mode, battery may be depleted, and personal phone numbers change when staff members change. The salon's landline phone or a dedicated salon cell phone should be the primary method for calling emergency services because the address associated with a landline is automatically transmitted to 911 dispatchers, and a dedicated salon phone is always available regardless of which staff members are working. Personal phones are appropriate as backup communication for staff coordination during emergencies, for calling other staff members in from outside the building, and for situations where the primary phone system is unavailable.
Language barriers during emergencies create significant safety risks because clients who cannot understand verbal instructions may not respond appropriately to evacuation directions or safety warnings. Prepare for language barriers by identifying the most common non-primary languages spoken by your client base and creating emergency instruction cards in those languages. Use visual signage including pictographic exit signs, evacuation route maps, and universal safety symbols that communicate essential information without language. Train staff to use simple gestures and physical guidance, such as gently directing a client by the arm toward the exit, when verbal communication is not possible. If staff members speak additional languages, note this in the emergency plan so they can be assigned to communicate with clients who speak those languages during emergencies.
Emergency communication protocols should be reviewed and updated at minimum annually and whenever significant changes occur. Changes that trigger protocol updates include staff turnover that affects the phone tree or role assignments, new phone numbers for emergency contacts or utility companies, physical changes to the salon such as renovation or expansion that affect evacuation routes or communication coverage, changes to the building's alarm or communication systems, new services that introduce new hazard types requiring new communication codes, and findings from drills or actual emergencies that reveal protocol weaknesses. The annual review should include a complete test of all communication systems, verification of all posted phone numbers and emergency contacts, and a full staff training refresher on codes, roles, and procedures.
Communication system training ensures that information flows when your salon team needs it most during emergencies. Evaluate your emergency preparedness with the free hygiene assessment tool and access resources at MmowW Shampoo. 安全で、愛される。 Loved for Safety.
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