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The European Social Partners in the hairdressing sector, Coiffure EU and UNI Europa Hair & Beauty, adopted a Declaration on Health and Safety for the sector on 17 May 2016 during the Social Dialogue Committee meeting for Personal Services.

It was drawn up in parallel to the European Framework Agreement on Protection of Occupational Health and Safety in the hairdressing sector, which is currently under discussion.

Social Partners send a strong signal to the European Commission that they are serious about preventing occupational health and safety risks in the sector. It is a big step towards the finalisation of the Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement will soon be submitted to the European Commission for its assessment and forwarding to the Council so that it is implemented at national level through a Council decision.

The European Framework Agreement on health and safety in the hairdressing sector, when implemented would actually bring about a triple-win for the sector in terms of worker’s health and safety protection, minimising costs bore by social security and insurance schemes, and promote sustainable working conditions in a mainly young female sector characterised by high prevalence of work-related ailments and high turnover of staff due to occupational health risks.

Oliver Roethig, UNI Europa Regional Secretary, said: “The adoption of this declaration is instrumental in our long-standing efforts to implement the European Framework Agreement on health and safety in the hairdressing sector.”

“The ball is once more in the EU Commission’s court, it now has the opportunity to act upon the promise of its President to relaunch social dialogue, to revitalise it, and to bring forward a genuine Social Europe.”

The Declaration on Health and Safety in the Hairdressing Sector includes recommendations for appropriate practices in terms of health and safety prevention and protection. It covers specific aspects such as risk assessment procedures of cosmetic products from an occupational perspective; maternity protection; mental health and well-being in the workplace; musculoskeletal disorders; work organisation; ergonomics; substitution of harmful substances where possible; and training needs for hairdressers among others.

It states that a general and common preventive strategy for occupational health and safety in the sector is needed. The declaration is complementary to the Framework Agreement on Occupational Health and Safety in the hairdressing sector, currently under negotiation.

The adoption of the declaration is a constituent part of UNI Europa’s campaign around Better Regulation (www.notbetter.eu), which emphasises and brings to the fore the fact that social initiatives such as Occupational Health and Safety, are not red tape and ought not to be cut.