learner guide - transtutors...using this learner guide a learning guide is just that, a guide to...

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SHBBRES001

Research and Apply Beauty

Industry Information Learner Guide

http://www.sbdi.com.au/

mailto:[email protected]

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S:\Training Packages\SHB Training package\SHB Training tools\SHBBRES001 Research and apply beauty

industry information V1.01 0717

Learner Guide SHBBRES001

This work is Copyright© of:

Fuss Education Pty Ltd

Shop 2/161 New South Head Road

Edgecliff NSW 2027

Created for the delivery of Vocational Education within Sydney Beauty & Dermal

Institute, RTO 91192, CRICOS 02725B

Resources have been created by Fuss Education Pty Ltd to support the SHB Hair

and Beauty Training package and are from a collection of professional, industry

representatives and resources, and reasonable effort has been made to ensure

that the material is accurate and current. Author/s takes no responsibility for act or

omission as a result of learning. Copying, reproducing, transmission or alterations

are not permitted and a license will not be granted.

3



TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 4

This learner guide covers ..................................................................... 4

FOUNDATION SKILLS .............................................................................. 5

ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ............................................ 6

SECTION 1 – SOURCE AND USE INFORMATION ON BEAUTY INDUSTRY

............................................................................................................... 9

SECTION 2 – SOURCE AND APPLY INFORMATION ON LEGAL AND

ETHICAL ISSUES FOR THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY ....................................... 11

Sources of information on the beauty industry relevant to own work

activities .............................................................................................. 11

SECTION 3 – UPDATE KNOWLEDGE OF BEAUTY INDUSTRY AND

PRODUCTS............................................................................................ 27

4



INTRODUCTION

This book is designed to provide a theory and assessment framework to support the

gathering of suitable evidence to prove competency in the unit.

The resource is designed for self-paced learning, as well as, distance education

settings, in a classroom or workshop setting. It is more than capable of supporting

new learners entering the industry, as well as experienced workers seeking to up-skill;

transfer to a new industry or to obtain formal qualifications.

At the completion of the learning, the Learners shall be able to demonstrate or

provide evidence of competency and understanding of the following:

Problem solving

Counselling processes and methods

Respect for client strengths or particular needs

Capacity to maintain and critique realistic limits for agency service and client

expectations

SHBBRES001 – RESEARCH AND APPLY BEAUTY INDUSTRY INFORMATION

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to

access information and update knowledge of the beauty industry and relevant

industry legislation.

It requires the ability to research beauty industry trends, and its relationship to other

industries, and how beauty therapists can use this information to enhance own work

performance.

This unit applies to beauticians, nail technicians, make-up artists and retail cosmetic

assistants who work in beauty and nail salons and in beauty retail outlets. In this

environment they make routine decisions within a defined range but are expected

to be up-to-date with industry trends.

No occupational licensing, certification and specific legislative or certificate

requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication

This learner guide covers

Source and use information on beauty industry

Source and apply information on legal and ethical issue for the beauty

industry

Update knowledge of beauty industry and products

5



FOUNDATION SKILLS

Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the

performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement.

Oral communication skills to: Use open and closed probe questions and

actively listen to clarify information from other

colleagues, suppliers and industry bodies.

Writing skills to: Produce notes, summarise and record

information in basic documents such as

information sheets, portfolios and files.

Reading skills to: Comprehend the content of plain English

information about legal obligations

Interpret unfamiliar information

Self-management skills to: Take responsibility for sourcing and updating

current and emerging beauty industry

information and products and services

Technology skills to: Use a computer and keyboard

Search the internet for information

6



ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

ELEMENTS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the

essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to

demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Source and use

information on

beauty industry

1.1. Identify and access sources of information on the

beauty industry

1.2. Obtain information that assists effective work

performance within the industry

1.3. Apply knowledge of beauty industry to enhance quality

of own work performance

2. Source and apply

information on legal

and ethical issues

for the beauty

industry

2.1. Identify sources of legal and ethical information to assist

effective work performance.

2.2. Identify legal obligations and ethical industry practices

that impact on clients and treatments

2.3. Interpret and apply legal and ethical information

according to organisational requirements

3. Update knowledge

of beauty industry

and products

3.1. Update knowledge of beauty industry, products and

services regularly

3.2. Monitor current issues of concern to industry

3.3. Share updated beauty industry information with clients

and colleagues as required.

7



Facilitation

Your training organisation will provide you with a trainer. This trainer will play an

active role in supporting your learning, will make regular contact with you whilst off-

campus and provide face-to-face training where applicable. Your trainer will

outline:

How and when to make contact;

What you need to do to complete this unit of study;

What support will be provided;

Some aspects your trainer can do to make your study easier;

Give you a clear visual timetable of events for the term in which you are

enrolled, including any deadlines for assessments;

Check that you know how to access library facilities and services;

Identify websites to assist in completing the required tasks

Inform you of industry updates, events, topics and resources of interest to you;

Keep in touch with you by telephone or email during your studies.

Using this learner guide

A learning guide is just that, a guide to help you learn. A learning guide is not a text

book. This learning guide will

describe the required skills you need to demonstrate to achieve competency

for this unit;

provide the required knowledge and information to help you develop your

skills;

provide you with structured training material to help you absorb the

knowledge and information and further practice your skills;

direct you to other sources of additional knowledge and information about

topics for this unit

Study Strategies

Different people have different learning 'styles'. Some people learn best by listening

or repeating things out loud. Some learn best by 'doing', some by reading and

making notes. Assess your own learning style, and try to identify any barriers to

learning which might affect you. Are you easily distracted? Are you afraid you will

fail? Are you taking study too seriously? Not seriously enough? Do you have

supportive friends and family? Here are some ideas for effective study strategies:

Make notes. This often helps you to remember new or unfamiliar information. Do not

worry about spelling or neatness, as long as you can read your own notes. Keep your

notes with the rest of your study materials and add to them as you go. Use pictures

and diagrams if this helps.

8



Underline key words when you are reading the materials in this learning guide. (Do

not underline things in other people's books.) This also helps you to remember

important points.

Talk to other people (fellow workers, fellow candidates, friends, family, your

facilitator) about what you are learning. As well as helping you to clarify and

understand new ideas, talking also gives you a chance to find out extra information

and to get fresh ideas and different points of view.

9



SECTION 1 – SOURCE AND USE INFORMATION ON BEAUTY

INDUSTRY

Staying current, knowing your way around the industry you work in, networking and

knowing where to locate credible information are all skills of a talented professional.

Researching and using beauty industry information are critical skills for your career.

The beauty industry is dynamic; it is growing and changing daily. Clients want to be

assured of a professional service with safe and successful products and treatments. It

is therefore crucial that you are well informed about all aspects of your work, from

providing the most basic treatment to an understanding of the industry as a whole.

In order to succeed in your career in the beauty industry you must make sure that

you:

understand all the fundamental knowledge required for your role

continue to extend your knowledge

keep up to date with new developments

In order to do this you must be able to:

apply research skills to source information

learn how the information affects your work

apply your knowledge to your work efficiently and effectively

share your knowledge with work colleagues and clients as appropriate

In order to find and use the right information you need to:

Be clear about the information you are looking for

Use good questioning techniques to make enquiries

Interpret and note down the information so that you can apply and share it

Taking notes about the information you discover is a good way to commit that

information to memory. You should also store the information for future reference,

and if relevant, organise and present the information in a way that is useful to your

colleagues or clients.

The knowledge relevant to your role in the beauty industry includes:

an understanding of the beauty and related industries

a knowledge of the workplace procedures relevant to your particular role

a comprehensive knowledge of the products and equipment used in your

role

Your knowledge of the beauty and related industries should include an

understanding of:

the work ethic and industry expectations of staff

10



the types of careers and career paths available in the beauty industry

the terms and conditions of employment and other workplace relations issues

in the industry

the relationship between the beauty industry and other industries

Locate information sources

When you gather information about the beauty industry, it is important to search in a

variety of different places. It is always a good idea to check the validity of the

information. You will develop a better understanding of the beauty industry if you

consider and compare information about the same topic from different sources. For

example, if you were interested in learning more about spa treatments, you may:

search the internet for articles or websites

watch a television program featuring health resorts offering spa treatments

read a spa manufacturer’s brochure

look for books in your college or local library

talk to clients or colleagues who have visited or worked in a spa treatment

centre

subscribe to Spa industry magazines or journals

visit a spa for a treatment

search You tube

join a Facebook interest group

visit a trade show

11



SECTION 2 – SOURCE AND APPLY INFORMATION ON LEGAL AND

ETHICAL ISSUES FOR THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Sources of information on the beauty industry relevant to own work

activities The following list gives you some idea of the rich sources of information that you can

use to get information on the Beauty Industry:

1. Books and libraries

2. Media

3. Tradeshows and competitions

4. Internet

5. Industry networking

6. Trade unions

7. Trade associations

8. Trade competitions

9. Online forums / Blogs / Social media pages

10. Salons / Clinics

Decide what you are looking for – is it glossy promotions of up market spas, is it

information from people who have gone to a spa, is it articles on treatments written

for the professional in the industry? Do you want facts, opinions, descriptions,

statistics, history or inspiration?

Do you want an academic article for an assignment or do you want some

inspiration about treatment options? Write down what information you want and the

criteria you will use to judge if that information is fit for your needs.

Books and libraries

Library books are a very good source of information, which does not date too

quickly. When selecting a library book, check the date that the book was published

and think about whether the length of time that has passed makes any difference to

the information that the book contains.

Media

One well-known source of information is the media. The term ‘media’ covers all

forms of information communication available to the general public and includes

television, newspapers, magazines and radio. Some programs or articles in the

media are more reliable sources of information than others.

On television, news items and documentaries would be the most reliable sources,

followed by shows that fall into a category called ‘infotainment’. These are not

documentaries, but they do present factual information in an entertaining way.

Magazines and newspapers may have articles of interest on beauty trends, or the

treatments and products favoured by certain celebrities. Some women’s magazines

12



may include feature articles on types of beauty treatment, especially those new to

the market. These magazines may also review different types of product, giving a

comparison of, for example, lipsticks or moisturisers, with comments on the features,

price and packaging. This type of article may also include a rating showing whether

the people testing the product would buy it or not.

Industry journals are magazines with specialised content specific to the industry are

usually only obtainable by subscription. Professional beauty therapists may subscribe

to several journals to ensure that they are informed about current trends and issues.

Aesthetic practitioner’s journal (APJ) is the official quarterly journal of APAN

and is recognised as Australia’s best professional educational journal for the

Aesthetic and Beauty industry.

Trade Shows & Competitions

Each year there will be trade shows in the capital cities of each State. Many of the

associations will list these under Events on their website. As well as the trade

exhibition the show will often have nail and make up competitions. This is a great

way to see the standard of work in these areas of the beauty industry. Entry to trade

shows is often free or concession for students in the industry and you will see the

latest equipment, products and treatments on show.

Use your search engine to find these shows – just enter Beauty Trade Show and your

capital city. Or use your network – friends, teachers, supervisors at works and chat

rooms.

A helpful site in the search for industry events is:

http://www.professionalbeauty.com.au/index.php

Internet

Image you want some information on spa treatments and you go to a big city

newsagent to find some magazines or trade journals on spa and perhaps some

related topics like health and wellbeing. You look at the range of magazines in front

of you and you decide to close your eyes and just grab the first one that your hands

connect with. This is not a good way to evaluate whether the information is relevant

to you. What you need, is a reliable way to judge whether you can rely on the

13



information and whether the information is aimed at you – the industry professional.

How do I judge reliability? You might look at a few and use the information you

gather to cross check what you like and what you don’t like. You might then ask

friends or colleagues who have visited a spa about the treatment and what they

liked about it. You might ring the spa to clarify some of the information.

You Tube

You Tube is a similar resource to the internet, in that it collects information from all

sources from all over the world. You can type in search words and get back videos

about specific topics. Use all the internet credibility tests above to judge the

accuracy of the information.

You could use You Tube to see some promotions on specific salons and products. Or

sometimes someone who is passionate about their industry posts a recording of a

specific treatment they do. Remember that this is their opinion and should not be

relied upon for professional information.

You Tube is not a first rank source in terms of information for a professional but you

can see some interesting ideas.

Industry networking

The people that you work and learn with, including your colleagues, supervisors and

managers, form the basis of your professional network. Each person that you meet

and work with will have a slightly different experience in the beauty industry through

working at different locations, using different products, knowing about other

products and services and having worked with different clients. They will also have

conducted their own research about various aspects of the beauty industry and

may have information stored and books and magazines that you have not seen.

It is always a good idea to share information with colleagues and find out what they

know about different aspects of the industry and add this information to your own

knowledge bank. As you progress through the industry you may meet suppliers,

demonstrators, manufacturers, experienced beauty therapists and representatives

from industry associations. It is important to build relationships with people who are

knowledgeable about the beauty industry, and to learn from them.

Trade Union

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), is the largest trade

union in Aus- tralia with over 215,0000 members. The SDA represents people working

in many different areas including - Hairdressing and Beauty, Modelling and

Mannequin, Cosmetic Manufacturing and Distribution, Retail Shop Assistants and

Pharmacy.

14



Trade associations

The Service Industries Skill Council (SISC) is recognised as the industry advisory

body for the service industries.

Website: www.serviceskills.com.au

Phone: 02 8243 1200

Right Way is a national accreditation program developed to support and

recognise the delivery of quality training in the service industries

Website: www.rightwayprogram.com.au

Phone: 02 8243 1200

Advanced Association of Beauty Therapists (AABTh)

Address: Suite 214/1 Katherine Street, Chatswood NSW 2067

Phone: 1300 309 022 Email: [email protected]

Aesthetics Practitioners Advisory Network (APAN)

Website: http://apanetwork.com/

Phone: 07 5575 9364

The Australasian Spa Association (ASpa) Phone: 0430 003 174

Trade Shows & Competitions

Each year there will be trade shows in the capital cities of each State. Many of the

associations will list these under Events on their website. As well as the trade

exhibition the show will often have nail and make up competitions. This is a great

way to see the standard of work in these areas of the beauty industry. Entry to trade

shows is often free or concession for students in the industry and you will see the

latest equipment, products and treatments on show.

Use your search engine to find these shows – just enter Beauty Trade Show and your

capital city. Or use your network – friends, teachers, supervisors at works and chat

rooms.

A helpful site in the search for industry events is:

http://www.beautyexpoaustralia.com.au/

http://www.professionalbeauty.com.au/index.php

http://www.cosmoprof.com/

Worldskills is a Vocational Education and Training

international competition. It is like a skill Olympics. First

of all you compete in a regional competition, if you win

in that round the next step is the national round. People

who win in the national round may be eligible to

compete in the international competition held every

two years.

15



Projects of each competition category are carefully designed and judged by

industry experts to align with the current training package for their industry. To date,

Worldskills Australia has seen over 50,000 young Australians participate in the various

competitions over 25 years.

WorldSkills Australia (WSA) aims to develop and nurture the skills of young Australians.

Our purpose is to promote and build a skills culture by inspiring young people,

celebrating skills excellence and providing them with an opportunity to showcase

their trade and skill talent. We achieve this goal through competitions held on a

regional, national and international level. To date, Worldskills Australia has seen over

50,000 young Australians participate in the various competitions over 25 years.

Website: http://www.worldskills.org.au

Online forums / Blogs / Social media pages

Online forums and blogs with generally connect with other industry

professionals. Many of the associations and trade journals have chat rooms.

There are other sites as well often connected with a supplier but sometimes

with someone who is passionate about their industry.

Salon / Clinic

It is a good idea to keep a folder or journal of information that you learn from

your own experience. The responses and requirements of different clients will

help you to build up your knowledge about the varied needs and

preferences of people using beauty industry services and products. Some

situations may arise where you use your initiative and manage a difficult

situation or prevent a potential problem. It is important to remember these

ideas and skills. In particular it is important to learn as much as possible from any

mistakes or errors that occur. We all make mistakes and it is important to turn

these into opportunities for learning. How could the problem be avoided?

Career pathways within the beauty industry

The beauty industry offers the following career paths:

beauty therapist

nail technician

make-up consultant

retail cosmetic assistant

dermal clinician

Beauty Therapist

The minimum qualification for someone

working as a beauty therapist is considered

to be the Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy.

Beauty therapist’s work in a beauty or

hairdressing salon, fitness centres, some work

16



for plastic surgeons or dermatologists and some own their own business. This role

requires a detailed knowledge of skin biology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition

and cosmetic chemistry. Beauty therapists may provide skin analysis, give advice

about skin and body care, perform facial and/or body massage and use a variety

of treatments and electrical equipment to treat skin and body conditions.

Nail Technician

Nail technicians provide manicure, pedicare, and nail enhancement services

including artificial gel and acrylic nails, nail art and airbrushed nail painting. They are

often self-employed, operating from their own premises or in hairdressing salons.

Make-Up Consultant

Make-up consultants can work in salons or stores, providing general and specialist

make-up services, such as weddings, photography and camouflage make-up.

Some make-up consultants are self-employed; others are employed by retailers,

beauty or hairdressing salons or photographic studios. Further qualifications from the

Entertainment Training Package can lead to careers in theatre, film and television.

Retail Cosmetic Assistant

This role involves promoting cosmetic products, providing advice on the purchase

and application of cosmetics, demonstrating skin care and make-up products to

clients, designing and applying make-up to client’s in-store and selling cosmetic

products. Most retail cosmetic assistants work in department stores, specialist

cosmetic stores or pharmacies.

Beauty Therapist with further qualifications in Impulse Light and Laser Therapies

After completing the Diploma level

qualification and gaining experience in the

industry with facials, skin services and hair

services, you can go onto study a

Vocational Graduate Certificate in Intense

Pulsed Light and Laser Hair Reduction.

Dermal Therapist

Some Beauty Therapists with a Diploma level

qualification decide to go on to study an

under- graduate degree in dermal therapies. This provides knowledge and training

to use IPL and Laser technology for non-surgical improvement of the skin and for hair

reduction.

Relationships between the beauty industry and other related industries

The beauty industry interacts with many other industries including:

entertainment – Television, stage shows, film

fashion – models, actors, actresses

health – doctors, nurses and registered physicians

retail – outlets, pharmacies, grocery stores, specialist departments

17



complementary therapy – aroma therapists, holistic healers, reiki therapists,

naturopaths and herpetologist

hairdressing

Industry expected work ethic and expectations of employees in the beauty

industry

This includes the agreements about pay and working conditions and any issues that

may affect the relationship. These issues may include personality conflicts, health

and safety issues, unfair dismissal, harassment, unsafe behaviour and other

disciplinary matters.

The relevant union, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, (SDA)

and the industry associations can provide information about working conditions and

industrial relations issues within the beauty industry. The working conditions are set

out in the relevant award, Australian Workplace

The award, agreement or enterprise agreement should include details of:

hours of work and the times within which they are performed, rest breaks,

notice periods and variations to working hours

type of employment, such as full-time, casual, regular part-time employment

and shift work

rates of pay

leave entitlements, including annual leave, leave loadings, long service

leave, sick leave, family leave, bereavement leave, compassionate leave,

cultural leave and parental leave, including maternity and adoption leave

public holidays

allowances

loadings for overtime, casual and shift work

penalty rates

notice of termination

dispute settling procedures

superannuation

Role, services and support provided by trade unions, employer groups and

professional associations relevant to own work in the beauty industry

What workplace services am I covered by? All employees in Australia have some

minimum conditions of employment. These can come from different places, such as

trade unions, state or national laws and agreements or awards. Industrial

organisations such as employer associations and unions have been able to apply to

the Fair Work Commission for registration under the Fair Work (Registered

Organisations) Act 2009 (the RO Act). These organisations provide support and

advice to employers and employees to help them better understand their rights and

obligations in the workplace.

18



The Fair Work Commission is Australia's national workplace relations tribunal. It is an

independent body with power to carry out a range of functions including

Providing a safety net of minimum condition including minimum wages, in

awards.

Facilitating good faith bargaining and the making of enterprise agreements

Help resolve disputes about issues in the workplace

Help resolve disputes about dismissals

Help resolve disputes about general protections

Help you find an agreement or find an award

Provide resources in languages other than English

The Fair Work Ombudsman is an independent statutory office. The jurisdiction is set

out in the Fair Work Act and our services are free to all workers and employers in

Australia. Their main role is to:

Promote harmonious, productive and cooperative workplace relations

Ensure compliance with Australian workplace laws.

If you cannot find your specific agreement or award

If you think you’ve been underpaid or want to find out if you've been

underpaid external link, opens in a new window

To find out what you are covered by call Fair Work Infoline on 1300 799 675 or

visit their website on http://www.fwa.gov.au

Unions:

Unions work to protect and to advance the wages and working conditions of their

members. They are responsible for the wages and working conditions of most

Australian workers. Unions negotiate for improvements to members working

conditions through the award system and through enterprise bargaining to create

enterprise agreements. Unions help to ensure that employers comply with these

agreements and awards.

Unions are responsible for defending the jobs of workers against redundancy and

retrenchment threats. They are responsible for providing social justice through

improved wages and conditions for workers and their families.

Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) - SDA is the largest

trade union in Australia, with over 200,000 members

Website: http://www.sda.org.au/

Hair and Beauty Australia (HABA) - exists to support salon owners in the hair

and beauty industry by offering individually tailored, IN HOUSE, industrial

relations advice, guidance and best business practice tools.

Website: http://www.hairandbeautyaustralia.com.au or

/http://www.askhaba.com.au

Phone: 1800 997 795

19



Environmental responsibilities of businesses and employees in the beauty industry in

relation to own practice:

Environmental sustainable work practices not only satisfy sustainability goals, but also

promote these ideas to the wider community. Sustainability can be grouped into

three categories:

Resource efficiency looks at energy, water and material use and waste generation.

Energy –

Turning off lights and equipment when not in use.

Using power saving functions on office equipment.

Using efficient lights.

Replacing incandescent tubes with fluorescent tubes.

Installing skylights.

Keeping heating at 20 degrees Celsius.

Insulating rooms.

Fitting self-closing doors.

Minimising the use of hot water.

Using alternative energy sources where possible

Water

Comparing your water usage to others and make adjustments where

needed.

Fixing dripping taps.

Fixing leaking pipes.

Avoiding using water wherever possible.

20



Investigating ways to use or treat wastewater.

Material

The way packaging is used.

Using materials that produce less waste.

The environmental standards of your suppliers.

Using recycled materials.

Using products designed for long life.

Avoiding buying products or services that have a high risk.

Only storing materials that you need.

Storing all materials in designated areas.

Keeping stored materials labelled.

Keeping storage areas clean.

Ensuring storage containers are sealed.

Keeping spill kits in chemical storage areas.

Waste

In regards to waste generation, it is important to remember the 3 R’s:

1. Reduce

2. Reuse

3. Recycle

You can Reduce waste by:

Quantifying the waste you produce.

Accounting for the difference between raw materials and products

produced.

Examining work activities to identify ways to reduce waste.

Keeping a running tally for waste production.

You can Reuse by:

Reusing drums and other containers.

Reusing materials within work activities.

Selling waste to other production processes.

You can Recycle by:

Segregating waste where possible.

Composting organic waste.

Separating recyclable waste.

It is important to speak to those responsible for collecting waste to determine what is

possible for your organisation.

21



Legal and ethical issues applicable to own day-to-day work activities in the

beauty industry as detailed in organisational procedures and processes:

You need to incorporate your knowledge of regulations, legislation and ethical

codes of practice into your work tasks. Workplace policies and procedures should

include the legal and ethical requirements which apply to specific tasks. This is the

main reason why all workplace procedures must be followed meticulously. Failure to

follow procedures may result in a breach of the law and could mean that you are

liable for individual prosecution and a fine.

Workplace procedures must be updated regularly as laws and regulations are

amended and new laws introduced. If workplace procedures are out of date and

do not include current changes, you may still be liable for individual prosecution.

Where legal matters are concerned, ignorance is no defence. You cannot claim

that you did not know about the law. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that you

keep up to date with changes in legislation and make sure that you apply these

changes to your workplace activities.

These activities can include:

advertising

anti-discrimination

confidentiality

consumer protection

duty of care

equal employment opportunity

health and hygiene

insurance

licensing

overbooking

pricing

privacy

product recommendations

training

workplace relations

Purpose and impact on self, colleagues, and day-to-day work activities in the

beauty industry of key applicable requirements of federal, and state or

territory legislation and regulations

Anti-discrimination legislation

What does it mean to act in a non-discriminatory manner? Let’s start with a

definition of discrimination as stated by the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW:

“Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because they happen to belong

to a particular group of people.”

Most of us have prejudices against, or negative views of groups of people who are

different from ourselves. If we aren’t careful, these feelings can easily lead us to

discriminate against people who belong to these groups.

22



Legislation:

There are several pieces of legislation which cover discrimination in the workplace.

There are Federal laws and state laws.

There are four Commonwealth Acts:

1. The Racial Discrimination Act 1976 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of

race, colour, national or ethnic origin, immigration (or that of a relative or

associate)

2. The Sex Discrimination Act (1984) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination

with regard to sex, sexual harassment, marital status, pregnancy, dismissal on

the grounds of family responsibilities

3. The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) prohibits discrimination on the grounds

of disability

4. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1987 prohibits

breaches of human rights by the Commonwealth and discrimination in

employment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion,

national extraction or social origin, age, medical record, impairment, marital

status, mental, intellectual or psychiatric disability, nationality, physical

disability, sexual preference, trade union activity

In the workplace, the laws against anti-discrimination do not only apply to employers

dealing with employees. You have a responsibility to behave in a non-discriminatory

way and use non-discriminatory language when interacting with customer, staff and

management.

Australian consumer law

The Australian Consumer Law sets out rules for businesses to abide by when dealing

with their customers. It's your responsibility to know what the rules are.

Who is a consumer?

A person - or a business – will be considered a consumer if:

they purchase goods or services that cost less than $40,000

the goods or services cost more than $40,000, but they are of a kind ordinarily

acquired for domestic, household or personal use or consumption

the goods are a commercial road vehicle or trailer used primarily to transport

goods on public roads

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Under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and Australian Competition and

Consumer Commision (ACCC), most products and services bought in Australia (from

1 January 2011) come with automatic guarantees that the items or services will work

and do what you asked for.

Businesses must provide these automatic guarantees regardless of any other

warranties they give to you or sell you. If a business fails to deliver any of these

guarantees, you have consumer rights for:

Repair, replacement or

refund

Cancelling a service

Compensation for

damages and loss.

The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) includes:

a national unfair contract terms law covering standard form consumer and

small business contracts;

a national law guaranteeing consumer rights when buying goods and

services;

a national product safety law and enforcement system;

a national law for unsolicited consumer agreements covering door-to-door

sales and telephone sales;

Simple national rules for lay-by agreements; and penalties, enforcement powers and

consumer redress options

Products must be of acceptable quality, that is:

safe, lasting, with no faults

look acceptable

do all the things someone would normally expect them to do

Services must:

be provided with acceptable care and skill or technical knowledge and

taking all necessary steps to avoid loss and damage

be fit for the purpose or give the results that you and the business had agreed

to

be delivered within a reasonable time when there is no agreed end date

Duty of care

Duty of care is defined as a moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety or well-

being of others.

Within a workplace, your duty of care is your legal duty to take reasonable care so

that others aren't harmed. If you identify a reasonably likely risk of harm, you must

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take reasonable care in response. It is a concept common to all modern

occupational workplace health and safety (WHS) policies and procedures.

Equal employment opportunity

In Australia, national and state laws cover equal employment opportunity and anti-

discrimination in the workplace. You're required by these laws to create a workplace

free from discrimination and harassment. It's important that as an employer, you

understand your rights and responsibilities under human rights and anti-discrimination

law. By putting effective anti-discrimination and anti-harassment procedures in

place in your business you can improve productivity and increase efficiency.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has a range of fact sheets External Site to

help you develop effective policies and best practice guidelines. The Fair Work

Ombudsman External Site also provides education and assistance for employees

and employers on preventing discrimination in the workplace.

Taking on people facing barriers to employment is often overlooked by employers

and can be a useful way of diversifying the skill set within a business. There are

funding and incentive schemes available for businesses that support people with a

disability, Indigenous Australians, the long-term unemployed and the mature-aged.

Information for employers and managers External Site - the NSW Anti-Discrimination

Board External Site has prepared guidelines to assist employers and advisers to

understand how anti-discrimination laws work in New South Wales.

Website: http://www.business.gov.au

Hygiene

Within Australia and each State and Territory there is legislation that applies to

practitioners working in the beauty industry and directs the infection control

procedures for all services. The aim of this legislation is to protect you and your client

by preventing cross infection and controlling the spread of disease. Each state has

developed a set of health guidelines based on the legislation to guide infection

control in a salon setting.

The skin penetration guidelines are additional and apply to any service where there

is a risk of breaking the skin or drawing blood. Skin penetration guidelines apply to

beauty services as there is a risk that blood can be drawn in some treatments.

So why do we have such detailed regulations and guidelines covering this industry?

Infections can be spread between the client and operator, and from client to client,

from you to other employees of the salon and even from you to your family and

friends. Most people that visit your salon will be free of diseases, some will

unknowingly have come into contact with a contagious condition and in rare cases

25



they may know that they have a contagious condition but hope that you will

proceed with the service anyway. If you follow the recommended procedures

Work health and safety

The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 is the main piece of legislation affecting WHS

issues. It clearly communicates the minimum standards of health, safety and welfare

required in each area of the workplace. It is the employers legal responsibility to

implement the Act and to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and

safety at work of the people whom they are responsible and those who may be

affected by the work they do.

There is a WHS regulatory authority for every state and territory of Australia. The local

authority appoints workplace inspectors to enforce health and safety law by visiting

the workplace to check compliance is being met with all health and safety

legislation. Every business is required to have a health and safety representative

(HSR) available to provide advice and guidance and gather relevant data in

relation to health and safety and your business.

An employer is obliged to make to workplace safe. A written Health and Safety

Policy for the business is important to ensure staffs follow safe working procedures.

The health and safety policy identifies how health and safety is managed for that

business: who does what, when and why. The policy must be issued and discussed

with each employee and should outline their safety responsibilities. It should include

idea such as:

Details of storage of chemical substances

Details of stock cupboard and dispensary

Details and records of the checks made by a qualified electrician on

specialist electrical equipment

Names and addresses of the holders of the keys

Escape routes and emergency evacuation procedures

All health and safety policies should be reviewed regularly to ensure they meet all

relevant legislation guidelines including updates.

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Management of WHS:

Workers compensation

The workers compensation system is legislated through:

The Workers Compensation Act 1987

The Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998

The Workers Compensation Regulation 2010

Workers Compensation (Bush Fire, Emergency and Rescue Services) Act 1987

Together they establish a workers compensation and workplace injury management

system that provides for:

prompt treatment of work-related injuries

effective and proactive management of such injuries

medical and vocational rehabilitation following injuries

income support for workers during incapacity

The system creates a fair, affordable and financially-viable workers compensation

system and ensures contributions by employers are commensurate with the risks

faced in their industry.

Website: http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

Workplace relations

The Australian national workplace relations system establishes a safety net of

minimum terms and conditions of employment and a range of other workplace

rights and responsibilities.

These include, but not limited to:

Paid parental leave

Workplace gender equality

Australia's National Workplace Relations System (established by Fair Work Act)

Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG)

https://www.employment.gov.au/workplace-relations

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SECTION 3 – UPDATE KNOWLEDGE OF BEAUTY INDUSTRY AND

PRODUCTS

As you progress through your career you may experience a variety of workplaces,

each with a different focus. The variety of workplaces offers opportunities to expand

your knowledge and experience. Some beauty professionals enjoy changing

location and gaining experience in this way. In a very large company it may be

possible to do this through transferring to a different branch. The range of

treatments, products used and workplace procedures and protocols will differ from

place to place. As you assimilate all of this knowledge you will build a solid

grounding in the industry until, over time, you too may become one of the best

practice industry professionals.

Some of the information that you need will be passed on by your supervisor and

work colleagues, but it is important that you take control of your own expertise and

professionalism by seeking information yourself. By keeping yourself informed and

updating your knowledge you will enhance your professional standing and advance

your career. Some of the sources of information that you could use to update your

knowledge and professionally develop include:

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Monitor issues of concern

Issues of concern are those that are currently in discussion amongst professionals in

the industry and the general public. For example, environmental issues have been a

consumer concern for quite some time. Most industries are responding to this issue

with waste reduction and recycling strategies.

Issues of concern in the beauty industry include:

emerging markets such as the anti-ageing trend

new services and procedures

environmental and social issues

industry expansion or retraction

labour issues

government initiatives

Emerging markets

Increased multi-culturalism and tourism in Australia has led to an increased market

for culturally specific beauty products and services. In the past, these were usually

provided by salons and stores with a culturally specific target market. Now, these

services and products should be available in most metropolitan beauty businesses.

The Anti-ageing trend is becoming more evident as the baby boomers age.

Additionally the technology in the industry is evolving rapidly as the demand for anti-

ageing treatments expands.

New services and procedures

New technology and innovations in equipment and ingredients quickly lead to

improved beauty services, treatments and products. Some of the incoming

innovations include:

Intense Pulsed Light and Laser treatments for hair and skin

Cosmetic tattoo

Dermal therapies

Environmental and social issues

Many of the environmental and social issues of concern to the government,

businesses and the general public are reported regularly in the media. Some of

these issues that relate to the beauty industry and that clients are particularly

concerned about include the following:

1. The safety of ingredients - consumers want to be reassured that rigorous

safety assessments have been conducted on products and equipment

before they are released for sale or use.

2. The truth of product claims - businesses must be meticulous in applying legal

and ethical obligations to advertising and product claims. Consumers want to

be reassured that what they are buying will do exactly what it claims to do.

3. The ethics of product testing - most consumers today, prefer to use products

that are not tested on animals. Clients may ask whether the product was

tested on animals and want to know what alternative safety testing was used.

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4. Water use – in some States the use of water has become an issue, especially in

relation to Spa and Spa Treatments.

Industry expansion or retraction

The beauty industry is classified as part of the personal services industry group.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the personal services industry is

continuing to grow at between 5 and 6 per cent per year. There are about 20,500

beauty therapists in Australia and the beauty services sector is set for continued

growth. Industry growth and employment prospects can change quickly. A

downturn in the economy means that people have less money to spend on luxuries.

This would adversely affect employment prospects in the beauty industry.

Apply and share knowledge

All workplace procedures should be dated so that beauty business personnel can

ensure that they follow the most recent version. As the need arises to amend the

procedures, the version should be re-named and re-dated. There should also be a

date indicating when the procedures should be checked and revised.

When procedures are amended, you need to consider how the changes will affect

the way you perform your work tasks. It is also important to think of strategies to

ensure that you remember the new procedures. If you are accustomed to doing

tasks in a certain way, you may find it hard to get out of the routine and form a new

habit. You may use any of the following strategies to assist in incorporating new

procedures into your work tasks:

During quiet time, practice the new procedures, for example, the standard

telephone greeting is to be changed from - “Good afternoon, Bella’s salon, how

may I help you?” to “Welcome to Spa Bella, this is Melanie speaking, how may I help

you? ”You could practice saying the new greeting out loud.

Place a discreet note in the area where the task is performed. In the example

above, you could tape a small note with the new greeting written on it, next to the

telephone.

Place a checklist in a discreet position, listing all the steps of the new procedures

with a space to tick each step off each time the task is performed. This strategy may

be used for tasks with several steps that must be performed regularly, for example

cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising.

Ideas for improvement are usually welcome in most workplaces in the beauty

industry. Your own research and reflection on your experience may result in good

ideas, which may require:

changes to workplace design and layout

amendments to policies, procedures and standards

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These ideas may be shared informally with the manager or owner or presented to

the entire staff in staff meetings, if these are scheduled. There may also be periodic

training sessions where you could make suggestions.

When sharing new information with colleagues or clients, it is important to introduce

the topic briefly and clearly, then explain further and answer questions. Some written

notes may be useful. It is always a good idea to have a noticeboard in the staff

area, where you can display useful information.

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