Sharjah: Sharjah Municipality has intensified inspections on salons on a daily basis to ensure strict compliance with hygiene and health regulations to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Gulf News joined an inspection team while it was checking on the safety measures at gents salons across the emirate.
The civic body in Sharjah has instructed staff at all hairdressing salons and beauty centres to wear gloves and face masks, said Thabit Al Turaifi, Director-General of Sharjah Municipality. Salons have been asked to avoid crowding of customers at their premises and maintain proper ventilation, he added.
The inspection started at 9am and Amjad Hussein, one of the inspectors, entered a salon without any advance information. Before he entered the salon, the staff measured the temperatures of all the visitors. Everything at the salon, all tools and cosmetic material were checked, along with the validity of all documents.
All salons and beauty-care centres have been instructed by the municipality to do away with the visitors’ waiting area and not to provide any kind of hospitality benefit to customers.
Hussein said the municipality was conducting extensive awareness and inspection campaigns targeting salons and beauty-care centres to ensure they were committed to keeping the facilities clean and disinfected and all equipment sterilised. The campaign is also focused on encouraging people to maintain personal hygiene and for salons to keep their workers sanitised. Salons have been instructed to limit the number of customers to only 50 per cent capacity and to not allow anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, Hussein pointed out. Customers should also be told to leave the salons immediately after receiving the service, he added. Hussein urged the public not to hesitate to dial 993 and communicate with the municipality to report any issue.
The municipality has circulated updated instructions to all salons and beauty centres in Arabic and English. (Gulf News obtained a copy of this circular).
Workers at the salons must also check the temperatures of co-workers periodically during the day. Salons are also required to ensure a social distancing of at least two metres between customers.
The facilities have been informed that no services should be provided to those who are over 60 years old. The facilities have also been told to use single-use towels only and customers have been urged to pay via smart payment channels.
