Standards scheme for beauty industry
The move is in response to the growing popularity of beauty salons as well as therapies that aim to “treat” people by using alternative means to western medicine.
Training courses for beauticians and therapists will have to adhere to an official standard for the management of training centres for beauticians and holistic therapists if they offer official qualifications.
Unveiling the initiative yesterday, Trade Minister John McGuinness said nowhere else in the world had such an equivalent standards scheme, which ensures that students know how to comply with the law at work, can practise good hygiene and will adhere to health and safety laws.
“This truly represents a pioneering piece of work, which I expect will not go unnoticed by our colleagues abroad when it comes to standardising the same sector in their respective countries.”
Mr McGuinness said that the industry was a significant contributor to the national economy with 345 beauty salons in the city of Dublin alone.
Such a standard to govern training courses was necessary as almost all students who passed such training went into the beauty or therapy industry.
“Complying with the new Irish standard is a way for beauty schools to demonstrate a commitment to the provision of quality services to their prospective students — which will also improve consumer confidence in the industry,” he said.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland drew up the basic guidelines, which are incorporated in beauty or therapy courses approved by the National Qualification Authority of Ireland.
Centres with Irish Standard 380 approval will have to show their courses meet the working needs of beauticians and alternative therapists, as well the requirements of their customers.
Training organisations will also have to revise their courses to keep them up to date while ensuring hygiene and health and safety form an important part of lessons.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the professional practitioners know there is a lot more to beauty treatment than the application of make-up. In truth there is an assortment of scientific concepts, which underpin modern beauty salon treatments,” the minister said.
The standards authority said no other country had a similar scheme for beauty and therapy schools.
“I also hope that the widespread application of this standard will greatly increase the level of activity in [the beauty and therapy] sector, enhance customer safety and well-being and set Ireland’s beauty and holistic therapy training schools at the pinnacle of international excellence.”
