Among hairdressers, musculoskeletal disorders represent half of occupational illnesses. To avoid them, Sécu will help salons that are equipped with ergonomic equipment.
You must suffer to be beautiful. Hairdressers know something about this. These professionals who work daily to make us more beautiful and more beautiful suffer more and more from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The raised elbow, the bowed head, the bent back and the repetitive gestures are all explanations for this phenomenon. The Health Insurance has therefore decided to give a helping hand to hairdressers, by financially helping salons which will be equipped with ergonomic equipment, designed to avoid these disorders. It must be said that MSDs are the leading cause of occupational illnesses and represent around 40% of the total cost of occupational illnesses.
To lighten the bill and relieve hairdressers, Health Insurance will finance from September half of the tax-free investment of this ergonomic equipment, a sum that will be capped at 5,000 euros. This aid can be used to equip customer seats and adjustable wash basins, special scissors, or even hair dryers that are easy to handle. “The use of a 370g hair dryer delivering less than 67 decibels is preferred in order to alleviate twists of the arm”, indicate the Hairdressing Institutions, which bring together pension, provident and health organizations of the sector. All this equipment recommended by the health insurance is obviously subject to strict evaluations taking into account the weight, the strain on the limbs, or even the adjustment possibilities.
The increasing prevalence of these disorders among hairdressers is worrying. In Ile-de-France, for example, 49% of occupational illnesses were MSDs in 2004, which is about twice as many as in 2000. Prolonged standing posture, trampling in a confined space and constrained postures for long hours affect muscles, tendons and nerves in the upper limbs (shoulders, elbows, wrists), but also the joints of the spine. The pains and functional discomforts (stiffness, clumsiness or loss of strength) which result therefrom can become very disabling (low back pain, epicondylitis, carpal syndrome, etc.).
However, National Research Institute for Occupational Health and Safety believes that “other contributing factors may be at work in hairdressing salons, including a high workload which reinforces the strain on muscles and joints, insufficient recovery breaks or even stress phenomena. “
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