Health risks and the law
This guidance will help you comply with the law and operate your business in a safe way.
What does the law say?
- All employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees and others affected by their work (includes clients and contractors). (The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974)
- To assess and control the risks to yourself and others and write down your findings if you have five or more employees. (The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999)
- To prevent or reduce workers’ exposure to hazardous substances. (The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002)
- That you maintain all equipment and provide good ventilation, lighting, space to operate, and sanitary and welfare provisions. (Workplace Health, Safety & Welfare Regulations 1992)
- To ensure that waste is safely managed and does not cause harm to people’s health or the environment. (The Environmental Protection Act 1990)
- It is an offence to inject botox or filler or arrange an appointment for cosmetic purposes with a person who is under the age of 18. (The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021
- It is an offence to supply or hold advance stock of prescription only medicines or unlicensed medicines, unless you are a registered pharmacy, doctor or dentist. (Human Medicines Regulations 2012)
It’s an offence to:
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Inject Botox or fillers for cosmetic purposes to a person who is under the age of 18.
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To sell/supply unlicensed medicines.
What are the risks of treatment?
It’s important that you and any employees are aware of the risks to those undergoing treatment and effectively communicate them to the client (informed consent), taking every reasonable precaution to prevent harm (which may include not carrying out the treatment).
- Filler blindness – where product is inadvertently injected into a small vessel on the face connected to the retinal artery
- Filler migration – when an incorrect injection technique is applied, such as overfilling or excessive pressure
- Fat and skin necrosis – if product is injected into or blocks a blood vessel
- Transmission of viral, bacterial and fungal infections spread through contaminated equipment, open wounds and cuts (such as herpes simplex, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV)
- Allergic reactions to ingredients