Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the leading cause of occupational diseases in the hairdressing profession. Days spent standing, repetitive movements and awkward postures heavily strain the back, shoulders, wrists and neck.
To support salons in preventing these risks, the Assurance Maladie Risques Professionnels, through the Carsat, the Cramif and the CGSS, offers financial assistance to reduce the cost of purchasing ergonomic equipment. These grants are currently funded by the Fonds d'investissement pour la prévention de l'usure professionnelle (FIPU), created to sustainably improve working conditions.
Discover the eligibility conditions, the equipment concerned and the steps to be taken to benefit from this aid.
Why does Carsat help hair salons?
The hairdresser profession is particularly exposed to ergonomic risks. Professionals perform hundreds of repetitive movements daily, work with their arms raised and stand for long hours.
These constraints promote the emergence of:
- lower back pain ;
- tendinitis ;
- shoulder troubles ;
- neck pain ;
- musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
The FIPU was implemented to help companies invest in equipment that reduces these risks before they become long-term health problems. The funding mainly concerns three ergonomic risk factors:
- manual handling ;
- painful postures ;
- mechanical vibrations.
Which equipment can be financed?
According to the needs of the salon and the criteria set by the Carsat, several investments may be eligible.
Among the most commonly financed equipment are notably:
- the shampoo bowls electric height adjustable ;
- the hairdressing chairs electric ;
- some equipment limiting physical efforts ;
- the equipment that improves the ergonomics of the workstation.
The objective is simple: to allow the hairdresser to adapt their workstation to their morphology rather than to adapt themselves to their equipment.
At Malys Équipement, several models of ergonomic basins and chairs precisely adhere to this logic of MSD prevention.
What is the amount of the Carsat grant?
The amount of aid varies according to:
- the size of the company ;
- the nature of the investments made ;
- the budgets available in your region.
As part of the FIPU scheme, coverage can reach up to 70% of the net amount of eligible investments, within the limits set by Health Insurance. As the envelopes are regional, they can be quickly used up; it is therefore recommended to anticipate your application.
Which companies can benefit from the aid?
Carsat aid is intended for companies under the general social security scheme.
Hair salons with at least one employee can submit an application, whatever their size:
- less than 50 employees ;
- from 50 to 199 employees ;
- more than 200 employees.
The assistance procedures differ according to the size of the company, but the system remains open to all these categories. In some cases, self-employed workers who have taken out voluntary insurance against work accidents may also be concerned.
The main eligibility conditions
Before any funding request, several criteria must be met.
Your company must in particular:
- to be up to date with social contributions ;
- fall under the general scheme ;
- have an up-to-date Single Document for Risk Assessment (DUERP) when it is mandatory;
- to be committed to an occupational risk prevention approach ;
- not be subject to an injunction or an increase in contribution related to occupational risks.
Depending on your situation, the Carsat may also request additional supporting documents or a detailed quote for the planned equipment.
How to apply for a grant?
The procedure is relatively simple but requires a complete file.
The main steps are:
- Check your eligibility.
- Identify the equipment that meets the criteria of the scheme.
- Request one or more quotes.
- Build your application file.
- Submit your application to your Carsat (or Cramif / CGSS depending on your region).
- Wait for approval before making purchases when requested by your cash register.
Each regional fund can apply a specific schedule; it is therefore advisable to submit your file as early as possible.
Why invest in ergonomic equipment?
Beyond the subsidy, replacing old furniture with ergonomic equipment constitutes a real investment for the salon.
The benefits are numerous:
- reduction of daily fatigue ;
- reduction of physical pain ;
- improvement of working conditions ;
- better quality of service for customers ;
- limitation of sick leaves related to MSDs ;
- enhancement of the salon's image.
An electrically adjustable shampoo bowl or a motorised cutting chair allows, for example, the working height to be adjusted in a few seconds, thus limiting awkward postures.
Malys Equipment supports you in your project
At Malys Équipement, we support hairdressing professionals in choosing equipment designed to improve the ergonomics of workstations.
Our teams can advise you on the most suitable models for your activity and provide you with the necessary quotes to prepare your Carsat aid application file.
Do you want to modernise your salon while reducing your investment? Contact us to discuss your project and identify the equipment that may be eligible for current aid.
CARSAT assistance: finance your professional equipment