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Title / Perform a manicure and/or pedicure service as an independent beauty services operator
Level / 4 / Credits / 12
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: explain lower arm, hand, lower leg, and foot anatomy and physiology; explain the chemical properties of manicure and pedicure preparations; identify and maintain tools of manicure and pedicure; and perform a complete manicure and/or pedicure service.
Classification / Beauty Services > Beauty Therapy
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Independent operator, in the context of the beauty therapy industry and for the purposes of this unit standard, means someone who performs beauty services as a self manager, without supervision and in a commercially viable time-frame.
2Enterprise requirements, for the purposes of this unit standard, refers to any policies, procedures, and requirements of the company and/or workplace involved, and any ethical codes of relevant professional management, which collectively provide a standard that applies to all competent performances in this unit standard. It is assumed that such enterprise requirements exist in all companies and/or workplaces.
3All performances in this unit standard must comply with the requirements of: Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Privacy Act 1993, Health Act 1956, and their subsequent amendments.
4People prone to back problems and/or allergies should give due consideration before undertaking assessment against this unit standard.
5In all dealings with clients:
hygiene, sanitation, and safety procedures are undertaken to accord maximum client safety, in accordance with the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, including the use of UV sanitizers and autoclaves
personal presentation, including personal hygiene, will at all times be of a standard that complies with enterprise requirements
all beauty services will have the client's prior, informed, and signed consent, based on the beauty practitioner’s analysis of the client’s need and their explanation of the service to the client, during the consultation
care and comfort of the client are monitored at all times throughout the service a posture is maintained which ensures minimum postural impairment of the beauty practitioner.
6Performance of the outcomes in this unit standard must be within the limits of the professional expertise of the candidate. Referral of clients to other industry professionals and/or to health professionals must occur when situations arise which are outside this range of professional expertise.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain lower arm, hand, lower leg, and foot anatomy and physiology.
Evidence requirements
1.1Explanation identifies major muscular and skeletal components of the lower arm, hand, lower leg, and foot.
1.2Explanation identifies the major arteries and veins of the lower arm, hand, lower leg, and foot.
1.3Explanation identifies structure, growth, and major components of nails.
1.4Explanation identifies anatomical disorders of the hand and foot for referral in terms of bunion, fallen arches, and arthritis.
Outcome 2
Explain the chemical properties of manicure and pedicure preparations.
Evidence requirements
2.1Explanation identifies the main active ingredients in nail products.
Rangecuticle remover, cuticle softener, hard skin remover, nail strengtheners, nail enamel, top coat, base coat, hand cream, nail varnish remover.
2.2Occupational safety and health implications and requirements in regard to chemical properties of the nail preparations are identified in accordance with the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
Outcome 3
Identify and maintain tools of manicure and pedicure.
Rangecuticle nippers, skin rasps, nail scissors/clippers, cuticle sticks, files, buffers, cuticle knives.
Evidence requirements
3.1Tools are identified and described in terms of their specific use.
3.2Tools are sanitised, maintained and stored in accordance with the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
Outcome 4
Perform a complete manicure and/or pedicure service.
Evidence requirements
4.1Contra-indications to manicure and/or pedicure service for a client are identified in terms of skin and nail diseases and disorders.
Rangebacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic, systemic, traumatic.
4.2Equipment, products, and materials are selected, prepared and arranged to accord maximum efficiency of service.
4.3Service is performed with equipment and products selected and applied in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions.
Rangeincludes but is not limited to – filing, cuticle care, massage, buffing, painting, specialist treatments.
4.4The agreed service is performed to the satisfaction and safety of the client and without damage to nail bed and surrounding tissues.
4.5The follow-up procedures are undertaken according to enterprise requirements.
Rangerecord card, home-care advice, product sales, referral, monitoring of client, clean-up.
Replacement information / This unit standard has been replaced by unit standard 27172 and unit standard 27173.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 30 September 1998 / 31 December 2013
Review / 2 / 27 June 2003 / 31 December 2013
Rollover and Revision / 3 / 16 October 2009 / 31 December 2013
Review / 4 / 18 August 2011 / 31 December 2014
Rollover and Revision / 5 / 20 October 2011 / 31 December 2014
Rollover / 6 / 15 November 2012 / 31 December 2014
Rollover / 7 / 20 February 2014 / 31 December 2019
Rollover / 8 / 17 March 2016 / 31 December 2019
Rollover / 9 / 31 December 2020
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0035
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
NZ Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation IncSSB Code 101681 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018