Personal Service Setting Inspections

Places like hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, and tattoo studios can spread germs if they’re not clean and safe. To keep you healthy, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) checks these businesses regularly under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. These inspections make sure they follow health and safety rules.

What is a personal service setting?

A personal service setting is any place where services can have a risk of contact with blood or body fluids. Examples of personal service settings include:

• Hair salons and barbershops

• Tattoo and piercing studios

• Nail salons

• Places that offer electrolysis or other beauty treatments

These settings need to follow health and safety rules to prevent the spread of infections. Learn more about the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.R.O. 1990, Ontario Regulation 136/18: Personal Service Settings,

What does a public health inspector do?

Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) help keep these businesses safe for you. Here’s what they do:

• Check for cleanliness: They make sure tools and surfaces are clean.

• Look for safety risks: They see if the business follows health rules.

• Give advice: They teach staff how to stay safe.

• Take action: If a serious problem is found, they can close the business or take legal action until it’s fixed.

After each inspection, the inspector writes a report for the public to be able to review at any time. 

How can I find inspection reports?

If you want to see inspection results for businesses in Oxford County, Elgin County, or the City of St. Thomas, visit Health Inspect.