A personal services setting is a premises where personal services are offered and there is a risk of exposure to blood or body fluids. Personal service settings include:
- Hairdressers and barber shops
- Nail services and aesthetics
- Tattoos and body piercings
- Electrolysis / hair removal
- and various other settings
Personal services performed on the body can pose a risk of infection to both clients and workers if proper procedures are not followed. The health risks of personal service procedures depend on a number of factors, including how invasive a procedure is; many procedures have the potential to cause serious illness or infection.
Workers who are knowledgeable and comply with infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices help reduce the risk of infections being transmitted.
View the Personal Service Settings Health and Safety Poster for more information.
Public Health inspections
Public Health inspects all personal service settings at least once per year under the Infection Prevention and Control in Personal Service Setting Protocol. Operators must take the right steps to keep people safe and control the spread of infections and disease. For example, equipment that is used for personal services can carry bacteria or viruses if not properly disinfected between clients.
Use the Health Inspect disclosure website to view the inspection information for personal service settings such as hair, beauty, tattoo and piercing settings in Oxford, Elgin and St. Thomas.
Choose your personal service setting with care
- Choose an approved business that receives regular inspections – you can ask to see their latest inspection report or contact Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) for more information about the business.
- Visit beforehand to make sure the premise and equipment is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition . Ask how often they disinfect or sterilize their equipment.
- Check online reviews and talk to your friends about their experiences.
Things to look for
When you are getting a personal service, make sure:
- The person helping you washes their hands and/or wears gloves before handling sterile equipment.
- “Invasive” equipment such as needles and ink caps are in sealed, sterilized (marked) packaging and that they are opened and put together in front of you.
- Equipment that cannot be properly sterilized (tattoo machine, cords, etc.) is covered with a disposable covering.
- Single-use items are disposed properly after they are used.
- You receive verbal and written aftercare instructions to prevent infection.
- Look for SWPH Health Inspect signage at the premise.
View the personal service settings health and safety poster for more information.