Public Health inspects places that offer personal services at least once a year to make sure they are providing the public with safer services.
There are many ways that a serious infection can be spread if proper steps to clean and disinfect tools are not taken. As a customer, it’s important that you know what to look for to make sure you are receiving safe services to reduce your risk of skin infections or other serious infections like skin and nail fungus, hepatitis B, C or even HIV.
What should you look for?
- Visit CheckBeforeYouChoose.ca before visiting the personal service setting to make sure the location has passed their Public Health inspection.
- Well lit, clean and organized work areas
- That tools, work surfaces and equipment being used are in good repair
- All workers wash their hands before and after providing a service to a client
- All tools and supplies are stored in a clean area (e.g., in covered containers)
- Creams and lotions are used in a way that doesn’t contaminate the original product (e.g., use of pumps to access products as opposed to putting fingers directly into jars to acquire the product)
- Clean sheets, towels, robes, etc. are used for each client
- Paper liners and single-use items (e.g., emery nail files, drill bits, buffer blocks, pumice stones) are discarded in garbage after each use and never reused
Some salon services (hair salons, aesthetic services) or even tattoo studios operate in homes which may not have been inspected by Public Health. To make sure that you are receiving a service from inspected premises, visit CheckBeforeYouChoose.ca to view Public Health inspection reports.
Public Health follows up on complaints received from the public relating to infection control practices at any personal service setting. To make a complaint, please call 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4752.