A personal service setting is described in the Health Protection and Promotion Act as premises at which personal services are offered where there is a risk of exposure to blood or body fluids.
These services may include, but are not limited to:
- Manicures and pedicures
- Piercing and tattooing
- Micropigmentation and microblading
- Microneedling and microdermabrasion
- Hair salons and barbers
- Electrolysis and laser hair removal
Niagara Region's public health inspectors inspect personal service settings in both commercial and private home settings to reduce the risk of contracting blood-borne and other types of infections during the delivery of these services. Learn about the health inspection results.
Our inspectors ensure infection prevention and control practices are in place within these settings as mandated by:
- Ontario Public Health Standards
- Ontario Personal Service Setting Regulation 136/18 under the Health Protection and Promotion Act
Reporting forms
- Accidental exposure to blood / bodily fluids
- Client record for non-invasive services
- Disinfection log sheet
- Sterilization log sheet
- Ultrasonic log sheet
Vietnamese reporting forms
- Accidental exposure to blood / bodily fluids - Vietnamese
- Client record for non-invasive services - Vietnamese
- Disinfection log sheet - Vietnamese
- Notification sticker - Vietnamese
Personal services settings information
- New or renovated personal service setting guidelines
You must notify Niagara Region Public Health at 905-688-8248 ext. 7590 or email inspect@niagararegion.ca if you are:
- Planning to operate a personal service setting
- Adding more services to your personal service setting
- Renovating your business
Every operator of a personal service setting shall undertake any health and safety training related to personal service setting operation and maintenance, including training in relevant practices that can prevent or reduce the risk of disease transmission.
General requirements as listed in the Ontario Regulation 136/18 Personal Service Settings
- Prohibited services (ear candling or any personal service involving live aquatic species, including fish pedicures) are not permitted
- The space is to be kept free from animals, including birds, aquatic species and reptiles. Exemption: Animals are permitted under subsection 80.45 (4) of Ontario Regulation 191/11 (Integrated Accessibility Standards) made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
- The floors, walls, ceilings, fixtures, work surfaces and furniture of the setting must be in good repair, of material that is easily cleanable, disinfected, smooth, impermeable and maintained in a sanitary condition
- The setting must be equipped with potable hot and cold running water under pressure
- There must be at least one sink to be used only for hand washing within the premises of the personal service setting that is conveniently located to the work area and accessible at all times. It must be supplied with: soap in a dispenser, a method of hand drying, and hot and cold running water under pressure
- Hand sanitizer to be available throughout the premises with a 70-90 per cent concentration, not past its expiry and have a NPN number listed on it
- The lighting and ventilation in the setting must be sufficient to enable the sanitary operation and maintenance of the setting and the safe provision of personal services
- The setting must be equipped with receptacles for waste, including biomedical and laundry waste receptacles and is to be collected and removed as often as necessary to maintain the setting in a sanitary condition
- If a sharps containers is necessary, it must be placed at point of use and comply with CSA standards
- The setting must have adequate storage space for necessary equipment and supplies
Reprocessing Area
The setting has a reprocessing area that:
- Has at least one sink that is not the hand wash sink and is capable of immersing the largest piece of reusable equipment
- Is continuously supplied with potable hot and cold running water under pressure
- Has adequate counter space to prepare the reusable equipment for use and re-use
- Is not located in a room with a toilet; is sufficiently separated from where personal services are provided to prevent contamination
Exemption: Where a premises only provides hairdressing or barbering services, and reprocesses reusable equipment before the beginning and after the end of each business day, a reprocessing area may not be necessary.
Equipment / instructions used
- To be maintained in good repair and in a sanitary condition
- Is stored and dispensed in a manner which prevents contamination
- In accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
- That if its reusable equipment, it is cleaned and disinfected or sterilized as often as necessary to prevent disease transmission
- All sharps used at the setting are sterile, for single use and from packaging that has not been previously opened, damaged or compromised
For more information, call 905-688-8248 ext. 7590 or email inspect@niagararegion.ca.
- Body piercing
Body piercing involves the use of a single-use, sterile piercing needle, scalpel or dermal punch to create an artificial opening in the body, followed by insertion of sterile jewellery into the piercing site.
Infection risks
MicroorganismsInfections
- Contaminated or improperly reprocessed equipment
- Client's own bacteria on the skin and mucous membrane, such as genital piercings
- Unclean hands touching the treated area
The result may be localized skin or tissue infections or more invasive infections.
Infection prevention and control requirements
Equipment
- All jewelry for new piercings is to be sterile and maintained as sterile until the point of insertion. Jewellery may be purchased as individually pre-packaged, sterile or purchased in bulk and sterilized on-site before use.
- Jewelry inserted into the body during a piercing procedure is to be made of a biocompatible material according to recognized standards, such as astm, iso.
- Jewelry is to have a smooth finish and is to be free of any nicks, burs or scratches
- All needles, dermal punches, closed-ended receiving tubes and single-use scalpel blades are to be maintained as sterile to point of use and discarded in an approved sharps container after use
- All reusable equipment / instruments / items are to be reprocessed after use
- Items that are not able to be reprocessed are to be discarded after use
Operational requirements
- Piercings are not to be performed on a client if nearby skin (within 15 cm / 6 inches) has a rash or is inflamed or infected. In this case, service must be delayed until the area has healed.
- Skin that is visibly soiled must be cleaned with soap and water before starting the procedure
- If a soap and water solution is used for lubrication, it is to be prepared just before use and any leftover solution is to be discarded after the procedure
- Operators are to apply skin antiseptic to the area of the client's skin that is being treated
- Only topical local anesthetic approved for use by Health Canada is permitted. The site is to be cleaned with a suitable skin antiseptic before applying the anesthetic. Injectable anesthetic is prohibited.
- Skin antiseptics are to be stored and dispensed carefully in a way that prevents contamination of the antiseptic. These products are to be dispensed from a single-use swab packet or onto a single-use clean cotton swab or cotton ball, and applied onto the skin according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- If hair removal is required, a single-use razor is to be used and discarded in an approved sharps container.
- Antiseptics are not needed for piercings inside the mouth; ensure the client's mouth, including tongue, teeth and gums, is clean. For example, clean with a single-use toothbrush.
- Before performing genital piercings, operators are to clean the procedure site with warm water and a liquid soap
- If the piercing site is to be marked, operators are to allow the antiseptic to dry, mark the client's skin with a single-use marker or toothpick and allow the marking agent to dry before performing the piercing. Antiseptic and marking agents are to be dispensed in a manner that prevents the introduction and/or spread of disease-causing microorganisms.
- Clients are to be provided with verbal and written aftercare information following the piercing, including a recommendation to see a doctor within 24 hours if signs of infection develop
Reprocessing classification
Sterilization
- Forceps and clamps
- Jewelry used for initial piercing and jewelry purchased in bulk
- Tapers
- Open-ended receiving tubes
- Ring-opening and ring-closing pliers
High-level disinfection
- Needle pushers
- Scissors used to cut cannulas (insertion tubes)
Intermediate-level disinfection
- All calipers
- Jewelry (when replacing piercing jewelry on completely healed piercings)
Low-level disinfection
- Tables, chairs, beds
- Rigid containers used to hold dirty equipment until reprocessing (at end of day)
- Service trays
Single-use, disposable
- Closed-ended receiving tubes
- Disposable clamps and forceps
- Dermal punch*
- Jewelry (stud earring, hoop, ball or screw)*
- Marking pen or toothpick
- Needles and cannulas*
- Ointment applicators
- Single-use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection)
- Receiving cork
- Swab used to apply skin antiseptic
*These items are to be sterile before use (packaged sterile or sterilized on-site).
- Ear piercing
Ear piercing with a hand-held device is the perforation or piercing of a client's ear using an ear-piercing device, which uses an earring stud to pierce the earlobe, in contrast to other types of body piercing which are performed with the aid of a piercing needle.
Infection risks
MicroorganismsInfections
- Contaminated or improperly reprocessed equipment, such as a piercing device
- Ear piercing devices used on parts of the body other than the earlobes and nose
- Client's own bacteria on the skin
- Unclean hands touching the treated area
Infection prevention and control requirements
Equipment
- Ear piercing devices are only to be used on earlobes. These devices are not to be used on other parts of the body.
- Ear piercing devices that do not have sterile, single-use disposable plastic cartridges or adaptors (such as those that directly contact a client's ears and nose) are not recommended
- Ear piercing devices should be cleaned in a reprocessing sink and then disinfected by fully immersing the instrument in an intermediate disinfectant for the required contact time (for example, 70 per cent isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes), in between clients
- Ear piercing devices that cannot be immersed in liquid, as per manufacturer's instructions for use, must be cleaned and disinfected through other methods. If wipes are used for cleaning and disinfection, one wipe must be used to clean the device, and a second for disinfection, ensuring that the required contact time is reached.
- Ears piercing devices that cannot be disinfected or sterilized are not to be used
- If disposable covers are not provided, the device must be immersed in intermediate level disinfectant solution for the required contact time
- All sterile items (such as piercing cartridges, stud adaptors, clasp retainers, piercing jewelry) are to be kept as sterile until the point of use. Ensure sterile items have lot numbers and expiry dates from the manufacturer. Do not use needles if there are no expiry dates and lot numbers.
- Jewelry is to be made of biocompatible material(s) according to recognized standards
- Do not spray antiseptic solutions on sterile items before piercing
- Sterile items are not to be used once packaging is opened, such as if a single earring of a pair is used, the second earring is to be given to the client or discarded and is not to be reused for piercing
Operational requirements
- Earlobe piercing with a hand-held device is not to be performed on a client if nearby skin (within 15 cm / 6 inches) has a rash or is inflamed or infected. Where this cannot be achieved, service must be delayed until the area has healed.
- Perform hand hygiene before performing a piercing
- Clean the front and back of the earlobe with an approved skin antiseptic
- Mark the earlobe with an antiseptic technique to prevent contamination of the marker. An antiseptic technique can be the use of a toothpick that has been stained with the marker or use a single-use marker, both of which are to be discarded after each use.
- If using a reusable marker, the ear must be cleaned as in previous step, marked, and allowed to dry, then cleaned again
- Clients are to be provided with verbal and written aftercare information following the piercing, including a recommendation to see a doctor within 24 hours if any signs of infection develop
Reprocessing classification
Sterilization
- Jewelry used for piercing
Intermediate-level disinfection
- Ear piercing devices used to hold single-use, sterile disposable cartridges or stud adaptors and clasp retainers
Low-level disinfection
- Tables, chairs, beds
- Rigid containers used to hold dirty equipment until reprocessing (at end of day)
- Service trays
Single-use, disposable
- Cartridges*
- Marking pen or toothpick
- Opened piercing jewelry
- Opened unpackaged jewelry*
- Gloves
- Single-use stud holder*
- Single-use clasp retainer*
- Swab used to apply skin antiseptic
*These items are to be sterile before use (packaged sterile or sterilized on-site).
- Eyebrow and eyelash services
Eyebrow and eyelash services include but are not limited to eyebrow tints, eyebrow lamination, eyelash lifts and tints and eyelash extensions.
These services involve the use of disposable equipment (such as applicators for tint, eye lash application, and eyelash and eyebrow brushes) and reusable equipment (such as tweezers, scissors, and tint jars).
Infection risks
Blood or body fluids do not need to be visible on equipment for microorganisms to enter the body at the procedure site and cause an infection. Infections can spread from:
- Products contaminated during manufacturing or from consumer use
- Contaminated and / or improperly reprocessed equipment
- Contamination in the environment
- Unclean hands touching treated areas
Adenovirus conjunctivitis (pinkeye) is transmitted by direct or indirect contact with infectious eye secretions via contaminated hands, equipment, objects or solutions. Clients infected with adenovirus conjunctivitis are not to receive eyelash services until the infection has healed.
Infection prevention and control requirements
Equipment
- A new, single-use applicator is to be used for each client and discarded immediately after use
- Reusable instruments and equipment (such as silicone applicators, tweezers used to apply false lashes, glass containers used to hold eyelash tint) are to be cleaned and disinfected after each use
- Silicone applicator pads for eyelash extensions may be single-use disposable or reusable. Operators are to refer to the manufacturers instructions for use to determine if these items can be reused or not.
- For liquid products (such as eyelash extension glue, eyelash or eyebrow tint), the product is to be dispensed into a single-use or reusable container for each client. In this situation, a single-use or reusable applicator can be dipped into the container several times until the application is complete. Left-over product, the single-use container and disposable applicators are to be discarded after each client. Reusable containers and applicators are to be cleaned and disinfected after use.
- Operators are not to use eyelash tint containing black henna (paraphenylenediamine; PPD) as it can cause serious allergic reactions if it comes into contact with skin
Operational requirements
- Eyelash and eyebrow services are not to be performed on a client if nearby skin (within 15 cm /6 inches) has a rash or is inflamed or infected. If this is not possible, service must be delayed until the area has healed.
- Gloves or finger cots are to be worn if the operator will have contact with a client's non-intact skin or mucous membranes (for example, when performing eyelash lifts or tints). These items are not required for routine procedures where contact is limited to a client's intact skin.
Reprocessing classification
Intermediate-level disinfection
- Tweezers used to remove hair from the hair follicle. Tweezers are not to be used for extractions or to expose ingrown hairs.
- Tweezers to apply fake lashes
- Reusable silicone applicator pads for eyelash lifts
Low-level disinfection
- Tables, chairs, beds
- Reusable containers used to hold liquid eyelash or eyebrow tint
Single-use, disposable
- Single-use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection)
- Bed / pillow covers (paper)
- Cloth linen and towels that are laundered after each use
- Applicators for tint
- Single-use eyebrow or eyelash brushes
- Single-use silicone applicator pads for eyelash lifts
- Unused decanted products (such as tint, eye lashes)
- Facials
A facial is a multi-step procedure that involves cleansing, massaging and treating specific conditions on a client's face.
Facials are performed manually and / or using facial equipment or machines. The service usually involves the top layer of skin (epidermis) but may be more invasive, involving the use of equipment to remove whiteheads, blackheads and / or chemical peels (such as alpha hydroxyl products) that break the skin barrier.
Some services that fall under facials include but are not limited to microneedling, dermaplaning and microdermabrasion.
Infection risks
Blood or body fluids do not need to be visible on equipment for microorganisms to enter the body at the procedure site and cause an infection. Infections can spread from:
- Contaminated and / or improperly reprocessed equipment
- Contaminated topical products
- Unclean hands touching the treated area
Infection prevention and control requirements
Equipment
- Single-use items (such as sponges, sharps) are to be discarded immediately after use
- Pre-packaged, single-use sterile needles or lancets used for extractions or to expose ingrown hairs are to be discarded in an approved sharps container after use. Tweezers are not to be used for extractions or to expose ingrown hairs.
- Sharp-ended extractors are to be discarded in an approved sharps container or cleaned and sterilized between each use
- Reusable instruments and equipment (such as non-sharp extractors, facial rollers) are to be cleaned and disinfected after use
- Items requiring laundering, such as cloth towels, sheets and linens are to be laundered after use or placed in a designated receptacle for laundering at a later time
- Single-use items (such as paper table coverings) are to be discarded after the service and are not to be reused
- Facial equipment is to be used, stored, maintained, cleaned and disinfected and replaced according to manufacturer's instructions for use
- Facial steamers are to be used and maintained in a sanitary way, and according to manufacturer's instructions. Water (preferably distilled) is to be replaced daily, at a minimum. Water in the reservoir of the unit is not to be topped up. The reservoir is to be emptied of water, cleaned, and disinfected before refilling, as per manufacturer's instructions for use.
- All sterile equipment is to be used before the expiry date. Do not use needles if there are no expiry dates and lot numbers.
- Topical products (such as creams, lotions) are to be maintained, decanted and used in a sanitary way that avoids contamination of the remaining product (such as no "double dipping"). If products are decanted from a larger container, leftover, unused product is to be discarded.
- Razors for dermaplaning are to be single-use and disposed into an approved sharps container after use
Microneedling
- Microneedle rollers are required to be provided as individually pre-packaged, sterile. If these are purchased unsterilized, they must be sterilized before use.
- Detachable microneedle roller heads are to be discarded into an approved sharps container after use, and the reusable handle is to be reprocessed using a high-level disinfectant
- Microneedle rollers that are a single unit (such as those where the roller head is not detachable from the handle) are to be discarded in an approved sharps container after use
General requirements
- Single-use gloves or finger cots are to be worn when touching non-intact skin (such as during extractions). Operators are to perform hand hygiene before and after use of gloves / finger cots.
- Facials should not be performed on a client if skin has a rash or is inflamed or infected. If this is not possible, service must be delayed until the area has healed.
- If applicable, operators are to provide clients with aftercare information or special considerations following the treatment
Reprocessing classification
High-level disinfection
- Microneedle roller handles (if roller head is detachable)
- Extractors
- Glass and metal probes
- Equipment that contacts non-intact skin (such as acne treatments, microdermabrasion tip, holder and hose). If the equipment only contacts intact skin, then an intermediate-level disinfectant may be used.
Low-level disinfection
- Tables, chairs, beds
- Rigid containers used to hold dirty equipment (at end of day)
- Service trays
- Facial steamer machine and reservoir
- Product dispensing tools / spatula
- Bowls
- Facial massage equipment and rollers
- Brushes for applying face masks
- Microdermabrasion handles sheathed with a single-use cover
Single-use, disposable
- Lancets*
- Needles*
- Wooden applicators
- Cotton pads or balls
- Finger cots
- Sponges
- Single-use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection)
- Bed / pillow covers (paper)
- Cloth linen and towels - laundered after each use
- Microneedle rollers (if roller head and handle are a single unit)
- Microneedle roller heads (detachable)
*These items are to be sterile before use.
Consultation for new businesses or additional services
Under Ontario Personal Service Setting Regulation 136/18, you must contact your local health department for a consultation 14 days before:
- Opening a new business
- Adding additional service(s)
- Starting construction on the premises
Request a consultation.
We can provide recommendations and save you time and money by not having to correct improper licensing procedures or pay for alterations to the structure of the facility after you have opened for business.
Protecting yourself when visiting a personal service setting
In Niagara, public health inspectors inspect personal service settings at least once per year depending on the risk involved with the service(s) provided. During every visit, an inspect sign is posted in a visible location to show that the location has been inspected.
However, some businesses that operate in homes or other locations have never been inspected by Public Health.
To make sure you're getting service(s) from an inspected premise, you can:
- Ask the business owner / operator to show you their last Personal Services Settings Inspection Report
- Verify the health inspection results or call 905-688-8248 ext. 7590 or 1-888-505-6074
Reporting concerns to Niagara Region Public Health
In addition to regular inspections, our public health inspectors also visit facilities when there's a complaint about inadequate infection prevention and control practices that may pose a risk to public health.
If you have concerns about a personal service setting or the procedure being performed, report them to Niagara Region Public Health and Emergency Services.
When reporting concerns, the identity of the person making the complaint is kept confidential.
Learn about:
- Infection control lapse investigations and reports
- Closures, convictions and orders of personal services settings that have been convicted of an offence during the previous two years under Ontario Personal Service Setting Regulation 136/18
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