About BodySafe

Please do not call to make an appointment for a routine inspection unless you have never been inspected by Toronto Public Health.

 

BodySafe is Toronto Public Health’s safety program that inspects personal service settings (PSS). PSS are premises that provide personal services where there is a risk of exposure to blood or body fluids and includes premises offering hairdressing and barbering, tattooing, body piercing, nail services, electrolysis and other aesthetic services.

All health units in Ontario must conduct an health inspection and follow up on complaints associated with PSS. This process ensures that owners and operators operate their business in accordance with Ontario Regulation 136/18: Personal Service Settings under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Public Health Ontario’s Guide to Infection Prevention and Control in Personal Services Settings.

The purpose of the BodySafe program is to ensure that PSS owners/operators use safe practices to prevent the spread of infections, such as:

Personal service settings are businesses that provide the following services:

  • hairstyling and barbering
  • tattooing
  • micropigmentation
  • ear and body piercing
  • electrolysis
  • manicures and pedicures
  • aesthetics (e.g., waxing, facials, laser hair removal)
  • injectable personal services

Revisions to the Licensing By-Law

All establishments offering personal services as indicated under Municipal Code 545, Licensing By-Law, will be required to get a PSS license and post their inspection notices at or near the entrance of the business, so that it is clearly visible to the public.

Requirements for PSS:

  1. Under Ontario Regulation 136/18, all PSS need to notify their local public health unit of their intent to offer services, and be inspected to ensure the health and safety of the public is maintained.
  2. Notify Toronto Public Health before opening a new PSS in writing at BodySafe@toronto.ca at least 14 days before opening with the following information:
    • Name of the premises
    • Complete address of the premises
    • Your full legal name and that of any other legal owner
    • All services you will offer
    • Expected hours/days of operation and expected opening date
    • Copy of your City of Toronto Personal Services Setting (PSS) licence obtained through Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), if available.
    • Copy of your Ontario Business Name Registration formerly Ontario Master Business Licence, if available
    • Contact information (i.e. phone numbers, emails)
  1. Make sure you obtain a Zoning Review for a business licence from Toronto Building for home bases businesses before applying for your PSS licence. Applicants in commercial locations will be referred to Zoning through your MLS application.
  2. Obtain a PSS licence from the City of Toronto’s Municipal Licensing & Standards (ML&S) division.
    • Please note at this time you do not need an inspection report to renew or apply for a new PSS licence.
  1. Post the MLS licence conspicuously in the business.
  2. Post the inspection notice sign (BodySafe sign) provided by Toronto Public Health:
    • in a place clearly visible to members of the public
    • at or near the entrance to the establishment
  1. Notify Toronto Public Health (BodySafe@toronto.ca) and ML&S (mlsbusinesslicence@toronto.ca) in at least 14 days in advance of:
    • Any changes to the types of personal services
    • Reconstruction or renovations including if services will or will not be provided during the renovations.
    • See more information on Zoning Reviews and licensing.

There are two types of inspection results that will be posted on BodySafe web pages:

Inspection and Re-inspection

An inspection is likely conducted once a year by a Public Health Inspector.

A re-inspection is conducted if there are any infractions identified during the original health inspection. Re-inspections will likely occur within 48 business hours if a service or establishment is not closed.

Establishment Level Inspection Results

The establishment level inspection result provides the overall outcome of the inspection.

Inspection Report Notice Infraction Examples
Pass

  • A Pass notice will be issued when no infractions are observed with any service during an inspection.
 BodySafe green inspection pass notice (poster)
  • No infractions identified
Conditional Pass

Significant infractions:

  • Present a potential health hazard
  • A conditional pass notice will be issued when one or more significant infractions are observed during the inspection, or one or more crucial infraction(s) are observed during an inspection and the crucial infractions can be corrected during the inspection.
  • A Public Health Inspector will re-inspect the establishment likely within 48 business hours of the initial inspection.
  • If the infractions are corrected upon re-inspection and no other infractions are found, a Pass notice will be issued.
 BodySafe yellow inspection conditional pass notice (poster)
  • Hands not cleaned as necessary
  • Items not in good repair and the work environment is not clean or tidy
  • Work area does not have a smooth impervious surface and is not well lit
  • Single-use items are being re-used
  • Products and items are not maintained in a sanitary manner
  • Failure to maintain required records for three years with a minimum of one year (365 days) on site
Service(s) Closed

Crucial infractions:

  • Present an immediate health hazard
  • A service(s) closed notice will be issued when there is one or more crucial infraction(s) that cannot be corrected during the time of the inspection.
  • When there is more than one service at a PSS and one of the services is required to close, a Service(s) Closed result will occur. The notice will indicate the service(s) that are closed.
  • When all of the infractions are corrected, the establishment will receive a Pass notice.
 BodySafe red inspection closed notice (poster)
  • No sink with hot and cold running water or 70% alcohol-based hand rub
  • Items are not cleaned and disinfected with the correct disinfectant between clients
  • Items are not stored in a manner to prevent contamination
  • Sharps are not discarded immediately after use into an approved sharps container
  • Gloves are not used when required and changed between clients as needed
  • Items that are invasive, such as needles, are not pre-packaged, sterile and discarded between clients
  • Mechanical sterilizers (i.e. autoclaves) are not spore tested at least once every two weeks
Establishment Closed

Crucial infractions:

  • Present an immediate health hazard.
  • A closed notice will be issued when there is one or more crucial infraction(s) that cannot be corrected during the time of the inspection.
  • When all the personal services are closed in a PSS, an Establishment Closed result will occur. The notice will indicate that all the services are closed.

Service Level Inspection Results

Each establishment has at least one personal service they provide to the public, such as hairstyling. In many cases, one establishment can provide several different types of services, such as hairstyling and ear piercing. An establishment that provides more than one service is called a multi-service establishment. There are four inspection results that can occur at the service level.

Inspection Result Example
Satisfactory

No infractions are identified during the inspection or re-inspection

 Inspected the hair and ear piercing services and both services had no infractions.
Not satisfactory

One or more infractions were identified during the inspection or re-inspection.

 Inspected the hair and ear piercing services. Hair services had no infractions, but the ear piercing device was not cleaned properly.
In progress

An inspection of a service was attempted but could not be completed.

 The hair service was inspected but the person who provides ear piercing was not available that day for an inspection. The Inspector will need to return to complete the ear piercing inspection.
Service closure

A service was ordered to close until infractions associated with that service are all corrected.

 The ear piercing service was closed because there was no disinfectant to disinfect the device at the establishment.

Establishment Risk & Frequency of Inspection

Each PSS establishment is categorized into three risk levels depending on the type of services that are provided in the establishment. All establishments are inspected when there is a complaint, regardless of risk level.

Establishment Risk Level Minimum Number of Inspections per Year Risk Assessment Criteria
Critical Once per year and Complaint basis A service that uses any tools or items that penetrates the skin or mucous membranes (used for invasive procedures). Examples of services:

  • tattooing
  • piercing
  • electrolysis
  • micropigmentation
  • invasive facials
Semi-Critical Likely Once per year and Complaint basis A service that uses any tools or items that contact non intact skin or mucous membranes, but is not intended to penetrate them or enter normally sterile areas.  Examples of services:

  • hair cutting and barbering
  • manicures and pedicures
  • waxing
 Non-Critical Complaint basis only A service that uses any tool or item that do not directly contact the client, or contact only hair or intact skin.  Examples of services:

  • non-invasive facials
  • massage

If you are considering opening a PSS in your home, make sure you have approval from Zoning before you request your health inspection or apply for a PSS licence. You can submit an application through Zoning for a fee, to confirm the use of your property for compliance with Zoning By-Laws.

Special events (including conventions, expos, shows, and fairs) in the City of Toronto that offer personal services on-site must comply with infection prevention & control guidelines and with all applicable sections of Ontario Regulation 136/18.