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).

All health units in Ontario must conduct an annual health inspection and follow up on complaints associated with PSS. This process ensures that owners and operators operate their business in accordance with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Guide to Infection Prevention and Control in Personal Services Settings (PDF).

Purpose of the BodySafe Program

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

hepatitis B
hepatitis C
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
fungal infections
bacterial infections

Services that BodySafe Inspects

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

Licensing

Revisions to the Licensing By-Law

Under Municipal Code 545, Licensing By-Law, all establishments offering personal services will be required to get a PSS licence 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:

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
Copy of your Ontario Master Business Licence, if available
Contact information (i.e. phone numbers, emails)

3. Make sure you obtain a Zoning Review for a business licence from Toronto Building before applying for your PSS licence.

4. Pass an inspection by Toronto Public Health. An inspection is required before a PSS licence is issued only for new premises and premises that offer tattooing, micropigmentation, ear and body piercing and electrolysis services.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Notify Toronto Public Health (BodySafe@toronto.ca) and ML&S (mlsbusinesslicence@toronto.ca) in advance of any changes to the types of personal services that are offered to clients so that they are included on the licence. See more information on Zoning Reviews and licensing.

BodySafe Inspection Notices

Types of Inspections

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

Inspection

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

Re-inspection

A re-inspection is conducted if there are any infractions identified during the original health inspection. Re-inspections will occur within 48 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.		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 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.		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 on site for one year or on file for five years
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.		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 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. When all of the infractions are corrected, the establishment will receive a Pass notice.

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 being 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 tool or item that penetrates the skin (used for invasive procedures). Includes the following services: tattooing piercing electrolysis micropigmentation invasive facials
Semi-Critical	Once per year and Complaint basis	A service that uses any tool or item that may come into contact with non intact skin or mucous membranes, but is not intended to penetrate them. Includes the following services: hair cutting and barbering manicures and pedicures waxing facials
Non-Critical	Complaint basis only	A service that uses any tool or item that may come into contact with intact skin. Includes the following services: non-invasive facials massage

Establishment Risk Level

Minimum Number of Inspections per Year

Risk Assessment Criteria

Critical

Once per year and Complaint basis

A service that uses any tool or item that penetrates the skin (used for invasive procedures). Includes the following services:

tattooing
piercing
electrolysis
micropigmentation
invasive facials

Semi-Critical

Once per year and Complaint basis

A service that uses any tool or item that may come into contact with non intact skin or mucous membranes, but is not intended to penetrate them. Includes the following services:

hair cutting and barbering
manicures and pedicures
waxing
facials

Non-Critical

Complaint basis only

A service that uses any tool or item that may come into contact with intact skin. Includes the following services:

non-invasive facials
massage

Information for Opening a Home-Based Personal Services Setting

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.

Health Information for the Public on Specific Procedures

BodySafe Information Sheets

Sample Records

Special Events Application Guidelines & Process

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.