Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Basics for Ontario Aesthetic Clinics

The regulation behind inspections

O. Reg. 136/18: Personal Service Settings, made under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, sets infection-control standards for premises offering services like aesthetics, electrolysis, nails, tattooing and micropigmentation. Local public health units inspect against it, and Public Health Ontario provides supporting guidance.

Core IPAC principles

• Hand hygiene before and after every client and procedure. • Single-use items (needles, cartridges, blades) — used once, then discarded. • Cleaning, disinfection or sterilization of reusable equipment to the required level. • Sharps safety and proper waste disposal. • Surface and environment cleaning between clients. • Record-keeping for sterilization and, where required, client information.

Reprocessing: match the method to the risk

Comparison — Critical (contacts broken skin/blood) — Example: Needles, cartridges; Minimum handling: Single-use or sterilized. Semi-critical (contacts mucous membranes/non-intact skin) — Example: Certain tools; Minimum handling: High-level disinfection or sterilization. Non-critical (contacts intact skin) — Example: Beds, surfaces; Minimum handling: Clean/low-level disinfection. This mirrors standard reprocessing principles; confirm the exact requirements for your equipment and services.

What inspectors look for

Expect attention to hand-hygiene facilities, single-use practices, sterilization/disinfection procedures and records, sharps handling, cleanliness, and documentation. Many health units post inspection results publicly, so compliance is also a trust signal to clients.

Build IPAC into your practice from day one

Preparing for a public health inspection

An inspection is far less stressful when your routine practice already meets the standard. Local public health inspectors typically look for reliable hand-hygiene facilities, correct single-use practices, appropriate cleaning/disinfection or sterilization with records, safe sharps handling, and general cleanliness. If those are genuinely part of your daily workflow, an inspection simply confirms what you already do rather than exposing gaps. • Keep hand-hygiene supplies stocked and accessible at all times. • Use single-use items for anything contacting broken skin, every time. • Maintain sterilization/disinfection logs and product records. • Store and dispose of sharps and biohazard waste correctly. Because many health units post inspection results publicly, compliance is also a marketing asset — a clean record signals professionalism to prospective clients. Treat your local public health unit as a resource, not an adversary: they would generally rather help you meet the standard than cite you for missing it. IPAC isn't a one-time setup — it's a daily routine. Comprehensive training programs like Ziba's Aesthetic Diploma and Medical Aesthetician certificate teach these standards as part of professional practice, and treatment courses reinforce them for specific services. When in doubt, contact your local public health unit — they'd rather help you comply than cite you.