Using BodySafe Toronto to check for clean salons and tattoo parlours

Want a new tattoo but worried about sketchy practices? We’ve got you!

The Green Line has put together a guide on vetting beauty services in the City because no one should go in for a piercing and come out with an infection.

You can vet a business by using the City of Toronto’s BodySafe, a safety program that inspects personal service settings (PSS).

PSS are described as, “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.”

As with food establishment inspections, you’ll be able to see notices of pass (no infractions identified), conditional pass (minor infractions), and closed (due to serious health and safety infractions) posted under the BodySafe program.

HOW TO USE BODYSAFE

1. Find your favourite parlour or salon on BodySafe to see if it’s passed inspections.
   1. You’ll just need to put in the name, address and the time period you want to search for, and you’ll receive information about any past inspections.
   • Have a spot you like, but you aren’t sure of the exact address? 
   1. Maybe you’ve memorized this place by the directions you need to take to get there from your house. But don’t worry, you can search through all establishments visited by BodySafe that are in its database.
   2. You’ll be able to see dates of past inspections, whether they passed, and submit a complaint about the establishment if needed.
   • Want to leave a complaint about an establishment because you’ve seen poor conditions?
   1. Visit the Toronto Public Health complaints for BodySafe.
   2. When filing your complaint, you can choose to add the establishment’s name and address.
   3. However, when you’re filing the complaint, you have to submit a comment about your experience there. 
   4. If you’d like a follow-up on your complaint, you can leave your contact information, but that’s optional.

   If you’re looking for more ways to vet your health and safety choices, check out The Green Line’s guide to finding a good family doctor.

   If you’re looking for recommendations on where to go, check out The Green Line’s guide to ethnic beauty services in the city.

   VISIT BODYSAFE

   Fact-Check Yourself

   Sources and
   further reading

   Don’t take our word for it — check our sources for yourself.

   CITY OF TORONTO

   Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Investigations

   CITY OF TORONTO

   MULTIPLE SERVICES

   CITY OF TORONTO

   EXPLORE NEARBY ESTABLISHMENTS

   THE GREEN LINE

   FINDING A GOOD FAMILY DOCTOR IN TORONTO

   THE GREEN LINE

   FINDING BIPOC BEAUTY SERVICES IN TORONTO

   CITY OF TORONTO

   LEAVE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A BUSINESS