Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization at PSEs - revised*

Health concerns regarding the transmission of infections at personal service establishments (PSEs) are often mitigated by public health inspectors (environmental health officers). Inspection of PSEs are carried out to ensure that premises have adequate cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization protocols to reduce the risk of transmitting pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and herpes simplex virus, as well as fungal and bacterial infections of the skin.

This document is intended for use by public health inspectors and clarifies the role of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization in reducing the risk of injury and transmission of communicable diseases in PSEs. Concerns regarding disinfectants (health effects, dangers of mixing, effects on equipment) and unreliable methods of achieving sterilization are discussed. Furthermore, common equipment and instruments in PSEs are classified as critical, semi-critical, and non-critical items (using the Spaulding classification) and tabulated with their recommended levels of disinfection/sterilization. It is important to note that many critical items (e.g., piercing studs and disposable tattoo needles) are often pre-sterilized, single-use, and disposable.