Non-higher risk personal appearance services

 Licensing and Conditions
Non-higher risk personal appearance services are not required to be licensed.

There is no requirement for you to notify the City Health & Protection section that you are operating or about to commence operation.  However you may need to discuss your proposed business with other Council departments.  Please refer to the information below.

 Construction / building requirements
There are no mandatory building requirements for businesses that provide non-higher risk services.

However certain facilities may be required to be able to implement many of the infection control practices described in the Infection Control Guidelines.  For example:
• for handwashing – a basin with clean cold running water needs to be considered (provision for hot water optional)
• for instrument cleaning – a separate single bowl sink with clean running water
• where the service is provided in a building or caravan, it is recommended that floors, floor coverings, walls, ceilings, shelves, fittings and other furniture be constructed of suitable materials to enable easy cleaning and maintenance
• where the service is not provided in a building or caravan, it is recommended you assess the suitability of the environment under which the personal appearance service will be conducted, to ensure that infection risks can be minimised.

Providers who travel to different locations to provide non-higher risk services need to determine how they can effectively minimise infection risks in each location.  For example, what facilities (eg hand basins or sinks) are available at each location for cleaning hands and instruments? Will portable cleaning facilities be needed?

It is recommended that mobile operators carry alcoholic hand cleaners and only use disposable/single-use instruments.

 Infection Control Guidelines
Infection Control Guidelines have been established by Qld Health to minimise the risk of infection from personal appearance services.

Under the Act, you (‘proprietor’) and any staff (‘operators’) must take all reasonable precautions and care to minimise the risk of infection to your clients.

If you follow the Infection Control Guidelines, you will be complying with your legal obligations under the Act.  However you can also choose to use other means to control infection but you must be able to demonstrate to the Council or to a Court, that the measures you have taken meet your statutory obligation to minimise infection risks.

Infection Control Guidelines

 Inspections / Complaints
Inspections will only be undertaken in response to a complaint.  The initial inspection with the complaint will be free of charge.  If you are required to undertake action to comply with the Infection Control Guidelines all subsequent inspections until such time as you comply will incur a charge.

Fees and charges

 Relevant Links:

Queensland Development Code     (Use attached link – under Download parts of the QDC - click on ‘Parts referenced in legislation’, click on the title of Part 15)

Queensland Health Infection Control Guidelines   

Queensland Health - Information booklet for businesses about the changes includes infection control guidelines and some information on the building requirements

Queensland Legislation 

 Other Council Departments:
Town Planning:
You will need to confirm with Council’s Planning Section that the proposed location for your business is appropriate under the Town Planning scheme.

Building section:
The change in use and any structural changes to a building may also require approval.  Please contact Wide Bay Building Consultants or other private certifier for more information. 

Plumbing section:
You will need to talk to Council’s Plumbing section if you are installing additional basins, sinks or the like to an existing premise and for minimum requirements if building a new premise.

 For further information:
 Please contact the City Health & Protection section on telephone 4197 4244 if you have any specific questions in relation to the health requirements.

The City Health & Protection section is no longer located in Council's administration building in Tavistock Street , Torquay.  You can now find them at Shop 3 / 145-147 Old Maryborough Road , Pialba. (Next to the lake.)