As Service Providers, we aspire to send clients home feeling amazing and relaxed. We know what it takes to make our clients look their best, but do we know how to protect our clients?
Germs and viruses will turn that amazing service upside down!
Let’s take a look at some of the guidelines set out by Alberta Health Services to keep our clients looking gorgeous, glowing and most importantly- germ-free!
Some serious viruses and infections can be and have been known to be spread in salons and spas.
Hepatitis C, MRSA, respiratory disease, fungus and even Hot Tub Folliculitis (an infection caused by a type of bacteria that thrives in poorly sanitized foot baths) have been confirmed.
Are You Inspection Ready?
These are some of the guidelines to follow to help you protect your clients:
All work surfaces shall be constructed of smooth, non-porous and cleanable materials (i.e. painted drywall, vinyl composite tiles, linoleum or sealed concrete, etc.).
Work areas must be adequately lit and ventilated.
Client contact surfaces (tables, chairs, headrests etc.) must have a smooth, non-porous and easy to clean finish.
Adequate storage space must be available for equipment, instruments and supplies.
Suitable garbage containers must be readily available, maintained and emptied regularly.
Approved disinfectants for disinfecting equipment, surfaces and reusable instruments must be available.
An acceptable skin antiseptic shall be provided for skin preparation and post treatment.
Items, that cannot be properly disinfected/sterilized or are intended for single use, must be discarded after each client use.
A puncture-resistant container shall be provided for the disposal of needles, razor blades and other sharp devices or instruments.
Pigments, cosmetics and other supplies must be labeled and handled in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Chemicals, detergents and cleaners must be stored, maintained and prepared in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
The spread of bacteria is completely preventable and should be the #1 priority.
So, remember to follow all sanitization procedures and use the proper level of disinfection tools. Because no matter how gorgeous your client looks when they leave, a bacterial infection traced back to you is a BEAUTY BANISHER!
Please refer to the Personal Service Regulation and the associated Health Standards and Guidelines for a complete list of requirements.
**VENUE RENTAL NOT AVAILABLE STARTING JAN 1, 2022 to MARCH 31, 2023.
Who are we?
Executive Spa Group (ESG) is a community beauty industry resource centre.
In the past, we have served our community with employment programs that helped individuals join the beauty industry. Our goal has always been to cultivate Alberta’s beauty industry by promoting skills training and work experience.
Our primary role with individuals is to provide solid career and employment plans, therefore, collaboration with educators and employers is key!
We collaborate with educators.
We connect individuals to educators using multiple methods , for instance, our TRAINING 411 directory. This is an online resource dedicated to inform individuals of their beauty industry training options. In addition, we can provide educators with recruitment services to help them fill classes.
A venue for educators.
We encompass 2,000 square feet of space equipped for classroom and technical training. Therefore, ESG is the venue of choice for educators. Take a virtual tour of the facility.
Our venue hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 9am-5pm. Extended hours/days are available.
While our venue is fit to deliver a variety of esthetics and medical esthetics courses.
Edmonton Venue Location
Executive Spa Group is located in the historical yet trendy neighbourhood of Old Strathcona.
Located minutes away from downtown Edmonton, Old Strathcona is a busy, centrally-located neighbourhood. Furthermore, it offers you and your students many amenities. For example, parking, transportation, restaurants, etc.
After training hours, you can enjoy the remarkable food and drink scene Whyte Ave has to offer.
Spend the night on Whyte.
Enjoy VIP treatment with our hotel partners when you choose ESG as your Edmonton venue. Ask us about special rates provided to our guests by the Metterra and Varscona hotels on Whyte. In conclusion, ESG is the obvious choice for your venue rental!
Things to do in Edmonton during your visit.
Take a stroll down Whyte Ave. Ten (10) blocks of shopping, dining, service and entertainment experience peeking out of every corner!
Visit The Muttart Conservatory– more than 700 species of plants in 3 climate-regulated biomes. Great for nature lovers!
ESG offers venue rental services for beauty industry educators.
***VENUE RENTAL UNAVAILABLE JAN 1/22 to MAR 31/23.***
Welcome to our specialized venue! Our venue makes your course delivery easy, because it is equipped to meet your beauty industry needs.
A venue that fits like a glove.
We are beauty industry experts. As a result, we understand your venue rental needs. Our goal is to make your training event flow as smoothly as possible.
Our venue is fit to deliver a variety of esthetics and medical esthetics courses. For instance,
Lash Extensions
Nail Care
Skin Care
Makeup Artistry
Permanent Makeup
Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Filler procedures
Leave the large luggage behind!
ESG is equipped with 5 spa stations and 5 nail stations. In addition, you can furnish your stations with tools and equipment as needed. We carry a wide selection, from PPE to pedicure basins, ESG has you covered.
Model Recruitment
Models play an important role in service demonstrations and technical training. We can help secure models for your event.
South Central location
Executive Spa Group is located in the historical yet trendy neighbourhood of Old Strathcona. It not only offers convenience, but excitement as well!
Located minutes away from downtown Edmonton, Old Strathcona is a busy, centrally-located neighbourhood. It offers you and your students many amenities. For example, parking, transportation, hotels, and restaurant options.
After training hours, you can enjoy the remarkable food and drink scene Whyte Ave has to offer. In conclusion, ESG is the obvious choice for your venue rental!
Updating a website to allow for online sales is an eligible project for funding.
Edmonton Economic Recovery Grant
The Edmonton Economic Recovery Grant can help your business recover from COVID-19. One of the lessons learned from COVID-19 is that it is important to have an online presence and to be able to sell online.
The average online store saw a 500% increase during COVID-19.
This makes perfect sense! We were all on lockdown, yet customers still had a need for their products to tide them over while unable to get their regular beauty services. Businesses that had an online store were able to stay afloat as they had another source of income besides services. We want to take this opportunity to give a shoutout to Binary Logic whose support during COVID-19 was incredible.
Applying for the grant.
You can apply for this grant in one of two phases. Phase 1 goes from June to December 2020 and consists of microgrants of up to $1000. Applications are accepted weekly. Phase 2 consists of larger grants of up to $25K.
Applicants can apply only once for either phase 1 or 2. You must have a valid business license to apply.
One of the core criteria of the Edmonton Economic Recovery Grant is business transformation and economic diversification. The grant cannot be used for rent/lease/mortgage, payroll, membership fees, permit fees, debt reduction, retroactive costs, insurance, and other similar expenses.
Matching the grant.
Before you get too excited, there are eligibility requirements to this grant, one of them being that you have to match the amount of the grant you apply for.
Other ways for beauty industry business to use the grant.
You can use this grant to purchase masks, gloves and other safety equipment to keep your staff and clients safe.
You are now at Section 2 of the Personal Services Standards and Regulations by Alberta Health. Section 2 deals with worker hygiene, hand hygiene and glove use, service assessment, cleansing service areas, and post care instructions.
The review of Section 2 could not come at a better time with the outbreak of the coronavirus. We are all responsible to prevent the spreading of disease.
Section 2- Personal Services Workers’ Duties
Personal Services Worker Skills and Knowledge
2.1 Personal services workers must be familiar with, and be able to demonstrate an understanding of:
2.1.1 the requirements of these Standards, as applicable to the personal services and activities the personal services worker performs;
2.1.2 injury and infection risks related to the personal services and activities they perform;
2.1.3 manufacturer’s instructions for safe use of the equipment, disinfectants, and cosmetic products that they use; and
2.1.4 facility- or business-specific written procedures applicable to the personal services and activities they perform.
*ESG NOTE: Service Providers should be aware of contraindications to all the services they offer to avoid injury or infection. Intake forms that ask the right questions can help to keep your eyes open for potential incidents.
Personal Services Worker Hygiene
2.2 Personal services workers must maintain good personal hygiene while performing personal services or reprocessing.
2.3 Clothing worn by the personal services worker must be visibly clean at the start of the service.
2.4 Personal services workers with communicable infectious conditions must either refrain from performing personal services, or take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of infectious conditions to clients.
Hand Hygiene and Glove Use
2.5 Hand hygiene must be performed by the personal services worker:
2.5.1 before and after every personal service;
2.5.2 before putting on gloves that will be worn while providing a personal service;
2.5.3 following the removal of gloves that are worn while providing a personal service; and
2.5.4 after reprocessing.
2.6 The use of alcohol-based hand rub for hand hygiene is only permitted when hands are visibly clean.
2.6.1 The alcohol content of alcohol-based hand rub must be 60% to 90%.
2.6.2 Alcohol-based hand rub must have an NPN or DIN issued by Health Canada.
2.6.3 The personal services worker must follow the following steps for the use of alcohol-based hand rub:
2.7 Handwashing with soap and warm running water is required when hands are not visibly clean and must be done in accordance with the following steps:
2.8 Handwashing must not occur in any sink that is used for equipment reprocessing, unless there is a written procedure that personal services workers follow to appropriately clean and disinfect the sink area between reprocessing and handwashing activities.
2.9 Gloves must be worn when personal services involve hand contact with mucous membrane or broken or punctured skin.
ESG TIP: If your gloves are uncomfortable, go down a size!
2.10 Gloves used while providing a personal service must never be reused and used gloves must be discarded.
Handwashing Supplies
2.11 Sinks used for handwashing must be equipped with soap, warm running water, and a
sanitary option for drying hands.
Point of Service Risk Assessment
2.12 The personal services worker must assess the condition of the client’s skin, hair, nails, teeth, or body as applicable for signs of infection, infestation, or irritation prior to performing a personal service.
2.13 A personal services worker must not perform a personal service when a client has signs of a skin, hair, nail, tooth, or body condition that could compromise that client’s post- service healing.
2.14 Prior to performing a personal service, the personal service worker must ensure that the equipment to be used as part of the personal service is visibly clean and in good condition and repair.
Cleansing and Antisepsis of Skin and Mucous Membrane
2.15 Personal services workers must follow the written procedures for the cleansing of skin and mucous membrane and the application of antiseptic products.
2.16 Cleansing of the client’s bodily area where the personal service will occur must be performed prior to any service that may involve contact with mucous membrane, or that will puncture or may potentially break skin or mucous membrane.
2.17 When a personal service involves the puncture of the skin, an antiseptic product must also be applied after skin cleansing.
2.18 Antiseptic products must have either a DIN or an NPN issued by Health Canada.
2.19 Personal services workers must follow the instructions for use that accompany an antiseptic product.
Post-Service Care
2.20 Personal services workers must provide clients with verbal and written care instructions following any personal service that punctures the skin or mucous membrane.
2.21 Personal services workers must follow any post-service client care instructions that are specified by the manufacturer where energy-emitting equipment is used in a personal service.
2.22 Dressings used to cover broken or punctured skin must be new and clean.
2.23 Personal services workers must follow the facility-specific written procedures when a client’s skin is accidently cut or punctured during a personal service.
If you are new to the beauty industry and are operating a home business, we recommend our Canadian Spa Industry Standards course to ensure that your business meets regulatory requirements and obligations for the protection of public health and your growing business.
