A Barrie nail salon, the Orillia Recreation Centre and a Muskoka-area spa were all cited for violations recently by local health inspectors.
Loving Nails and Spa in Barrie was issued an order to comply after Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit inspectors found the Bayfield Street spa had three “critical infractions” and four "non-critical infractions” during a routine inspection on Nov. 20.
According to the online report, the north-end business failed to ensure the sink had adequate counter space to prepare equipment for use and re-use, used equipment that was not maintained in good repair and/or sanitary condition, had single-use equipment and/or instrument not discarded immediately after use, and had reusable equipment that was not cleaned and disinfected between each use
The health unit also says the Barrie business failed to ensure disinfectants were being used per manufacturer's instructions or, in the absence of manufacturer's instructions, failed to follow direction given by public health.
The report also noted a failure to follow additional infection prevention and control measures as outlined in the best practices guidance documents, as well as a failure to ensure a personal service setting was free from conditions that may adversely affect sanitary operation and may constitute a health hazard.
A health hazard order was served and education to staff was provided, says the report. A follow-up inspection on Nov. 21 noted no new or existing violations and the order was rescinded.
The leisure, therapy and lap pools at the Orillia Recreation Centre on West Street South were ordered to close last month after a Nov. 27 inspection found the three pools not to be in compliance with several health and safety guidelines, according to the report.
Both the facility’s lap pool and leisure pools were ordered to close immediately after the inspector determined a failure to ensure all components of the pool were maintained in proper working order, a failure to ensure all pumps are capable of being deactivated by emergency stop button and a failure to operate and maintain the premises free from conditions that may be an immediate health hazard.
An inspection during the same visit found the West Street South facility’s therapy pool was also in violation of several health and safety infractions, including: a failure to ensure all components of a spa are maintained in proper working order; a failure to ensure all pumps are capable of being deactivated by emergency stop button; and a failure to operate and maintain the premises free from conditions that may be an immediate health hazard. It was also ordered to close immediately.
A follow-up inspection on Nov. 28 determined all the violations with the lap and leisure pools had been addressed. However, the inspector noted the therapy pool failed to “ensure total alkalinity of water maintained in range of 80 ppm to 120 ppm,” stated the report.
Education was provided on site and all three health hazard orders were rescinded, allowing the three pools to reopen to the public.
The outdoor whirlpool and spa at Windermere House was issued an order to close on Nov. 29 after an inspector noted a failure to “ensure the premises is operated and maintained free from conditions that may be an immediate health hazard,” according to the online report.
No further details on the issue, including when or if they were allowed to reopen to guests, were reported.
Click here more information on health inspections in Simcoe-Muskoka.