With the world’s addiction to electronic connectivity, people have a right to be a little paranoid about who and why their personal information is collected and how it is to be used.
For a small business, this information is often collected to either sell you something in the future or mandated by a governmental body for your protection. When outside of the small business arenas, you need to be aware of your physical surroundings. If you are in a hospital, you provide this information, so you do not have to pay for the visit. Well, that is if you are lucky enough to live in Canada. They certainly do not need your phone number at the hospital to bill the government for your visit. BUT WHAT IF you were exposed to a virus or some other airborne content while at the hospital. How could they find you immediately to bring you back in to get the antidote?
When you are in a spa, salon, tattoo shop, or massage location, you are in what the Durham Regional Board of Health refers to as a Personal Service Setting.
Thus, when you walk in the door, the greeter asks you for personal information, not to send you an email, or invasion of your privacy, it is because by law they are required to have basic information. The minimum would be First Name, Last Name, Street Address, City, Province, Postal Code and Cell/Home Telephone Number. When you have time, visit https://www.ontario.ca/law/requlation/180136. Below is an abstract of information pertaining to a personal service setting like Beauty-Full Spa Pickering:
“O. Reg. 136/18: PERSONAL SERVICE SETTINGS
under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
March 29, 2018 – June 30, 2018
Information re. a person seeking personal service
- Before providing a personal service, the operator of a personal service setting or the person who will be providing the personal service shall obtain the name and contact information of the person seeking the service.
Information, records re. invasive procedures
- (1) Before providing an invasive procedure, the operator of a personal service setting or the person who will be providing the invasive procedure shall provide the person seeking the procedure with an explanation of the procedure and information about any risks associated with the procedure.
(2) The person who provides the explanation and information under subsection (1) shall prepare the records referred to in paragraph 3 of subsection 14 (1).
Prohibited services
- No person shall sell, offer for sale or provide any of the following personal services at a personal service setting:
- Ear candling or coning.
- Any personal service involving live aquatic species, including fish pedicures.’
In Summary
When you go to a Spa or Salon setting, and they ask you for basic information, realise that they are following the LAW!
The real question that you should be asking,” Is why the nail shop I go to for my pedicures, manicures, or artificial nail application has no record I was ever there. What if a germ or pathogen was given to me on my last visit, they would have no way to contact me?” Sure, radio and television only work if you are listening or watching at the time of broadcast. Maybe by the time you hear about the incident, you could be in a very bad way getting numerous tests with no answers. Therefore, by patronizing these places, you could be putting your health on the line! Imagine for a second that you picked up a flesh-eating phatagin from an uncleaned pedicure tank. The Health Inspector is called in and informs the business owner to contact all of their clients immediately. Oh, they have no way to make contact as they did not follow the Personal Service Setting Regulations. Well, at least your polish will look good while the flesh around them disappears! Pretty dramatic metal imagery, however, intentional to drive the point home of “what if”.
By not providing or patronizing these personal service settings locations, you are directly putting your health and possible quality of your life on the line.
Take care and be aware of your surroundings and give your basic personal information, including an email address just in case you switch to a new phone number. Going to a spa is a great experience, and the only phone call you should ever get is “did you enjoy your time with us”. Never speak the “what if’s” into existence. But if something negative were to happen to rest assured they have basic information to alert you to possible exposure and who you need to contact.