Wellington City Council is reviewing its Public Health Bylaw and is seeking feedback from the industry and the public on any issues people experience with the health and beauty industry and whether they should be regulated.

The Council has issued proposed amendments to the Local Public Health Bylaw 2008 which currently provides for the regulation of swimming pools and food premises. The Council is now also seeking responses about regulation of the beauty sector, following a Regional Public Health survey about infection-control procedures in nail salons in the Wellington region that was released last month.

The survey showed a lack of understanding about blood-borne viruses including how they are spread and controlled, limited understanding or protection from Hepatitis B infection and inadequate cleaning, disinfecting, sterilising and hygienic storing of instruments and a lack of written infection disease-control protocols in the beauty and nail industry.

“The survey from Regional Public Health included 27 salons in Wellington City and raises public health concerns about their premises and operations,” says Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who holds the Council’s City Safety portfolio.

“Given the concerns raised by the report, Wellington is following the lead of Hutt City Council in looking at these issues relating to the nail and beauty sector. Hutt City is further advanced in its work in this area and we will follow their developments closely.

“It is clear there is a lack of knowledge and inadequate infection control throughout nail salons in Wellington. We all deserve to be confident that the nail and beauty services we use are safe and hygienic.”

The Regional Public Health survey showed that the nail and beauty salons visited in the Wellington region overwhelmingly supported some form of regulation to improve standards within the industry.

Once the consultation period is closed, the Council will consider all submissions and vote on the proposed amendments in June. The Council will also consider whether a bylaw is necessary for the health and beauty industry.

The consultation on the Local Public Health Bylaw 2008 proposals opens today and runs to 5pm, 24 May 2019.

Have your say at https://wellington.govt.nz/have-your-say/public-inputs/consultations/open/public-health-bylaw

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