Sector-Specific Public Health Standards for Personal Care Services

Engineering Controls
  1. Ensure adequate air exchange in enclosed areas through the implementation of strategies as cited in DOLE Department Order No.
    224-21 or the Guidelines on Ventilation for Workplaces and Public
    Transport to Prevent and Control the Spread of COVID-19, such as:

    1. Maximizing natural ventilation through opening of windows;

    2. Use of low-cost modifications to improve air flow (i.e. addition of fans or exhaust fans);

    3. Identification of multi-occupant spaces that are used regularly and are poorly ventilated. Air flow shall be controlled to ensure indoor CO2 concentrations be maintained at-or below 1,000 parts per million (ppm) ; and

    4. Installation and regular maintenance of exhaust fans and air
      filtration devices with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

  2. Install hand hygiene and sanitation facilities, and provide materials
    such as the following:
    1. Adequate and safe water supply;
    2. Hand washing station or sink;
    3. Soap and water or 70% Isopropyl (or Ethyl) Alcohol; and
    4. Hands-free trash receptacles, soap and towel dispensers, door
      openers, and other similar hands-free equipment.
    5. The use of foot baths, disinfection tents, misting chambers, or
      sanitation booths are not recommended.
  3. Maintain physical distancing by ensuring proper spacing of seats and reducing seating capacity in accordance with the prevailing alert system where the establishment is located.

  4. Establish a screening area at the point/s-of-entry. The following protocols must be implemented thereat:

    1. Health declaration or symptom assessment through the use of the Staysafe.ph application, or any national and certified contact tracing application integrated with the same, in the conduct of contact tracing activities. Those with symptoms or exposure to probable, suspect, and confirmed COVID-19 cases shall not be allowed entry.

    2. All personnel and customers must undergo a non-contact temperature check, and those with a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees centigrade shall not be allowed entry.

    3. Indoor barbershops, hair spas, nail spas, and beauty salons located in areas where they are allowed to operate shall cater only to fully vaccinated individuals with no COVID-19 symptoms, subject to presentation of a COVID-19 vaccination card.*

  5. Install visual cues or signages to communicate:
    1. Maintaining physical distancing of at least one meter distance;
    2. Cough and sneeze etiquette;
    3. Proper hand hygiene and control;
    4. Proper use and disposal of PPE; and
    5. Other critical reminders in the Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat,
      Reintegrate (PDITR+) strategy, BIDA Solusyon (bit.ly/BIDAPartners) and Resbakuna for the promotion of the Government’s Vaccination Program (doh.gov.ph/vaccines).

  6. Facility for proper storage, collection, treatment, and disposal of used PPE and other infectious waste shall be in accordance with DOH AO 2021-0043.

    *updated per revised IATF guidelines
Administrative Controls
  1. Ensure adequate provision of personal protective equipment to all employees, regardless of employment status, which includes:

    1. Cloth or surgical masks, or face shields, as necessary; and

    2. Gloves and other appropriate PPE for all personnel tasked to perform personal care services to customers or do regular cleaning and disinfection of chairs and other furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

  2. Enforce limits on on-site capacity in accordance with the latest guidelines set by the national government or limitations on venue/seating capacity or other prohibitions as may be imposed by the host Local Government Unit (LGU).

  3. Maximize the use of text messaging and online tools for scheduling to avoid gathering in queuing areas.

  4. Disinfection shall adhere with the provisions outlined in DOH Department Memorandum No. 2020-0157, its amendments and Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of COVID-19 by the WHO. For this purpose, all furniture, fixtures, and equipment, including those inside the establishment and restrooms must be properly and regularly sanitized.

  5. Employers are encouraged to establish flexible policies on the provision of sick leaves and health benefits.

  6. The establishment shall, at all times, have a designated health and safety officer who will be physically present in the establishment to ensure that the MPHS outlined herein and government-imposed limitations on venue/seating capacity are strictly followed. Any non-compliance with this requirement or to the MPHS shall serve as
    ground for the temporary closure of the establishment, until such time that their violation is rectified.

Personal Protective Equipment
  1. Face masks must be worn at all times, regardless of the service to be performed (refer to Figure 1 for guidance to barbershops when cutting the hair of clients with face masks).
  2. Proper donning and doffing of gloves after each served customer shall be observed.

  3. Gloves and other appropriate PPE shall be used in performing activities such as cleaning and disinfection.

    Figure 1: Hook for haircuts
    Figure 1. Find any object (e.g., hook/pin/comb) that can hold the straps of the mask on the nape, then proceed with haircutting as illustrated above.

Basis: