Businesses or individuals who administer tattoos or do body piercing may soon be regulated by the Jackson County Board of Health.
Meeting last Wednesday, the board voted to hold a public hearing on a date yet to be announced on a proposed 26-page set of rules and regulations. Following the hearing, the board intends to present the rules, with or without amendments, to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners for implementation.
Keli Hinson, environmental health director for the Northeast Health District, went over the proposal with the board of health.
Among the rules is that those establishments post a “notification of risk” spelling out “risks associated with the procedures of commercial body art” near their entrances.
Health board member Brad Morris insisted that the notification warn that the work (tattoos) is permanent and its removal is costly and painful.
“Most are Friday night things, but they stay with you a lot longer than Friday night,” Morris commented.
The rules will require each establishment and each operator to get a permit and to present in writing their procedures for sterilizing equipment to prevent contamination.
Among the provisions currently proposed.
•The regulations will not apply to facilities that only pierce the ear lobe with a single-use ear piercing instrument using sterile materials
•posting of a risk statement “notifying the public of the possible hazards of receiving a tattoo or body piercing.”
•requires all operators to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine series, provide proof of Hepatitis antibody testing or a signed physician’s statement of contraindiction to Hepatitis B vaccine.
•requires operators to have annual OSHA-approved blood borne pathogen training, current Red cross basic first aid and CPR training and pass a health department written exam to demonstrate knowledge of infection control practices.
•renewal of permits annually
•requires each establishment’s owner to have policies and standard operating procedures for sterilization, employee health, sanitizing surfaces, equipment and materials, for the disposal of waste, record keeping, client screening, aftercare procedures and emergency sterilization procedures
•prohibits implants or procedures involving the insertion of foreign objects completely under the skin, any procedure that results in permanent removal of tissue, and any practices that con only be performed by a licensed physician or osteopath
•establishes cleaning and sterilization requirements
•establishes critical violations and procedures to cause the facility to be shut down if violations cannot be corrected
•sets standards for equipment, utensils and jewelry used in such establishments
