Body Art: Tattoo & Piercing
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Violation Explanations

Items in red are critical violations that must be immediately fixed, as they present the greatest risk to public health. Items in blue are non-critical violations.

1. Body Artists

1. Training: Provide proof of successful completion of a universal precautions course within 90 days of hire. Universal precautions training certificates must be renewed every three years.
2. Vaccinations: Receive vaccination against hepatitis B or provide a written statement to the manager or owner of the body art establishment stating that he or she declines the vaccination.
3. Hygienic Practices: Non-hygienic practices, such as eating or drinking during procedures, is observed.
4. Hands washed as needed: Hands are washed before and after all procedures and in between glove changes.
5. Proper practices: Body artists’ follow proper practice with regards to cleaning, hygiene, body art equipment, and safety.

2. Operators

1. Employee records complete: The following information on each employee of a body art establishment shall be on file and available for inspection by Boulder County Public Health (BCPH): Full legal name, home address, and home phone number.
2. Written procedures: Every mobile, temporary, or permanent body art establishment shall have and comply with written procedures for infection and exposure control. All procedures developed for the written plan shall comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards, and all local and state regulations.
3. Infections, complications reported to Boulder County Public Health within 24 hours. All infections or complications need to be reported to BCPH within 24 hours.
4. Sharps contract available for review. A sharps contract from a medical waste disposal company needs to be on file to ensure that all needles and needle bars are disposed of correctly.

3. Client records

1. Client records available, complete: There must be client consent forms on site, as well as personal health information collected about each client, to document that all persons who received a body art procedure were in good health.
2. Records maintained for a minimum of three years: The person in charge shall have access to and shall maintain client records on the premise for a minimum of three (3) years. The client records shall be available for review by BCPH.
3. Accurate pre- & post-procedure instructions available: Documentation that both written and verbal instructions regarding risks, outcome, and aftercare were given to the client must be completed.
4. Written consent from guardian if client is under 18 years of age: No body artist shall perform a body art procedure upon a minor unless the body artist has received express written consent from the minor’s parent or guardian.
5. Refuse properly disposed of; frequent interval.

4. Building, fixtures, & storage.

1. Floors, walls, and ceiling must be clean and in good repair.
2. Lighting as required: At least fifty-foot candles of artificial light shall be provided in procedure area.
3. Furniture must be clean and in good repair.
4. Animals limited as required. No animals should be in procedure areas; should be limited to waiting room area must be provided.
5. Designated, separate procedure area.
6. Chemicals must be properly labeled, stored, used.
7. Facility must separate from human habitation, food preparation.
8. Work area furnishings. All work area furnishings must be in good condition and easily cleanable.
9. Cross-connection, backflow, back-siphonage: Sewer must have good cross connection and back-flow siphonage.
10. Work areas surfaces must be smooth, easily cleanable.

5. Permits

1. License posted in conspicuous area. The cicense from BCPH should be posted in a conspicuous place in the facility.

6. Toilet & Hand washing Facilities

1. Adequate number, design, and accessible.
2. Fixtures must be clean and in good repair.
3. Floors, walls, and ceiling are in good repair.
4. Soap & paper towels.
5. Water source must be safe and provides hot and cold temperatures.

7. Body piercing equipment

1. No reuse of single-use items: All piercing needles need to be single use, sterile, and manufactured for either medical or body piercing purposes.
2. Approved jewelry for piercing: Only sterile, new or good jewelry, may be used for initial piercing.
3. Piercing guns for earlobes only.

8. Construction and Plan Review

1. Plan review submitted when necessary: A  plan review is necessary for remodeling or opening a new facility.
2. Construction must be done in accordance with applicable laws.

9. Waste Disposal

1. Proper sewage & liquid waste disposal must be done.
2. Cloth items properly cleaned, stored: Cloth items used for cleaning or in any body art procedure must be properly laundered in order to be sterile for re-use.
3. Needles & other infectious waste disposed of in an approved manner: Needles and other infectious waste must be disposed of either in sharps or biohazard container.

10. Sterilizers/Sterile Equipment

1. Instruments properly used, handled, packaged, & stored: All instruments used during procedures must be properly used, cleaned, packaged, and stored in such a manner to ensure sterility.
2. Sterile packs w/date of sterilization, w/exp. date: All sterile packs must have date of sterilization and date of expiration on them.
3. Chemical indicators on sterile packs: All sterile packs, including new needles from manufacturers, must have chemical indicators on them.
4. Spore testing documentation: All facilities must have monthly spore testing information available on-site.
5. Sterile packs stored in clean/dry area: Sterile packs need to be stored in a clean and dry place.
6. Sterilizer log available, accurate, & maintained for 3 years: The autoclave log on-site must be accurate, up-to-date, and maintained for 3 years.
7. Proper instrument cleaning; gloves worn: All instruments must be properly cleaned in an appropriate cleaner prior to sterilization. Employees must wear gloves.
8. Sterilizer properly cleaned, maintained, used: Autoclave needs to be cleaned and maintained according to manufacturer's guidelines.
9. Sterilizer operating manual must be available on site.