In this lesson, we'll be going over body art regulations specific to L.A. County, including forms and documents you'll be expected to keep on hand or provide to clients, along with the particular laws and regulations you'll be expected to follow.
The California Safe Body Art Act is a chapter of the California health and safety code. It is intended to protect both you the body art professional, and the clients you serve, from the transmission of infectious diseases through the minimum statewide standards. This is intended for people who perform services like tattooing, branding, body piercing, and the application of permanent cosmetics.
Pro Tip #1: In L.A. County, anyone who performs these types of services must submit a body art practitioners annual registration form. However, if you are only doing piercings of the ear with mechanical devices that use disposable, single-use pre-sterilized studs and clasps or solid needles, you do not need to register. And if that was the case, you probably wouldn't be taking this course.
Body art practitioners who are currently registered with another California enforcement agency can still operate as a guest artist in L.A. County, at either an event or a body art studio. You can do so for up to five consecutive days but not longer than 15 days total each year.
L.A. County Registration for Body Art Professionals
Be sure to download the student manual with the course for all the forms and documents you'll need. In addition, for body art annual registration forms and other important documents, go to www.publichealth.lacounty.gov and type “body art” into the search bar.
The registration application will require basic contact information for all locations where you'll be practicing – business name, facility address, etc. The body art professional annual registration form must be submitted annually and include the following:
- A valid government-issued photo ID showing an age of 18+
- Proof of completing the L.A. County approved bloodborne pathogen exposure control training
- Certification of the Hepatitis B vaccine or evidence of immunity, statement of contraindication for medical reasons, or a vaccination declination statement
- 2” x 2” passport photo
Warning: A public health permit must be secured before operating in a body art studio. Operating without a permit is a misdemeanor and may result in a penalty of three times the cost of the license or the registration.
For a body art facility to receive a public health permit, the following must be verified:
- A current infection control prevention and contamination plan
- A clean environment free of insects and rodents
- Walls, floors, and ceilings that are smooth, free of holes, and washable
- Posted current certifications
- A contract for the removal of all sharps waste
- Waste containers with liners in procedures areas and decontamination areas
Pro Tip #2: Properly labeled sharps containers must be within arms reach of practitioners in procedure and decontamination areas, and procedure areas must have adequate lighting and a handwashing sink with hot (110F+) and cold running water, liquid soap, and single-use disposable towels in a touchless dispenser.
Decontamination Areas
If using only disposable, single-use pre-sterilized instruments, a decontamination area is not required. However, if your instruments are sterilized for reuse, the following requirements must be met for your decontamination area.
- It must be separate from procedure areas by a minimum of five feet or by a cleanable barrier
- It must have a sink with cold and hot running water for cleaning and disinfecting
- It must contain only equipment used for the sterilization of medical instruments; in other words, it shouldn't double as a storeroom
It's important to test your sterilization unit using a commercial and biologic indicator monitoring system. The times you want to use it include upon the initial installation of your sterilizing unit, after any repairs, and at least monthly.
Sterilization units should be loaded, operated, decontaminated, and maintained according to the manufacturer‘s specifications. Each instrument peel pack must have an appropriate indicator and each sterilization load must be monitored with a class five integrator.
A written log of each sterilization cycle must be retained on-site and should include:
- Date
- Contents
- Exposure time
- Temperature
- Results of class five integrator
Pro Tip #3: Each sterilization pack must be inspected prior to storing it and again prior to using it.
Client Safety
In addition to facility requirements, you'll also be subject to certain requirements for the clients you serve.
Clients should be at least 18 years old for any tattoo, permanent cosmetic, piercing of nipples or genitals, or branding regardless of parental consent. However, clients under 18 can still receive piercings in other areas if performed in the presence of a parent or guardian.
Clients must be provided with informed consent forms before having any procedure done, regardless of age. They must read and sign a consent form that should include:
- Description of the procedure
- Aftercare instructions
- Statement regarding the permanent nature of the procedure
- Statement that inks, dyes, and pigments are not FDA approved
The consent form should also include a client health questionnaire to determine if the client has anything in their medical history that would be problematic – diabetes, allergic reactions to latex and antibiotics, history of herpes infection or bleeding disorders, medication history, etc.
And finally, the client should receive instructions for post-procedure care.