Each person who operates a tattooing establishment shall comply with the following requirements:
(a) The room in which tattooing is done shall have an area of not less than 100 square feet. The walls, floors and ceiling shall have an impervious, smooth and washable surface.
(b) A toilet shall be located in the establishment and shall be accessible at all times that the tattooing establishment is open for business. The lavatory shall be supplied with hot and cold running water, soap and sanitary towels.
(c) All tables and other equipment shall be constructed of easily cleanable material, shall be painted or finished in a light color, with a smooth washable finish and shall be separated from waiting customers or observers by a panel at least six feet high or by a door.
(d) The entire premises and equipment shall be maintained in a clean, sanitary condition and in good repair.
(e) The operator shall wash his hands thoroughly with soap and water before starting to tattoo; the hands shall be dried with individual, single-use towels.
(f) No tattooing shall be done on any skin surface that has rash, pimples, boils, infections or manifests any evidence of unhealthy conditions.
(g) No skin area shall be penetrated, abraded or treated with chemicals for the purpose of removing, camouflaging or altering any blemish, birthmark, scar or tattoo.
(h) Safety razors with a new, single-service blade for each customer or patron or a straight-edge razor may be used and shall be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before use on each customer or patron.
(i) The area to be tattooed shall first be thoroughly washed for a period of two minutes with warm water to which has been added an antiseptic liquid soap. A sterile single-use sponge shall be used to scrub the area. After shaving and before tattooing is begun, a solution of seventy percent (70%) alcohol shall be applied to the area with a single-use sponge used and applied with a sterile instrument.
(j) Only petroleum jelly in collapsible metal or plastic tubes, or its equivalent as approved by the health officer, shall be used on the area to be tattooed and it shall be applied with sterile gauze.
(k) The use of styptic pencils, alum blocks or other solid styptics to check the flow of blood is prohibited.
(1) Inquiry shall be made, and anyone giving a history of recent jaundice or hepatitis may not be tattooed.
(m) Single-service or individual containers of dye or ink shall be used for each patron and the container therefor shall be discarded immediately after completing work on a patron and any dye in which the needles were dipped shall not be used on another person. Excess dye or ink shall be removed from the skin with an individual sterile sponge or a disposable paper tissue which shall be used only on one person and then immediately discarded. After completing work on any person, the tattooed area shall be washed with sterile gauze saturated with an antiseptic soap solution approved by the health officer, or a seventy percent (70%) alcohol solution. The tattooed area shall be allowed to dry and petroleum jelly from a collapsible or plastic tube shall be applied, using sterile gauze. A sterile gauze dressing shall then be fastened to the tattooed area with adhesive.
(n) All clean and ready-to-use needles and instruments shall be kept in a closed glass or metal case or storage cabinet while not in use. Such cabinet shall be maintained in a sanitary manner at all times.
(o) A steam sterilizer (autoclave) shall be provided for sterilizing all needles and similar instruments before use on any customer, person or patron. Alternate sterilizing procedures may only be used when specifically approved by the health officer. Sterilization of equipment shall be accomplished by exposure to live steam for at least thirty minutes at a minimum pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch, temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit or 116 degrees Celsius.
(p) The needles and instruments required to be sterilized shall be so used, handled and temporarily placed during tattooing so that they shall not be contaminated.
(Ord. 230(80-81). Passed 9-3-81.)