Tattooing Piercing and Cosmetic
Are you considering tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing, ear piercing, electrolysis or acupuncture?
If so, there are bye-laws that you must adhere to and licence application form.
Skin Piercing Bylaw 2015
Byelaws for the purposes of securing the cleanliness of premises registered under Article 14 of Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and fittings in those premises and of registered persons and persons assisting them and the cleansing and so far as appropriate sterilisation of instruments, materials and equipment used in connection with the businesses of
- Tattooing
- Semi-permanent skin-colouring,
- Cosmetic Piercing
- Ear Piercing and electrolysis
- Acupuncture
made by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in pursuance of section 90 (c) of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and Article 14(7) of the 1985 Order.
1. For the purpose of securing the cleanliness of premises and fittings in such premises a proprietor shall ensure that –
a) All internal walls, doors, windows, partitions, floors and floor coverings, and ceilings are kept clean and in such good repair as to enable them to be cleaned effectively;
b) The treatment area is used solely for giving treatment;
c) The floor of the treatment area is provided with a smooth impervious surface;
d) All waste materials, and other litters, arising from the treatment should be handled and disposed of as clinical waste in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 1997 Order and any instruments made under that Order;
e) All needles used in treatment are single-use, never re-used, and disposable, as far as is practicable; and are stored and disposed of as clinical waste in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 1997 Order and any instruments made under that Order;
f) All furniture and fittings in the premises are kept clean and in such good repair as to enable them to be cleaned effectively;
g) All tables, couches and seats used by clients in the treatment area, and any surface on which the items specified in 3b are placed immediately prior to treatment, have a smooth impervious surface which is disinfected immediately after use and at the end of each working day;
h) Where tables and couches are used, they are covered by a disposable paper sheet which is changed for each client;
i) No eating, drinking or smoking is permitted in the treatment area and a notice or notices reading “No Smoking”, “No Eating or Drinking” is prominently displayed there.
2. For the purpose of securing the cleansing and so far as is appropriate, the sterilisation of instruments, materials and equipment used in connection with the treatment –
a) An operator shall ensure that, before use in connection with treatment, any gown, wrap or other protective clothing, paper or other covering, towel, cloth or other such article used in the treatment –
i) is clean and in good repair and, so far as is appropriate, sterile; and
ii) has not previously been used in connection with any other client unless it consists of a material which can be and has been adequately cleaned and, so far as is appropriate, sterilised;
b) An operator shall ensure that –
i) any needle, metal instrument, or other item of equipment used in treatment or for handling instruments and needles used in the treatment is in a sterile condition and kept sterile until it is used;
ii) all dyes used for permanent or semi-permanent skin-colouring are sterile and inert;
iii) the containers used to hold the dyes for each customer are either disposed of at the end of each session of treatment, or are cleaned and sterilised before re-use;
c) A proprietor shall provide –
i) adequate facilities and equipment for the purpose of sterilisation (unless pre-sterilised items are used) and of cleansing, as required in pursuance of these bye-laws;
ii) sufficient and safe power points to enable compliance with these byelaws;
iii) an adequate constant supply of clean, hot and cold water readily available at all times on the premises;
iv) adequate storage for all items mentioned in byelaw 3a and b, so that those items are properly stored in a clean and suitable place so as to avoid, as far as possible, the risk of contamination.
3. For the purpose of securing the cleanliness of operators -
a) A proprietor shall ensure that -
i) any operator keeps his/her hands and nails clean and his/her nails short;
ii) any operator wears disposable surgical gloves that have not previously been used with any other client;
iii) any operator of the premises wears a gown, wrap or protective clothing that is clean and washable, or alternatively a disposable covering that has not previously been used in connection with any other client;
iv) any operator keeps any open boil, sore, cut or open wound on an exposed part of his/ her body effectively covered by an impermeable dressing;
v) any operator does not smoke or consume food or drink in the treatment area.
b) A proprietor shall provide -
i) suitable and sufficient washing facilities for the sole use of operators, including hot and cold water, sanitising soap or detergent;
ii) suitable and sufficient sanitary accommodation for operators.
NOTE – THE FOLLOWING DOES NOT FORM PART OF THE BYELAWS
A) Proprietors shall take all reasonable steps to ensure compliance with these byelaws by persons working on the premises. Article 15(9) of the 1985 Order provides that a registered person shall cause to be prominently displayed on the premises a copy of these byelaws and a copy of any certificates of registration issued to him under Part V of the 1985 Order.
B) Article 15(2) of the 1985 Order provides that any person who contravenes any of these byelaws shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
If a person registered under Part V of the 1985 Order is found guilty of contravening these byelaws, the Court may instead of, or in addition to imposing a fine, order the suspension or cancellation of his registration and of the registration of the premises in which the offence was committed if such premises are occupied by the person found guilty of the offence. It shall be a defence for the person charged under paragraphs (1), (2), (8) or (10) of Article 15 to prove that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid commission of the offence.
C) Nothing in these byelaws extends to any practice of skin piercing carried out by or under the supervision of a person who is registered as a medical practitioner or to premises on which the practice of skin piercing is carried on by or under the supervision of such a person