Texas Administrative Code › Title 25 - HEALTH SERVICES › Part 1 - DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES › Chapter 229 - FOOD AND DRUG › Subchapter V - MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR LICENSURE OF TATTOO AND CERTAIN BODY PIERCING STUDIOS › Section 229.409 - Tattooing and Body Piercing Instruments and Jewelry

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Instruments and jewelry used during
				  tattooing and piercing procedures which may contact blood or other bodily
				  fluids, or which come in direct contact with skin which is not intact shall be
				  sterilized after each use or disposed of. These devices include, but are not
				  limited to, bars, tubes, forceps, receiving tubes, and tapers. This does not
				  include ear piercing guns or tattoo machines/devices.
(b) Instruments and jewelry used during
				  tattooing and body piercing which do not come in contact with broken skin but
				  may come in contact with mucous membranes and oral tissue should be sterilized
				  after each use. If, however, sterilization is not feasible because the
				  instrument or jewelry will be damaged, the instrument or jewelry shall be
				  treated with a germicidal solution prior to use. These devices include, but are
				  not limited to, calipers and gauge wheels.
(c) Instruments that come into contact only
				  with intact skin shall be treated with a germicidal solution prior to use.
				  These devices include, but are not limited to, hand mirrors.
(d) Reusable instruments shall be constructed
				  in a manner that permits easy cleaning and sterilization.
(e) Needles and razors or razors' heads used
				  to perform body piercing and tattooing shall be single-use and disposed of in a
				  sharps container.
(f) Single-use
				  disposable instruments shall be maintained in clean condition and dispensed in
				  a manner to prevent contamination to the unused instruments. These devices
				  include, but are not limited to, cups, cotton swabs, corks, rubber bands, and
				  toothpicks.
(g) Use of styptic pens
				  or alum solids to control blood flow is prohibited.
(h) All dyes or pigments used in tattooing
				  and piercing shall be non-toxic, free from adulteration, and made from
				  materials generally regarded as safe. Marking instruments shall be single-use
				  or sanitized by design, such as alcohol based ink pens, and shall be used only
				  on intact skin that has been treated with a germicidal soap. Any marking
				  instrument that comes in contact with mucous membranes or broken skin shall be
				  single-use.
(i) Only single-use
				  pigment or dye containers shall be used for each client. Pigments and dyes
				  shall be dispensed from containers in a manner to prevent contamination to the
				  unused portion. Individual containers of dye or pigment shall be discarded
				  after use.
(j) In order to minimize
				  transmission of body fluids and disease, single-use plastic covers shall be
				  used to cover spray bottles or other reusable accessories for multiple client
				  use that are handled by the artist during tattooing and body
				  piercing.
(k) All stencils shall be
				  single-use. Petroleum jellies, soaps, and other products used in the
				  application of stencils shall be dispensed and applied using aseptic technique
				  and in a manner to prevent contamination of the original container and its
				  contents. The applicator shall be single-use.
(l) Contaminated reusable instruments shall
				  be placed in a labeled covered container which may contain a disinfectant
				  solution such as 2.0% alkaline glutaraldehyde (not to be construed as all
				  inclusive) until it can be cleaned and sterilized.
(m) All containers holding contaminated
				  instruments and container lids shall be emptied of contaminated solution and
				  cleaned and sanitized daily or more often if needed.
(n) Reusable instruments shall be cleaned by
				  gloved personnel prior to sterilization by one of the following methods:
(1) mechanically pre-clean the items by using
				  a clean cotton ball or swab moistened with a solution of low-residue detergent
				  and cool water, with care taken to ensure the removal of any pigment or body
				  substances not visible to the eye, thoroughly rinse with warm water and then
				  drain, and clean by soaking in a protein dissolving detergent-enzyme cleaner
				  used according to manufacturer's instructions; or
(2) clean the items in an ultrasonic cleaning
				  unit used according to manufacturer's instruction. A copy of the manufacturers
				  recommended procedures for operation of the ultrasonic cleaning unit must be
				  available for inspection by an authorized agent; and
(3) rinse and dry the items prior to
				  packaging for sterilization.