Tattoo Shops/One Client At A Time (May 20, 2020)

Dear Governor Lamont, and Commissioner Coleman-Mitchell,

Thank you for your valuable time, as I hope that you and yours are well.
We, The Connecticut Association of Professional Tattooers (CAPT) in conjunction with the CT Coalition of Esthetics are asking for the consideration of the reopening date of May 20, 2020 alongside Hair and Nail Salons. We are organizations composed of Licensed CT tattoo technicians who perform both body art and esthetics which include multiple types of businesses. Together we have composed a list of existing standards that will include extra safety measures to ensure the best interest of public safety and health of our clients and ourselves. Please take the time to acknowledge that we are licensed by the state and local health departments to safely execute our procedures prior to COVID-19. We fully understand that there are current plans being discussed regarding how to reopen businesses that were deemed “non-essential” by using Levels and business types. We strongly urge you to include the representation of CT licensed tattoo technicians when and how the reopen process shall be done. We are licensed working professionals within this trade and we feel it is of the greatest importance that we are to be involved in the procedural decisions going forward so that we may provide the safety that, as professionals, we all strive to uphold.

Tattooing Before Covid-19 Standards
Presented by CAPT (Connecticut Association Of Tattooers)

Follow and maintain all current licensing requirements by the State of Connecticut Health Department, (Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 387a Section. 20-266n). Licensing requirements include but are not limited to Bloodborne pathogens and Infectious diseases steps for cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, sanitizing, and use of proper PPE, for each unique situation/appointment)

Tattooing shall take place in an actual tattoo establishment (permitted business by town), in a clean area reserved exclusively for tattooing.

Tattoo recipients are to be instructed on safe practices before the procedure to prevent cross contamination within the establishment.

Disposable gloves are to be worn at all times during the tattoo, and changed at regular intervals. Proper glove removal procedures can be found from the Centers for Disease Control at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/pdf/strive/PPE101-508.pdf

Proper hand washing techniques should be followed (at least but not limited to) after every tattoo.

Procedure area cleaning sanitizer should consist of medical/hospital/surgical grade disinfectant, which acts as a bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and tuberculocidal.

All surfaces and furniture used during the tattoo should be of a nonporous material and easily cleanable with surface sanitizer. Surfaces used during the tattoo procedure should be protected with an appropriate barrier and sanitized

Any hospital grade surgical steel reusable tools (All reusable tattoo tubes and grips) should be cleaned (free of ink residue) in a separate designated clean space, and sterilized in an autoclave with up to date spore test results.

Single use disposable needles, needle cartridges, needle tubes and grips should be disposed of properly after each tattoo utilizing a sharps container and collected by a medical waste removal service.

Tattoo recipients shall be provided with verbal and written instructions for care of their tattoo.

Consent forms (which includes health, allergy, and legal verbiage must be completed by every tattoo client. Photo identification as proof of age is required to keep on file for a period of one year. If the client is a minor (16 and 17 years of age) the parent/guardian must be present with photo identification and birth certificate/guardianship paper linking minor to parent/guardian.