HAR §11-17-10. Aseptic technique

(a) Before working on a customer the tattoo artists shall cleanse their hands in the following manner: (1) Thoroughly scrub hands and fingernails with soap and a hand brush; (2) Rinse hands under warm running water; (3) Rinse hands in an approved antiseptic solution such as seventy per cent alcohol; and §11-17-10 (4) Hands may be dried with clean single use towels or other approved hand drying device; (b) The area of the customer’s skin to be tattooed shall be prepared by: (1) Washing with warm water and approved soap. A sterile handbrush shall be used to produce a clean skin area; (2) Shaving shall be done with a sterile razor blade; and (3) The shaved area shall be thoroughly cleansed with warm water and approved soap. (c) Before placing the design on the customer’s skin, the tattoo artist shall treat the skin area with seventy per cent alcohol or other approved germicidal solution which shall be applied with sterile cotton or sterile gauze. (d) Only petroleum jelly shall be applied to the area to be tattooed and it shall be in collapsible metal or plastic tubes. The application may be spread by the use of sterile gauze but not directly with the fingers. (e) The stencil for transferring the design to the skin shall be thoroughly cleansed and rinsed in an approved germicidal solution and dried with sterile gauze. (f) Single-service or individual portion of dyes or pigments in sterilized containers or single-service containers shall be used for each customer. After tattooing, the remaining unused dye or pigments in the single-service or individual containers shall be discarded. (g) As the tattoo operation progresses, any excess dye or pigment applied to the skin shall be removed with sterile material. (h) The completed tattoo shall be washed with a piece of sterile material saturated with an approved germicidal solution. Antibiotic ointment registered under United States Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary shall be applied from a collapsible metal or plastic tube and the entire area covered with a piece of sterile dressing, which may in turn be covered with a piece of tissue, and fasten to the site with an approved type of adhesive. (i) Immediately after tattooing, the tattoo artist shall advise the customer on the care of the tattoo and instruct the customer to consult a physician at the first sign of infection. [Eff. SEP 18 1981] (Auth: HRS §§321-10, 321-13) (Imp: HRS §321-13)