Cleaning and Sterilization

PURPOSE: This rule outlines the proper cleaning and sterilization of equipment used by a tattooist, body piercer or brander. (1) Cleaning. (A) Reusable equipment used in a tattooing, body piercing and branding procedure shall be cleaned immediately following each use to remove blood and/or body tissue residue prior to sterilization. (B) Reusable bars, tubes, branding irons, other branding instruments and body piercing equipment shall be placed in a covered container until they are sterilized. (C) All containers holding contaminated tubes, branding irons, other branding equipment, reusable body piercing equipment, and container lids shall be cleaned and disinfected with an approved disinfectant as defined in 20 CSR 2267-1.010. (D) Gloved personnel shall clean bars, tubes, branding irons, other branding equipment, and reusable body piercing equipment prior to sterilization as follows: 1. Manually preclean the items with care taken to ensure removal of residue; thoroughly rinse the items with warm water and then drain the water; clean the items by soaking them in a protein-dissolving deter-gent-enzyme cleaner used according to the manufacturer’s instructions; and clean the items further in an ultrasonic cleaning device that operates at forty to sixty (40–60) hertz and is used according to the manufacturer’s instructions; and 2. Rinsing and drying the items. (E) Prior to autoclaving, all tubes shall be packaged either individually or in quantities appropriate for individual procedures. Packages shall be identifiable and dated. (2) Sterilization. (A) Equipment requiring sterilization shall be pressure-sterilized at the establishment in an autoclave and in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Practitioners shall have procedures in place to ensure autoclaves have been properly disinfected and spore-tested as required in subsection (2)(C) of this rule. (B) Each batch of sterilized equipment shall be monitored for sterilization by use of heat-sensitive indicators capable of indicating approximate time and temperature achieved. (C) Autoclaves shall be spore-tested at least weekly. Spore kill test effectiveness shall be conducted by an independent laboratory. If a positive spore test is received, the practitioner shall immediately cease using the autoclave device and notify the office within forty-eight (48) hours. (D) Sterilized equipment shall be wrapped and stored in a manner that ensures it will remain sterile until used. (E) Each tattoo, body piercing and branding establishment shall maintain sterilization records including spore tests for at least two (2) years from the date of the last entry, which shall include the following information: 1. Date of sterilization; 2. Name of person operating the equipment; and 3. Result of heat-sensitive indicator. (F) Sterilized equipment shall be resterilized if the package is opened, damaged or becomes wet. (G) All methods of sterilization other than steam autoclaving are prohibited. AUTHORITY: section 324.522, RSMo Supp. 2007.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 267-5.030. Original rule filed Aug. 15, 2002, effective Feb. 28, 2003. Moved to 20 CSR 2267-5.030, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed June 16, 2008, effective Dec. 30, 2008. *Original authority: 324.522, RSMo 1998, amended 1999, 2001, 2007.