The beauty sector is an ever expanding market and its reputation for good hygienic practices is slowly becoming a factor in the decision making process of its clients as to whether or not they choose to have a treatment/procedure done there or not. This has been backed up by a recent survey in which consumers highlighted the need for tighter regulation, in particular in tattoo parlours, to improve hygiene standards and reduce the risk of acquiring blood borne infections. The survey, conducted by the CIEH, suggested a ‘hygiene rating scheme’. This would be issued by an enforcing authority following inspection, which will be a transparent scheme in which consumers can make an informed decision. At present there is no information available to the public about the current hygiene standards in a tattoo parlour.
Hygiene Rating Schemes are currently used following an inspection of a food premises. They give the customer an indication of how the food outlet is complying with legislation in order to assist in making an informed decision on where or where not, to eat. This is publicised online and is available for all to view.
The current system requires that tattooists need to be registered with their local council, but potential customers have no way of being able to judge for themselves the hygiene standards of the premises in which the procedure is to be carried out. This is evidently a problem as most of those questioned indicated that the standard of hygiene in the premises would be one of the most important factors influencing their choice of salon. Consumers also revealed that many find themselves confused about the risks to health posed by tattooing such as transmission of infections such as HIV and Hepititis.
If you own or operate a tattoo parlour you may wish to demonstrate that you have good standards not only to meet your legal obligations but also to give you a competitive advantage. A written Health and Safety Management System is a legal requirement if your business employs 5 or more people. A suitable system will contain a set of work based risk assessments which will allow you to demonstrate that your procedures are safe and hygienic. A Legal Compliance Package from Shieldyourself can help you demonstrate your commitment to good hygienic practices and your legal responsibilities under health and safety law to your employees and clients. The flexible packages not only include the option of innovative online systems but also Compliance Audits in which one of our team of experienced Environmental Health Practitioners will visit your premises and assess your level of compliance and operational standards. Contact a member of the team at Shieldyourself for more information.
