Tattoo Laws in West Virginia, West Virginia Tattoo Laws

West Virginia Tattoo Laws

Definitions:

Adequate ventilation: Just opening windows and doors is not the adequate ventilation. It means continues exchanges/flow of air. This exchange must be with fresh air repeating every fifteen to twenty minutes.
Tattoo: It is a design on the skin made by tattooing process i.e. pricking and staining.
Tattoo studio: It is a workplace for tattooing business or for tattooing practices.
Antibacterial solution: Any solution used to inhibit or suppress the bacterial growth or bacteria reproduction process.
Germicidal solution: Any solution used to prevent infection by suppressing the growth of the micro-organisms like bacteria, germs etc.
Sterilization:It is a process used to eliminate the reproduction ability of living organisms.

Studio sanitation:

There must be a separate cabinet for carbon, stencils, dyes, instruments, pigments and other utensils provided for each and every operator and keep it in clean condition.
As sanitation is the important thing, the tattoo artist must keep it in mind. Their hands shall be cleaned with water and dried by towel before starting the actual work on customer/person. It is also required when any interruption is occurred during the process of working on any customer.
The facilities like chairs and tables or benches shall be provided for every tattoo artist. These things (i.e. tables and chairs or benches) should be made up of smooth, no soaking, light shaded material and easily cleaned with a germicidal solution after each tattoo application.
There should be single use article materials applied to human skins. And these materials should be converted from multiple-use containers to single-use container with disposable facility.
The pets like dogs (working or guide) or security dogs from trainers are not allowed in tattoo studio.

Operation standards:

There are five standard operations included:

1) Records:

There should be a separate record of tattoos administered for each patron in studio registration record.
In each record, the information of patron like his/her name, age, address, tattooed date, tattoo design, location of tattoo and tattoo artist's name should be maintained.
Each record entry in record should be in indelible pencil and easily available for tests when inspecting authorities wants to do.
There are number of complications and risks involved in the tattoo processing, so it is important for tattoo artist to discuss it with the patron before tattoo administration. Also it shall be recorded in the record.
Validity for this record is up to five years and should be maintained in a file by the holder of the tattoo studio where process was performed.

2) Consent

Written permission for tattooing of minors (person under 18 age.) can be obtained from guardians or parents.
All written consents validity is up to five years and be kept in a file by the holder of the studio registration for the studio where tattoo was performed.

3) Tattooing procedures

To prevent an infection, there should be some written instructions given to each patron after tattooing to take care of skin.
Easy way to do this is post the printed copy of the instructions in a conspicuous place, so the person being tattooed will easily get attracted towards it.
The cloths of the tattoo artist shall be clean and of like t-shirts, apron etc.
The tattoo artists who are facing the problems like vomiting, fever, rash, jaundice, open skin infections (boils) or draining etc. shall resist doing this job activities until they recovers from this problems.
Each tattoo artist should clean his/her hands and fingernails before working on patron with antibacterial soap.
Single-use or disposable razors should be used for the shaving areas (being tattooed).

4) Sterilization of needles