Body Art

The following provides more information about risks associated with bloodborne pathogen exposures in the body art industry.

Post Cards

Post cards providing simple ways to reduce bloodborne pathogen exposures in the body art industry were mailed to tattoo and body piercing shops across the United States. Please feel free to download a copy.

• Look Sharp PDF only 2.0 MB (2 pages)
• Good, Clean Art PDF only 2.1 MB (2 pages)
• Let Art Be Your Legacy PDF only 2.0 MB (2 pages)

Web Links

OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standards

• OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
  Provides information on bloodborne pathogen policies and compliance
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10051
• OSHA's enforcement of Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
  Establishes policies and provides clarification to ensure uniform inspection procedures are followed when conducting inspections to enforce the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=2570#APPD
• OSHA's most frequently asked questions about the Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
  Addresses many frequently asked questions concerning OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standards
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=21010
• OSHA's Model Plan and Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standards.
  Includes a model or template of an exposure control plan (ECP) that can be used to create an ECP for a studio that will meet OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard requirements.
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3186.pdf

Bloodborne Viruses and Vaccine Information

• Hepatitis B virus
  • Hepatitis B vaccine: What you need to know
  • Hepatitis B vaccination recommendations for adults
  • National Immunization Program: Hepatitis B vaccine (opens in new window)
• Hepatitis C virus
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Needlesticks and Sharps Disposal

• NIOSH Alert: Preventing needlestick injuries in health care settings
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2000-108 (November 1999) Provides information on how needlestick injuries occur, who is at risk of getting a needlestick injury and how to prevent these injuries
• NIOSH Publication: Selecting, evaluating and using sharps disposal containers
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 97-111 (January 1998) Provides information on choosing an appropriate sharps disposal container
• Applicability of the Bloodborne Pathogens standard to the tattoo and body piercing industries
  Addresses OSHA's recommendations regarding the practice of re-sterilizing needles
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24453
• OSHA Letter of Interpretation: Recapping of contaminated needles used in body piercing
  Addresses OSHA's recommendation regarding the removal and replacement of a cork onto a contaminated needle
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24729
• OSHA Letter of Interpretation: "Freehand" piercing without the use of forceps or other engineering controls violates the bloodborne pathogens standards
  Addresses OSHA's recommendation regarding "freehand" piercing
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25338
• OSHA Regulation: Recording criteria for needlesticks and sharps injuries - 1904.8
  Provides additional insight to filling out a sharps incident log
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9639

Gloves and Hand Washing

• NIOSH Alert: Preventing allergic reactions to natural rubber latex in the workplace
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 705006 (June 1997).
  Provides information on latex allergies and how to reduce these exposures
• NIOSH Publication: A latex allergy prevention guide
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 98-113 (February 1999)
  Provides information concerning latex allergies
• OSHA Letter of Interpretation: Mineral oil and/or petrolatum containing skin care products and latex gloves
  Discusses OSHA's recommendation regarding the use of petroleum-based and/or mineral oil-based skin care products when wearing latex gloves
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=21239
• Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care setting
  MMWR October 25, 2002. 51:(RR16)1-44
  Provides information on various types of hand cleansers and CDC's gloving policy.

Training

• OSHA Letter of Interpretation: Annual training required by the occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogen standards
  Discusses OSHA's recommendation regarding annual training
  External Link: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=22468

Health Hazard Evaluations

• Evaluation of potential bloodborne pathogen exposures among body piercers at Venus and Mars, Orlando, Florida. 1999.HETA 99-0265-2830 PDF only 80 kb (22 pages)
• Evaluation of potential bloodborne pathogen exposures among body piercers at Body Piercing by Bink, Tallahassee, Florida. 2000.HETA 2000-0013-2830 PDF only 120 kb (21 pages)

Scientific Journal Articles

• Huy J, Ross C, Boudreau A, Weber A [2002]. Occupational bloodborne pathogen exposures among community workers. Clinical Occupational Environmental Medicine 2: 537-556.
• Oberdorfer A, Wiggers J, Bowman J, Burrows S, Cockburn J, Considine R [2003]. Monitoring and educational feedback to improve the compliance of tattooists and body piercers with infection control standards: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Infection Control 32 (3): 147-154.
• Hellard M, Campbell A, Mackintosh A, Ridge A, Bowden S [2003]. Investigation of infection control practices and knowledge of hepatitis C among body piercing practitioners. American Journal of Infection Control 31 (4): 215-220.
• Raymond M, Halcon L, Pirie P [2003]. Regulation of tattooing in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota: Tattooists’ attitudes and relationship between regulation and practice. Public Health Reports 18: 154-161.
• Raymond M, Pirie P, Halcon L [2001]. Infection Control among professional tattooists in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN. Public Health Reports 116:249-256.

Books

• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) 1999. Body Art: A comprehensive guidebook and model code; printed in the United States of America.
  External Link: http://www.neha.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv? Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Bookstore&Product_Code=797NM&Category_Code=L15

Other Topics Related to the Body Art Industry

• NIOSH Topic Page . MRSA and the Workplace
  
  
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA). Tattoos, Temporary Tattoos and Henna Products
  External Link: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tattoos.htm