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TATTOO INFECTION CONTROL

The biggest fear in any services industry when dealing with invasive (breaking of the skin) and non-invasive procedures, is the risk of contamination or contraction of a virus by a client or patient. This is a common threat and many businesses become effected by their clients taking action against the company for infection control breaches. The term coined for this is "Nosocomial Infection".


The tattoo industry is very potent when it comes to infection control. Many tattoo parlours have infection control procedures that align with AS4815:2006, which is an office based practice standard typically used in dental and medical centres. This standard outlines effective ways to clean and sterilise instruments used on patients and clients of a business who undergo both invasive and non-invasive procedures.


The tattoo industry main tool of trade is the Tattoo machine, or "Grip". This is a cannulated device that contains hollow access points. These are the main points of the instrument that are most vulnerable to harvesting bacteria and viruses. The Grip is typically cleaned and placed into a steriliser after each client. The steriliser processing the Grip and any other tools that are placed into the chamber.


The steriliser's results may pass on the machine, however this is not a true indication of the Grip being sterilised. The reason for this is no steriliser has the capability of guaranteeing sterility assurance with cannulated instruments as its sensors cannot monitor inside the Grip instrument, regardless of its disposable tips. This means that there may still be bacteria in the crevices and inside the Grip that cannot be detected by the steriliser.


NCA's key laboratory partner have solved this problem by creating the Quattro Indicators and Validated Process Challenge Device (VPCD). The VPCD acts as a more complex device to sterilise compared to the Tattoo Grip. By placing the VPCD into the steriliser on each load, it will validate the steriliser for the daily load of instruments being processed, rendering all of the instruments "Sterile". The results can then be logged into a book with the Quattro indicator displaying the pass result for each load.


This gives total piece of mind to the tattoo artist and the business that each load has been scientifically proven to have passed sterility, rendering all instruments sterile in according to the International Standards, which are the scientific method of sterilisation.


NCA will educate, train and certify your tattoo team for complete infection control compliance, whilst pointing you in the right direction to apply the scientific method which gives you piece of mind, and will protect your business against client litigation relating to infection control breaches. 


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Contact our specialists to all queries relating to infection control in the Tattoo industry. 

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