Virginia Law

A. Sanitation and safety standards. Any shop, salon, school, or facility where barber, master barber, cosmetology, or nail or waxing services are delivered to the public must be clean and sanitary at all times. Compliance with these rules does not confer compliance with other requirements set forth by federal, state, and local laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations as they apply to business operation, physical construction and maintenance, safety, and public health. Licensees shall take sufficient measures to prevent the transmission of communicable and infectious diseases and comply with the sanitation standards identified in this section and shall ensure that all employees likewise comply.

B. Disinfection and storage of implements.

1. A wet disinfection unit is a container large enough to hold a disinfectant solution in which the objects to be disinfected are completely immersed. A wet disinfection unit must have a cover to prevent contamination of the solution. The solution must be an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal. Disinfectant solutions shall be used according to manufacturer's directions.

2. Disinfection of multiuse items constructed of hard, nonporous materials such as metal, glass, or plastic that the manufacturer designed for use on more than one client, including clippers, scissors, combs, and nippers is to be carried out in the following manner prior to servicing a client:

a. Remove all foreign matter from the object, utilizing a brush if needed. Drill bits are to be soaked in acetone and scrubbed with a wire brush to remove all foreign matter;

b. Wash thoroughly with hot water and soap;

c. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry thoroughly with a clean paper towel;

d. Fully immerse implements into solution for a minimum of 10 minutes; and

e. After immersion, rinse articles, dry thoroughly with a clean paper towel, and store in a clean, predisinfected, and dry cabinet, drawer, or nonairtight covered container, or leave instruments in an EPA-registered disinfection storage solution used according to manufacturer's directions.

3. Single-use items designed by the manufacturer for use on no more than one client should be discarded immediately after use on each individual client, including powder puffs, lip color, cheek color, sponges, styptic pencils, or nail care implements. The disinfection and reuse of these items is not permitted and the use of single-use items on more than one client is prohibited.

4. For the purpose of recharging, rechargeable clippers may be stored in an area other than in a closed cabinet or container. This area shall be clean and the cutting edges of any clippers are to be disinfected.

5. Electrical clipper blades shall be disinfected before and after each use. If the clipper blade cannot be removed, the use of a spray or foam used according to the manufacturer's instructions will be acceptable, provided that the disinfectant is an EPA-registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal, and that the entire handle is also disinfected by wiping with the disinfectant solution.

6. All wax pots shall be cleaned and disinfected with an EPA-registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal and with no sticks left standing in the wax at any time. The area immediately surrounding the wax pot shall be clean and free of clutter, waste materials, spills, and any other items that may pose a hazard.

7. Each barber, master barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, and wax technician must have a wet disinfection unit at his station.

8. Sinks, bowls, tubs, whirlpool units, air-jetted basins, pipe-less units, and non-whirlpool basins used in the performance of nail care shall be maintained in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. They shall be cleaned and disinfected immediately after each client in the following manner:

a. Drain all water and remove all debris;

b. Clean the surfaces and walls with soap or detergent to remove all visible debris, oils, and product residue and then rinse with water;

c. Disinfect by spraying or wiping the surface with an EPA-registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal; and

d. Wipe dry with a clean towel.

C. General sanitation and safety requirements.

1. Service chairs, wash basins, shampoo sinks, workstations and workstands, and back bars shall be clean;

2. The floor surface in all work areas must be of a washable surface other than carpet. The floor must be kept clean and free of hair, nail clippings, dropped articles, spills, clutter, trash, electrical cords, other waste materials, and any other items that may pose a hazard;

3. All furniture, fixtures, walls, floors, windows, and ceilings shall be clean and in good repair and free of water seepage and dirt. Any mats shall be secured or shall lie flat;

4. A fully functional bathroom in the same building with a working toilet and sink must be available for clients. There must be hot and cold running water. Fixtures must be in good condition. The bathroom must be lighted and sufficiently ventilated. If there is a window, it must have a screen. There must be soap and clean single-use towels or hand air-drying device for the client's use. Laundering of towels is allowed, space permitting. The bathroom must not be used as a work area or for the open storage of chemicals. For facilities newly occupied after January 1, 2017, the bathroom shall be maintained exclusively for client use or shared with other businesses in the same building. If the bathroom is shared, the bathroom shall be available for client use and within 200 feet of the entrance and must adhere to all sanitation requirements of this chapter;

5. General areas for client use must be neat and clean with a waste receptacle for common trash;

6. Electrical cords shall be placed to prevent entanglement by the client or licensee, and electrical outlets shall be covered by plates;

7. All sharp tools, implements, and heat-producing appliances shall be in safe working order at all times, safely stored, and placed so as to prevent any accidental injury to the client or licensee;

8. The salon area shall be sufficiently ventilated to exhaust hazardous or objectionable airborne chemicals, and to allow the free flow of air; and

9. Adequate lighting shall be provided.

D. Articles, tools, and products.

1. Clean towels, robes, or other linens shall be used for each patron. Clean towels, robes, or other linens shall be stored in a clean, predisinfected, and dry cabinet, drawer, or nonairtight covered container. Soiled towels, robes, or other linens shall be stored in a container enclosed on all sides including the top, except if stored in a separate laundry room;

2. Whenever a haircloth is used, a clean towel or neck strip shall be placed around the neck of the patron to prevent the haircloth from touching the skin;

3. Soiled implements must be removed from the tops of work stations immediately after use;

4. Lotions, ointments, creams, and powders shall be labeled and kept in closed containers. A clean spatula, other clean tools, or clean disposable gloves shall be used to remove bulk substances such as creams or ointments from jars. Sterile cotton or sponges shall be used to apply creams, lotions, and powders. Cosmetic containers shall be covered after each use;

5. For nail care, if a sanitary container is provided for a client, the sanitary container shall be labeled and implements shall be used solely for that specific client. Disinfection shall be carried out in accordance with subdivisions B 1 and B 2 of this section;

6. No substance other than a sterile styptic powder or sterile liquid astringent approved for homeostasis and applied with a sterile single-use applicator shall be used to check bleeding; and

7. Any disposable material making contact with blood or other body fluid shall be disposed of in a sealed plastic bag and removed from the shop, salon, school, or facility in accordance with the guidelines of the Virginia Department of Health.

E. Chemical storage and emergency information.

1. Shops, salons, schools, and facilities shall have in the immediate working area a binder with all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by manufacturers for any chemical products used;

2. Shop, salons, schools, and facilities shall have a blood spill clean-up kit in the work area that contains at minimum latex gloves, two 12-inch by 12-inch towels, one disposable trash bag, bleach, one empty spray bottle, and one mask with face shield or any Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) approved blood spill clean-up kit;

3. Flammable chemicals shall be labeled and stored in a nonflammable storage cabinet or a properly ventilated room; and

4. Chemicals that could interact in a hazardous manner (e.g., oxidizers, catalysts, and solvents) shall be labeled and separated in storage.

F. Client health guidelines.

1. All employees providing client services shall cleanse their hands with a soap product prior to providing services to each client. Licensees shall require that clients for nail care services shall cleanse their hands immediately prior to the requested nail care service;

2. An artificial nail shall only be applied to a healthy natural nail;

3. A nail drill or motorized instrument shall be used only on the free edge of the nail;

4. No shop, salon, school, or facility providing cosmetology or nail care services shall have on the premises cosmetic products containing hazardous substances that have been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in cosmetic products;

5. No product shall be used in a manner that is disapproved by the FDA; and

6. All regulated services must be performed in a facility that is in compliance with current local building and zoning codes.

G. In addition to any requirements set forth in this section, all licensees and temporary permit holders shall adhere to regulations and guidelines established by the Virginia Department of Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Compliance Division of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry.

H. All shops, salons, schools, and facilities shall immediately report the results of any inspection of the shop, salon, or school by the Virginia Department of Health as required by § 54.1-705 of the Code of Virginia.

I. All shops, salons, schools, and facilities shall maintain a self-inspection form on file to be updated on an annual basis, and kept for five years, so that it may be requested and reviewed by the board at its discretion.