Virginia Law

A. A body-piercing salon or body-piercing ear only salon must be in a permanent building, which must be in a location permissible under local zoning codes, if any. If applicable, the body-piercing salon or body-piercing ear only salon shall be separated from any living quarters by complete floor to ceiling partitioning and shall contain no access to living quarters.

B. The body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location shall be maintained in a clean and orderly manner.

C. A body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location shall have a blood spill clean-up kit in the work area.

D. Work surfaces in a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location shall be cleaned with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered, hospital grade disinfectant. Surfaces that come in contact with blood or other body fluids shall be immediately disinfected with an EPA-registered germicide solution. Appropriate personal protective equipment shall be worn during cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

E. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, cabinets or containers for the storage of instruments, single-use articles, and other utensils shall be provided for each operator and shall be maintained in a sanitary manner.

F. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, bulk single-use articles shall be commercially packaged and handled in such a way as to protect the articles from contamination.

G. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, all materials applied to the human skin shall be from single-use articles or transferred from bulk containers to single use containers and shall be disposed of after each use.

H. In a body-piercing salon or body-piercing ear only salon, the walls, ceilings, and floors shall be kept in good repair. The body-piercing area shall be constructed of smooth, hard, surfaces that are nonporous, free of open holes or cracks, light colored, and easily cleaned. New physical facilities shall not include any dark-colored surfaces in the body-piercing area. Existing physical facilities with dark-colored surfaces in the body-piercing area shall replace the dark-colored surfaces with light-colored surfaces whenever the facilities are extensively remodeled or upon relocation of the business entity.

I. A body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location shall have adequate lighting of at least 50 foot-candles of illumination in the body-piercing and sterilization areas.

J. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, adequate mechanical ventilation shall be provided.

K. A body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location shall be equipped with hand-cleaning facilities for its personnel with unobstructed access to the body-piercing area or body-piercing ear only area such that the body piercer or body piercer ear only can return to the area without having to touch anything with his hands. Hand-cleaning facilities shall be equipped either with hot and cold or tempered running water under pressure and liquid germicidal soap or with a sanitizing solution to clean hands. Hand-cleaning facilities shall be equipped with single-use towels or mechanical hand drying devices and a covered refuse container. Such facilities shall be kept clean and in good repair. All facilities must have running water and soap accessible for cleaning of hands contaminated by body fluids.

L. Animals are not permitted in the body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location except for guide or service animals accompanying persons with disabilities or nonmammalian animals in enclosed glass containers such as fish aquariums, which shall be outside of the body-piercing area or sterilization area. No animals are allowed in the body-piercing area, body-piercing ear only area, or sterilization area.

M. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, the use of tobacco products and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be prohibited in the body-piercing area, body-piercing ear only area, or sterilization area.

N. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, no food or drink will be stored or consumed in the body-piercing area, body-piercing ear only area, or sterilization area.

O. In a body-piercing salon, body-piercing ear only salon, or temporary location, if body-piercing or body-piercing ear only is performed where cosmetology services are provided, it shall be performed in an area that is separate and enclosed.

P. All steam sterilizers shall be biological spore tested at least monthly.

Q. Biological spore tests shall be verified through an independent laboratory.

R. Biological spore test records shall be retained for a period of three years and made available upon request.

S. Steam sterilizers shall be used only for instruments used by the salon's employees.