10/22/2020
As a result of the state’s removal of the body art ban, Cal/OSHA has issued an update to the original guidelines for Expanded Personal Care services. This includes body art like piercing and tattooing. Cal/OSHA is the state agency that oversees worker safety in California.
Please be aware that despite the state now allowing body art and adjacent services, even in counties like Los Angeles who are still in the purple tier, counties are still able to prohibit these services. Los Angeles county has not yet allowed body art to reopen as of today, 10/22/2020. Local news sources reporting otherwise are sharing misinformation. Currently in LA county, only personal services that can be offered are those that can be performed outside. That is not allowed by the state’s Safe Body Art Act for services like piercing and tattooing.
We’ve reviewed the new state guidelines and we’re happy to report that our piercing studio implemented these guidelines before the temporary reopening in June. Once the city of Long Beach allows body art to reopen we’ll be operating at a level stricter than the state’s guidelines. Below is a list of some of the things we thought should be shared from the state’s new guideline package. This list is not complete, it’s simply some highlights.
Display a set of guidelines for customers that are to be a condition of entry.
The guidelines must include instructions to wear face coverings, use hand
sanitizer, maintain physical distance from other customers, and they should
communicate changes to service offerings. The guidelines should be
posted in clearly visible locations, including at entrances, include
pictograms, and be made available digitally (e.g. through email).
Frequently disinfect commonly used surfaces including credit card
terminals, counters, reception area seating, door handles, light switches,
phones, toilets, and handwashing facilities.
Since porous surfaces such as chair seats cannot be easily disinfected,
consider covering with a plastic or disposable liner and cleaning or
disposing of the liner after each customer.
Consider upgrading to touchless faucets, soap and paper towel
dispensers, and adding touchless, automatic hand sanitizer dispensers.
Ensure soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers are regularly filled.
Equip reception areas and workstations with proper sanitationproducts,
including hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.
Provide time for workers to implement cleaning practices during their shift.
Cleaning assignments should be assigned during working hoursas part of
the worker’s job duties.
Workers should avoid sharing phones, tablets, laptops, desks, pens, and
other work supplies, wherever possible.
WARNING: physical distancing alone is insufficient to prevent transmission
of COVID-19.
Implement measures to ensure physical distancing of at least six feet
between and among workers and customers, except while providing the
services that require close contact. This can include use of physical
partitions or visual cues (e.g., floor markings, colored tape, or signs to
indicate to where workers and/or customers should stand).
Stagger appointments to reduce reception congestion and ensure
adequate time for proper cleaning and disinfection between each
customer visit. Consider servicing fewer customers each day or expanding
operating hours to allow for more time betweencustomers and suspending
walk-in appointments.
If possible, implement virtual check-in technology to ensure that workers
are notified when a customer arrives. Ask customers to wait outside or in
their cars rather than congregating in reception areas. Reception areas
should only have one customer at a time or the area should be modified
to support adequate physical distancing, including removing chairs.
Take measures at reception desks or other areas where physical distancing
cannot be maintained to minimize exposure between workers and
customers, such as Plexiglas or other barriers.
Where possible, install portable high-efficiency air cleaners, upgrade the
building’s air filters to the highest efficiency possible, and make other
modifications to increase the quantity of outside air and ventilation in all
working areas.
The image above is taken from the new COVID19 guidelines section specific to body art. In addition there’s official guidance for the use of face coverings issued by California’s Department of Public Health. We hope to see you in our studio again soon. Until then we’ll continue to be compliant with the current orders by Los Angeles County and the city of Long Beach.
The information in this article is accurate as of 10/22/2020.
