General Information	State of Delaware
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Requirements for Sanitation and Sterilization Procedures:

5.5.1 All non-single-use, non-disposable instruments used for body art shall be cleaned thoroughly after each
use by scrubbing with an appropriate soap or disinfectant solution and hot water or follow the
manufacturer's instructions to remove blood and tissue residue, and placed in an ultrasonic unit which will
also be operated in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

5.5.2 After cleaning, all non-disposable instruments used for body art shall be packed individually in peel-packs
and subsequently sterilized. All peel-packs shall contain either a sterilizer indicator or internal temperature
indicator. Peel-packs must be dated with an expiration date not to exceed six (6) months.

5.5.3 All cleaned, non-disposable instruments used for body art shall be sterilized in a steam autoclave. The
sterilizer shall be used, cleaned, and maintained according to manufacturer's instruction. A copy of the
manufacturer's recommended procedures for the operation of their sterilization unit must be available for
inspection by the Division. Sterile equipment may not be used if the package has been breached or after
the expiration date without first repackaging and resterilizing. Sterilizers shall be located away from work
stations or areas frequented by the public. If the body art establishment uses all single-use, disposable
instruments and products, and utilizes sterile supplies, an autoclave shall not be required.

5.5.4 Each holder of a permit to operate a body art establishment shall demonstrate that the sterilizer used is
capable of attaining sterilization by spore destruction tests every 30 days. These tests shall be verified
through an independent laboratory. The permit shall not be issued or renewed until documentation of the
sterilizer's ability to destroy spores is received by the Division. These test records shall be retained by the
operator for a period of three (3) years and made available to the Division upon request. If the Division
determines that the establishment was open when a current sterile spore destruction test was not
available, then an administrative penalty of $100 each day that the establishment was open may be
assessed.

5.5.5 All reusable needles used in tattooing and body piercing shall be cleaned and sterilized prior to use and
stored in peel-packs. After sterilization, the instruments used for tattooing and body piercing shall be
stored in a dry, clean cabinet or other tightly covered container reserved for the storage of such
instruments.

5.5.6 All instruments used for tattooing and body piercing shall remain stored in sterile packages until just prior
to performing a body art procedure. When assembling instruments used for performing body art
procedures, the operator/technician shall wear disposable medical gloves and use medically recognized
techniques to ensure that the instruments and gloves are not contaminated.

5.5.7 All inks, dyes, pigments, needles and equipment shall be specifically manufactured for performing body art
procedures and shall be used according to manufacturer's instructions. The mixing of approved inks, dyes
or pigments or their dilution with potable water is acceptable. Immediately before applying a tattoo, the
quantity of the dye to be used shall be transferred from the dye bottle and placed into single-use paper
cups or plastic cups. Upon completion of the tattoo, these single-use paper cups or plastic caps and their
contents shall be discarded.

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