Skin penetration and tattoo rules in South Australia

Two parts to the rules

In South Australia, infection control in skin penetration businesses is guided by SA Health and checked by local councils. Tattooing also has its own notification scheme, run by Consumer and Business Services (CBS).

SA Health's guidelines

SA Health publishes the Guidelines on the Safe and Hygienic Practice of Skin Penetration for councils and operators. They cover procedures such as tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, waxing, electrolysis and other beauty therapies, and include:

• Treat all blood and body substances as potentially infectious.
• Hygiene and protective wear for operators.
• Skin preparation before a procedure.
• The premises environment, plus guidance on specific practices.

SA Health also publishes separate hairdressing standards for salons.

Your council

Council environmental health officers monitor hairdressing, beauty and skin penetration businesses against SA Health's guidelines. How you tell the council about a new business varies. City of Salisbury, for example, asks new beauty premises to fill in a request form. Contact your council before you open.

Tattooists notify CBS

You must notify CBS if you intend to provide tattooing services. This applies to anyone who:

• tattoos another person, even without a fee
• runs a business providing tattoo services, or is a director of one
• works at a tattoo business
• sells or supplies tattooing equipment.

Notification is online and free. Changes in circumstances must be reported within 14 days, and tattoo shows and conventions also need to be notified. CBS says tattooing that resembles make-up, or is done as part of medical treatment, doesn't need to be notified.

In practice

Notifying CBS doesn't replace infection control. Studios and salons still need sterile equipment, safe sharps disposal and clean premises. Follow your workplace procedures and SA Health's guidelines.