Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 310 - Oklahoma State Department of Health
Chapter 233 - Body Piercing and Tattooing
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
Section 310:233-1-2 - Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this Chapter, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Aftercare" means written instructions given to the client, specific to the body piercing or tattooing procedure(s) rendered, on caring for the body piercing or tattoo and surrounding area.
"Antiseptic" means an agent that destroys disease-causing microorganisms on human skin or mucosa.
"Apprentice"means any person who is training under the supervision of a licensed tattoo artist. That person cannot independently perform the work of tattooing. Apprentice also means any person who is training under the supervision of a licensed body piercing artist. That person cannot independently perform the work of body piercing [21:842.1(D)(6) ].
"Apprentice program" means an approved body piercing or tattooing training program conducted by an approved sponsor.
"Apprentice sponsor" means an individual approved by the Department to sponsor a body piercing or tattooing apprentice program.
"Artist" means the person who actually performs the body piercing or tattooing procedure [21:842.1(D)(5)].
"Aseptic technique" means a hygienic practice which prevents and hinders the direct transfer of microorganisms, regardless of pathogenicity, from one person or place to another person or place.
"Autoclave" means a piece of medical equipment that employs the steam under pressure method of sterilization.
"Bloodborne pathogen certification" means a training program that shall contain a general explanation of epidemiology and symptoms of bloodborne diseases.
"Body piercing" means a procedure in which an opening is created in a human body solely for the purpose of inserting jewelry or other decoration; provided, however, the term does not include ear piercing 21:842.1(D)(1).
"Body piercing operator" means any person who owns, controls, operates, conducts, or manages any permanent body piercing establishment, whether actually performing the work of body piercing or not [21:842.1(C)(3)].
"Church" means an establishment, other than a private dwelling, where religious services are usually conducted [21:842.3(C)(3)(b)].
"Client" means a person requesting the application of a body piercing or tattoo.
"Contaminated waste" means any liquid or semi-liquid blood or other potentially infectious materials; contaminated items that would release blood or other potentially infectious materials in a liquid or semi-liquid state if compressed; items that are caked with dried blood and other potentially infectious materials, as defined in 29 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1910.1030, known as "Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens".
"CPR Certification" means Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and shall include instruction for the basic adult CPR training.
"Department" means the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
"Disinfection" means the destruction of disease-causing microorganisms on inanimate objects or surfaces, thereby rendering these objects safe for use or handling; a process of reducing the number of microorganisms on cleaned procedure surfaces and equipment to a safe level with germicidal solution as has been approved by the Department.
"Ear piercing" means puncturing the lobe of the ear not to include cartilage.
"Ear piercing gun" means a device that pierces an individual's ear lobe using a single-use stud and clasp ear piercing system.
"Equipment" means all machinery, including fixtures, containers, vessels, tools, devices, implements, furniture, display and storage areas, sinks and all other apparatus and appurtenances used in connection with body piercing and tattooing procedures.
"First aid certification" means a training program that includes instruction in injury and acute illness.
"Germicidal solution" means a cleansing agent that kills disease-causing microorganisms on hard surfaces and is a disinfectant or sanitizer registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Germicidal soap" means an agent designed for use on the skin that kills disease-causing microorganisms.
"Handwashing facility" means a sink equipped with hot and cold or tempered running water under pressure, used for washing hands, arms or other portions of the body.
"Hot water" means water that attains at least 100°F.
"Integrator strips" means strips or devices used in pouches or autoclave chambers that prove the condition of sterilization has been met.
"Jewelry" means any personal ornament inserted into a newly pierced area.
"License" means written approval by the Department for an artist to perform body piercing or tattooing or written approval by the Department to operate a body piercing or tattoo establishment.
"Operator" means:
(A) body piercing operator, which is any person who owns, controls, operates, conducts, or manages any permanent body piercing establishment, whether actually performing the work of body piercing or not. A mobile unit, including, but not limited to, a mobile home, recreational vehicle, or any other nonpermanent facility, shall not be used as a permanent body piercing establishment [21 O.S. § 84201(D)(3)]; or
(B) tattoo operator, which isany person who owns, controls, operates, conducts, or manages any permanent tattooing establishment whether performing the work of tattooing or not, or a temporary location that is a fixed location at which an individual tattoo operator performs tattooing for a specified period of not more than seven (7) days in conjunction with a single event or celebration, where the primary function of the event or celebration is tattooing [21 O.S. § 84201(D)(4)].
"Procedure surface" means any part of furniture or fixtures designed to contact the client's body during a body piercing or tattooing procedure or any surface where instruments and equipment have come into contact with the client during the procedure.
"Regulatory authority" means a representative, such as an onsite inspector, of the Department.
"Sharps" means any object (sterile or contaminated) that may purposefully or accidentally cut or penetrate the skin or mucosa including, but not limited to, pre-sterilized single use piercing or tattooing needles and razor blades.
"Sharps container" means a puncture-resistant, leak-proof container that is labeled or color coded that can be closed for disposal.
"Single use" means products or items that are intended for one-time, one-person use and are disposed of after use on each client including, but not limited to, cotton swabs or balls, tissues or paper products, paper or plastic cups, gauze and sanitary coverings, razors, piercing and tattooing needles and protective gloves.
"Skills challenge" means a testing mechanism that enables persons who have received training in tattooing and have experience in performing tattooing procedures to challenge the training requirements by satisfactorily completing the written examination.
"Spore test" means a biological monitoring process in which a third party laboratory culturing service is engaged to monitor spore growth on media processed in an autoclave.
"Statim autoclave" means a brand of autoclave utilizing the steam flush pressure pulse method of sterilization.
"Sterilization" means a process resulting in the destruction of all forms of microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial spores.
"Student" means an individual approved for the curriculum portion of the training program and cannot perform tattoo or body piercing procedures on a human.
"Tattooing" means the practice of producing an indelible mark or figure on the human body by scarring or inserting a pigment under the skin using needles, scalpels, or other related equipment; provided that medical micropigmentation, performed pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Medical Micropigmentation Regulation Act, shall not be construed to be tattooing [21:842.1(C)(2)].
"Temporary artist license" means a person that is not licensed through the State of Oklahoma that is a body piercing artist or tattoo artist doing temporary work at a licensed body piercing or tattoo establishment not to exceed 30 days.
"Ultrasonic cleaning unit" means a piece of medical equipment utilizing ultrasound energy to thoroughly clean instruments for body piercing or tattooing.
"Universal precautions" means an approach to infection control that treats all human blood and certain human body fluids as if known to be infectious for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and other bloodborne pathogens.
Added at 16 Ok Reg 1701, eff 3-23-99 (emergency); Added at 16 Ok Reg 2458, eff 6-25-99; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 186, eff 11-1-06 (emergency); Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1928, eff 6-25-07
