Guide
How to get ready for a tattoo studio health inspection
Short answer: have your licence and your artists’ licences on the wall, a clean and separated work area, the autoclave and spore-test logs up to date, sharps disposal receipts, signed consent forms and session records with lot numbers – and be able to find any of them in a minute.
The checklist
- Studio licence and each artist’s licence or registration, current and visible.
- Single-use needles and supplies, in date and sealed.
- Autoclave: a log of every cycle and a passed spore test as often as your rules ask (often weekly or monthly).
- Sharps containers and receipts from the disposal company.
- Signed consent forms for every client – with ID and age check.
- Session records: date, artist, placement and the lot numbers of inks and needles.
- Clean surfaces, barrier film, hand washing station, first-aid kit.
Why lot numbers matter
When an ink or needle lot is recalled, you must be able to tell which clients got it. With lot numbers on every session record, that is one search instead of days of paperwork.
The logs inspectors ask for
| Log | What to write |
|---|---|
| Autoclave cycle | Date, cycle or load number, temperature, time, pressure, indicator result, what was sterilized, who ran it. |
| Spore test | Date, lab or kit, result – and what you did if it failed. |
| Sharps disposal | Pickup date, company, manifest or receipt number, number of containers. |
How GITECHY INK helps
Sterilization log with a photo of each printout, spore test reminders, lot numbers in every session record with a recall lookup, and an inspection report for any date range – sessions, consent forms, lots, autoclave, spore tests and sharps – ready to print.
Questions
How often is a spore test needed?
It depends on your state and county – weekly or monthly is common. Follow your local rules and log every result.
How long do I keep records?
Several years in most places. Check with your health department.
Related
Run your studio with GITECHY INK
Booking with deposits, consent forms, artist pay and aftercare – one flat price per studio, no commission on your payments.