Skin piercing
Byelaws in relation to acupuncture, tattooing, semi permanent skin colouring and electrolysis are in force from 1st August 2023. There are a range of enforcement powers available to the Council including enforcing fines through the Magistrates’ Courts and issuing Fixed Penalty Notices. A copy of the Byelaws can be found here.
Byelaws in respect of acupuncture, tattooing, semipermanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing and electrolysis
Standard information on applying for registration for Acupuncture, Tattooing, Semi Permanent Skin colouring/ (Micro blading), cosmetic piercing, and an electrolysis Businesses is as follows;
Please note that the legislation has been reviewed in Wales.
Welsh Government advise that the new skin piercing legislation will come into force on 29 November 2024. Please note the Regulations will not be finalised until 24 November 2024.
The new legislation requires all special procedures practitioners i.e. those undertaking acupuncture, electrolysis, skin piercing or tattooing, to hold a valid licence to operate and the business premises to have an Approval Certificate.
You will need to apply for a licence by checking back on this web page and following the instructions. These instructions will be posted on the 29 November 2024.
Before you can start the application process online, you will need a ‘My Account’ on this Flintshire County Council Website.
If you already have a My Account, make sure that you are able to access it and then you can start the application process when the system goes live on the 29 November 2024.
If you are currently registered with us at health.safety@flintshire.gov.uk to undertake skin piercing and/ or have a registered premises and have certificates of registration from us, please keep these as you will need the reference numbers on these. This registration will mean that we can issue you with a temporary licence until your application has been processed for the new licence under the new regulations.
If you are registered with us, you should have received an email from us recently regarding temporary licences. If you have not received this email regarding this new legislation, please contact us at health.safety@flintshire.gov.uk as a matter of urgency.
The link to the Senedd website with the current version of the Regulations is https://senedd.wales/search?PageSize=15&Page=3&Culture=en-GB&ViewModelType=LaidDocument&IsSubSearch=True&SearchTerm=&DateFrom=&DateTo=
Information on the standards required as are below;
- The person carrying out the procedure must have received infection control training to a recognised standard.
- The person carrying out the procedure must have attended a recent Approved Emergency First Aid Course or have equivalent or better level of first aid knowledge training and competency.
- The treatment area must contain a wash hand basin for sole use of the practitioner. This must be plumbed into a continuous supply of hot and cold water, mobile units will not be accepted. The wash hand basin in the treatment room is required to have non hand operated taps. If you choose to use the lever type tap tops they must be the long levers type and specifically be non-hand operated (Not the short lever taps). Sensor taps and knee operated taps are also non hand operated.
- There must be a designated equipment washing sink with hot and cold running water that is separate to the wash hand basin. (In a business premises this sink should preferably be separate to the general staff sink in use).
- If using marker pens for the skin they must be single use that is disposed of between each customer.
- Adjacent to the wash hand basin there should be wall mounted disposable hand towel and soap dispensers. The soap dispenser should not be the fillable type (i.e. there must be cartridge type refills and replacement of the soap containers within the holder rather than topping up).
- There should be a hand washing instructional sign by the basin.
- The treatment area is only to be used for skin piercing activities.
- A Hazardous waste contract, foot operated bin and sharps box are required.
- Skin Piercers are advised to have immunisation against Hepatitis B and you should contact your GP for further guidance on this.
- This list is non exhaustive and is a summary. It does not list every single hygiene control which is contained in the Bye-Laws (the standards to achieve compliance) . There may be some changes when new legislation is issued).
- You should ensure that checks have been made and you have planning permission before registering a new business.
- Payment for registration can be made only when all work has been completed following inspection, this can be made by phoning and quote reference PBH 117 9653 (please provide your name and address/email & premises address) Telephone: 01352 703440
Charges for 2023/2024 are £71.35 to register each operator in the business and £142.70 to register the business premises.
FAQs
You can apply for registration if the courses are imminent otherwise any applications received will be put on hold until the necessary certificates are obtained.
Yes, as the registration is specific to an individual premises
They last for two years for both the operator and for the premises. At the end of this period they will require renewal however there is no charge at that stage.
Yes currently you will have to apply to the new authority in which you will be working.
The authority will only permit home working from a detached building i.e. garage/garden room with its own entrance. The building must meet the same high standards as outlined in the byelaws in addition to meeting any planning permission requirements.
Due to the infection control risks the authority does not allow mobile working unless the mobile premises meet the same standards as outlined in the byelaws.
Aesthetics (non-surgical cosmetic treatments)
Currently the authority does not require registrations for operators. All operators must ensure that they comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and COSHH regulations with high standards of infection control practices. Further advice can be obtained on the HSE website. https://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/
Lasers
Registration is required with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) if you are providing treatments in Wales using intense pulsed light treatment or a class 3B or 4 laser: You can apply online here. https://www.gov.uk/laser-intense-pulsed-light-treatment-registration-wales