The Public Health Act 2010 requires Council to take an active role in ensuring compliance with requirements of the Act at premises where skin penetration procedures are carried out.
Business activities are regulated under the Act if deliberate skin penetration occurs which is not carried out under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner.
Skin penetration procedures are regulated due to the potential for transmitting serious infectious disease between clients.
Regulated procedures include tattooing, body piercing, and various beauty therapies (including waxing and micro-dermabrasion). Colonic lavage has also been included in the definition due to the potential for disease transmission.
Council's Environmental Health Officers are responsible for routine inspections of skin penetration premises to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Public Health Act (including, cleanliness, sterilisation of equipment, and personal hygiene of staff). Fees are charged for these inspections.
All new hairdressing and barber businesses must be registered with us. Some procedures can make the skin more prone to infection and we need to be sure that you and your staff have knowledge about infection control and hygiene.
You will need to register your business with us if you undertake any skin penetration procedures – unless those procedures are being carried out by a registered health practitioner.
Skin penetration procedures include:
Planning on opening a business which carries out skin penetration?
NSW Health also provides a variety of resources relating to skin penetration.
Contact our Environmental Health Officer or Planners if you need further assistance with information such as:
Need assistance lodging your business registration paperwork? Contact our Customer and Business Services department on (02) 6655 7300