BY TIM BONFIELD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tattoo and body piercing shops in Cincinnati and Hamilton County will have to pay for licenses and pass health inspections beginning next year.
On Monday, the Hamilton County Board of Health passed its tattoo regulations, which take effect Jan. 1. Cincinnati's Board of Health plans to at least match the county regulations next year, but the city board is considering much stricter, much more controversial rules.
Thousands of Tristate residents have had their body parts pierced or tattooed at about 14 professional shops within city borders and at least four elsewhere in Hamilton County, not counting underground services.
Health officials say tattooing and body piercing can increase the risk of hepatitis B, tetanus and HIV. While actual cases of serious illness have been rare, the concerns are deep enough that Ohio lawmakers passed a law earlier this year allowing local health departments to inspect the businesses.
“The state regulations are designed to codify the things we've been doing for the past 10 years,” said Tom Sheehy, owner of Big Tom's Uptown Tattoo studio in Corryville.
The state rules, adopted in full by the county health board, require record-keeping to show that shops are disinfecting and sterilizing equipment and that employees have completed safety training courses.
County health officials say they have not heard of any medical problems resulting from local tattoo or piercing shops. Nationally, however, various infections have been reported in medical journals, said Mary Sacco, county nursing director.
Cincinnati's health board plans to at least match the state regulations. But city health officials also have proposed going much farther. Draft regulations discussed last week would ban piercing of “mucosal surfaces” including the nose, tongue and genitals; and require medical health certifications for employees and customers.
The initial city proposal already has been needled by tattoo shop owners, who say the rules would regulate them out of business. And the city already has started backing off.
After meeting with shop owners on Dec. 1, city medical director Dr. Judith Daniels said several proposed regulations would be modified or dropped before the health board votes next year.
