Alberta Health and Safety is ramping up health inspections of home-based tattoo shops around the province.
AHS has already shut down two home-based tattoo shops this year, and another has been asked to cease any future services until further notice.
According to MacDonald, Edmonton has over 100 home-based studios, and that number is growing every year.
MacDonald says Albertans looking to get some new ink shouldn’t fear home-based studios. Knowledgeable artists who own their own studios ask to be inspected before AHS requires them to.
“These guys do it right,” MacDonald said as he stood inside the home of Jeana Schneider, an owner of one of Edmonton’s home-based tattoo shops.
“Jeana called us first. We did an inspection first. She understands that home-based tattooing needs to be done in a separate space. So there are no kids, no cats and no food in the area, things like that.”
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With more home-based tattoo shops opening all the time, AHS is taking any potential health risks seriously. Fortunately, so are the artists themselves.
“First and foremost, you want it to be a safe environment for your clients,” said Schneider. “The health and safety of a tattoo is 50 per cent of the tattoo. If you don’t follow that then it gets infected and it is just a horrible situation.”
Schneider makes a habit of giving her clients tours of her studio when they first arrive, and makes them watch her set up the equipment before each tattoo.
“I feel that it is important for them to observe the whole process,” she said. “So that they feel more comfortable that they are getting a safe tattoo.”
She also posts her most recent health reports on her door.
MacDonald believes asking to see a health report is one of the most important questions a new client can ask.
“Most good artists in Edmonton and Alberta understand that health is good for business,” he said. “But the only real way to know where they stand from a health perspective is to look at one of our health inspection reports.
“Just make sure that we have been there,” he added.
The AHS standards for commercial and home-based studios are the same. Inspectors are looking for sterile needles, clean equipment, and a work area that is isolated from other parts of the facility.
If clients are unsure about a facility they are encouraged to call AHS and request an inspection before getting work done.
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