Aloha from the Tattooers from Hawai'i,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and non-essential business remain closed, licensed tattoo artists and body piercers in our state, like all Hawai'i citizens have been directly affected by the health and financial burdens it has caused. We also care deeply for our fellow citizens and especially for those that have been stricken by COVID-19, and those whom have perished or suffered the tragedy of losing a loved one to this terrible disease.

Hawai'i licensed tattoo artists and body piercers are at the forefront of health and safety. Our knowledge and training in the use of universal precautions and the prevention of cross-contamination is the bedrock of our profession. Therefore, as we look toward a day when our businesses can reopen, we have come together to draw up a set of COVID-19 specific standards to be implemented in each licensed tattoo studio in order to further protect the health and safety of both the artist and the client. These procedures are in addition to those already in place and offer a strict, but easy guideline to follow until the COVID-19 threat has passed.

We strongly feel that if the State can now allow for thousands to patronize shopping malls and various retail stores, which have little to no training in cross contamination preventions then surely our businesses which will be operating on a by appointment  only basis and in a controlled safe environment should also be allowed to operate.

Temporary Additional Operational Guidelines to eliminate COVID-19 exposure

1-   Artists and staff will immediately wash hands with hot water and soap for a minimum of 20 seconds upon arriving and leaving the studio.   This will remain in effect permanently.

2-   Everyone will wash hands with hot water and soap when entering the work station areas, anytime they leave, and again when they return to the work areas. This will remain in effect permanently.

3-   Hand sanitizer is to be made available at the door upon customers entry and use will be required (although hand washing is and has always been paramount).     This will remain in effect permanently.

4-   Operations will allocate appointments being made to include ample time to allow for cleaning and sterilization periods prior to and following each session.          

Common exposure surfaces (ie; doorknobs, bathrooms, counter tops, electronic    devices used for credit card payments, etc.) will be thoroughly wiped down with a heavy duty Germicidal, Fungicidal, Antimicrobial surface cleaner and be  allotted the appropriate time to allow for pathogen termination.
All equipment, tools, and work station areas will also be disinfected with the same surface cleaner and dressed with another layer of sanitized disposable protective material (such as industrial grade cellophane wrap and 2-ply antimicrobial tissue/polyethylene film barriers). At the conclusion of each session disposable materials will be properly handled and disposed of while using anti- cross contamination procedures and all surface areas will again be disinfected.   This will remain in effect permanently

5-   Appointments will be spaced far enough apart to allow for support of social distancing guidelines. This will allow clients to arrive and depart from scheduled appointments with minimal risk of crossing paths with other clients.  This will remain in effect until the stay at home order is lifted.

6-   Appointments will be set-up in advance at which time clients will be subject to mandatory health inquiries. In addition to Health Information required to be disclosed on the Tattoo or Body Piercing Release, clients must also disclose if they have had any flu or COVID-19 like symptoms (i.e. fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, sore throat, loss of taste, swelling of feet or toes), or actually had the flu or tested positive for COVID-19, or had any known exposure to someone who has either tested positive for Covid-19, or has exhibited either flu or COVID-19 like symptoms within the last 14 days. If so, the client’s appointment will be rescheduled after a waiting period of 14 days. This rescheduling procedure will remain in effect until 30 days has passed the lifted stay at home order.

7-   Appointments for Tattooing and Piercings will only be accepted if the following criteria can be met:
---- Hawai’i residents must have a local ID and have not traveled outside the state or the Island of their residence within the previous 14 days. They must also not exhibit any COVID19 symptoms. (If they have traveled recently we will request a copy of their boarding pass or travel itinerary that shows they have been home and completed the required 14 day in home quarantine).
----  Hawai’i residents who do not have a Hawai’i ID must show proof of residency in the form of a lease, car registration, phone bill or any other monthly service provider showing they live in the state as a full-time resident.
----  Military ID and personal must prove Hawai’i full-time residency and have proof that they have been in the state and on the specific Island where they wish to be tattooed (or receive a body piercing) for at least14 days prior to being tattooed or receiving a body piercing, and must not exhibit any COVID-19 like symptoms.
---- Tourists and any non-residents must provide a boarding pass or travel itinerary that shows without a doubt they arrived prior to the 14 day quarantine requirements. They must have been cleared to travel to and from approved destinations in line with the rest of the islands travel restrictions, and must not exhibit any COVID-19 like symptoms.  This will remain in effect until the tourist quarantine time requirements is modified or the stay at home order has been lifted.

8-   Limiting the total number of people in the studio work areas to only the client and artist (No friends or family members will be allowed to attend appointments or to wait in lobbies). This will remain in effect until the stay at home order is lifted.

9-   The size of the individual studios will dictate the total number of people allowed in the studio at one time, including the artists, clients and support staff.
----- We propose a 100 sq. ft per person rule after an artist and client only permittanceof up to 300 square feet. If your shop is 500 square feet then a maximum of 5 people will be allowed in the studio, 800 square feet a maximum of 8 people, 1000 square feet 10 people are allowed and so on. This will remain in effect until the social distancing order has been modified or the stay at home order is lifted.

10-   Requiring masks for all clients, staff and artists at all times in the tattoo studio. Tattoo artists will also wear eye protection while performing any procedures regardless of the length in time. This will remain in effect until face masks are no longer required of the general public in Hawai’i.

11-   It will be required that all tables, chairs, and arm rests prior to practice and procedures be treated with a heavy duty grade Fungicidal, Germicidal, Antimicrobial surface cleaner and given the appropriate time for disinfection. It will then be dressed with another layer of sanitized disposable protective material such as an industrial grade cellophane wrap and/or 2-ply antimicrobial tissue/polyethylene film barriers to completely cover areas of the equipment that will be exposed to contamination during the procedure.  At the conclusion of each session, disposable materials will be properly handled and disposed of while using preventive cross contamination procedures. All surface areas will then be resterilized with the germicidal cleaner. This will remain in effect permanently.

12-  Clients will be positioned in such a way to support social distancing. For example, laying clients down, whenever possible instead of in a sitting position. This extends social distance between client and artist. Having clients chair faced away from the artists with use of arm rests, may be another option. This will remain in effect until social distancing guidelines have been modified or ended.

These are the additional temporary guidelines we have submitted to the Health Department, which have been accepted and approved by our Head of the Department of Sanitation for the State of Hawai'i and yet we are still not allowed to open despite having 30 years of licensing and regulations for which we have followed dutifully.

Please stand with the Tattooers and Piercers of Hawai'i by supporting our petition as well as calling and emailing your elected officials to demand action.