NYC TATTOO LICENSE UPDATED EXAMS
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Latex - ✔✔- Latex is natural rubber that is made from the sap of the Brazilian rubber
tree. Hundreds of products may contain latex: medical devices (gloves, blood pressure
cuffs, IV tubes and catheters); dental items (dams and orthodontic rubber bands);
clothing (the elastic waistbands in pants and underwear); children's items (bottle
nipples, pacifiers, teething toys and toys); household items (rugs, bathmats and rubber
gloves); personal care items (diaphragms and condoms);
✔✔Latex Allergy - ✔✔A reaction to a protein in the sap of the rubber tree. A person who
is sensitive to the protein can develop an allergic reaction when touches a latex-made
item or breathes close to it.
✔✔Microorganism - ✔✔Also called a germ, e.g. bacteria, virus, or fungus.
✔✔Mucous membrane - ✔✔The sheets of tissue that line various openings of the body
such as the mouth, nose, eyes or genitals.
✔✔Pathogen - ✔✔A microorganism that can cause disease in humans.
✔✔Regulated infectious waste - ✔✔Includes all waste, which is visibly dripping with
blood and could potentially be contaminated with disease-causing microorganisms, and
which presents a recognized infectious hazard to waste disposal workers and to the
environment if appropriate precautions are not used.
✔✔Reusable - ✔✔An instrument designated by the manufacturer as suitable for
reprocessing and reuse. Opposite to a device that the manufacturer designates or
intends for single -use only.
✔✔Sharps - ✔✔Any article that can pierce the skin and cause punctures or cuts. In the
tattoo facility sharps refer to needles and disposable razors used
✔✔Single-use - ✔✔An instrument or glove designated and labeled for one use only. It
must be immediately discarded after use.
,✔✔Stencil - ✔✔Stencil means single-use paper stencil in this booklet unless otherwise
stated.
✔✔Sterile gloves - ✔✔Single-use gloves that are sterile at the time of use. They must
come from a package that labels the gloves as being sterile.
✔✔Sterilization - ✔✔process that destroys all forms of microbial life including the most
resistant forms, e.g., bacterial spores by heat, chemicals, or gases.
✔✔Standard precautions - ✔✔Work practices that require everyone to assume that all
blood and body fluids are potential source of infection, independent of perceived risk.
Such precautions involve the use of protective barriers and safe workplace practices
and the safe disposal of body substances and soiled material.
✔✔Tattoo - ✔✔Any mark on the body of a person made with indelible ink or pigments
injected beneath the outer layer of the skin, or to make such a mark.
✔✔Tattooist - ✔✔Any person who applies a tattoo to the body of another person
✔✔Virus - ✔✔Microorganism that is smaller than bacteria And reproduces inside human
cells and may cause infection (e.g. hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV) Viruses can survive
for some time (hours or days) on inanimate surfaces and be transferred into the body
through, for example, contamination of abraded skin.
✔✔Does blood have to be visible on an instrument or a needle to transmit infection -
✔✔No, Blood does NOT have to be visible on an instrument or a needle to transmit
infection, so all reusable skin penetration instruments must be appropriately cleaned
and sterilized before use on another client.
✔✔Contamination - ✔✔the spread of microorganisms from an item to another, can
occur when: • strict operator hygiene is not observed • operators share the same
equipment or materials • used and clean instruments come into contact with one
another • clean instruments are placed on unclean surfaces • sterile instruments are
placed on un-sterile surfaces or come into contact with unsterile instruments •
contaminated dressings, spatulas and single-use gloves are not disposed of
immediately and appropriately after use
✔✔Non-Infectious Risk - ✔✔Skin disorders. The body may form bumps called
granulomas around tattoo particles, especially if the tattoo includes red ink. Tattooing
can also cause areas of raised excessive scarring (keloids), if one is prone to them.
Scarring. Unwanted scar tissues may form when getting or removing a tattoo.
Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes, particularly red dye, can cause allergic reactions,
resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after getting the
tattoo.
, MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent make up may cause swelling or
burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In some cases
- such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has and MRI of the eye - tattoo may
interfere with the quality of the image.
✔✔What is the Documented Risk of Infection Following Tattooing? - ✔✔According to
the CDC, any percutaneous exposure has the potential for transferring infectious blood
and potentially transmitting bloodborne pathogens. Tattooing has been reported as the
source of infection for several documented single case reports or outbreaks of disease.
Hepatitis B was the most common infection acquired as a result of tattooing; two
hepatitis C case reports also implicated tattooing as the source Warts (verruca, verruca
plana and verruca vulgaris) have also reportedly been spread by tattooing. Cases of
toxic shock syndrome, cutaneous tuberculosis, inoculation leprosy and Molluscum
contagiosum are other diseases for which tattooing has been implicated as the source.
✔✔The Shop - ✔✔The design of the physical space for skin piercing procedures should
be simple, organized, and clean. Equipment, furniture, floors and walls should be
purpose built or purchased specifically for the task to be performed. They should be
durable, safe and suitable for cleaning and maintenance, and constructed of sealed,
nonporous material. There should be adequate lighting and ventilation throughout the
premises. Particular attention should be paid to those areas that are frequently damp,
such as above, behind and under wash basins.
✔✔Shop zones - ✔✔Shop should be organized to provide separate function-specific
client and cleaning/sterilizing areas to prevent cross contamination of clean, disinfected
or sterile equipment with dirty equipment. Two separate areas are best:
• Function-specific client zone where clients are accommodated and tattooing
procedures are performed. All sterilized packages, disinfected and clean equipment
should be stored in this area.
• Cleaning/sterilizing area with a washing sink and holding basins that should be
available for used items that need to be cleaned and disinfected or sterilized at the end
of the day. The cleaning area should be designed to ensure movement of
instruments/equipment in a one-way direction from dirty to clean to sterile areas
✔✔Recommended General Requirements - ✔✔• Hot and cold running water. Two sinks
are recommended: a hand washing basin in the clean zone and a utility sink in the dirty
zone. If only one sink is available, care should be taken to avoid contamination of the
faucet or equipment that has been cleaned;
• Cabinets and storage space (preferably enclosed) are protected from dust and
moisture;
• Sufficient bench space for good working practices; • Public washroom access
✔✔Choice and Use of Instruments and Equipment - ✔✔Re-usable instruments should
be smooth, non-corrosive, and constructed of materials that are able to with stand heat
during sterilization, e.g. surgical stainless steel.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Latex - ✔✔- Latex is natural rubber that is made from the sap of the Brazilian rubber
tree. Hundreds of products may contain latex: medical devices (gloves, blood pressure
cuffs, IV tubes and catheters); dental items (dams and orthodontic rubber bands);
clothing (the elastic waistbands in pants and underwear); children's items (bottle
nipples, pacifiers, teething toys and toys); household items (rugs, bathmats and rubber
gloves); personal care items (diaphragms and condoms);
✔✔Latex Allergy - ✔✔A reaction to a protein in the sap of the rubber tree. A person who
is sensitive to the protein can develop an allergic reaction when touches a latex-made
item or breathes close to it.
✔✔Microorganism - ✔✔Also called a germ, e.g. bacteria, virus, or fungus.
✔✔Mucous membrane - ✔✔The sheets of tissue that line various openings of the body
such as the mouth, nose, eyes or genitals.
✔✔Pathogen - ✔✔A microorganism that can cause disease in humans.
✔✔Regulated infectious waste - ✔✔Includes all waste, which is visibly dripping with
blood and could potentially be contaminated with disease-causing microorganisms, and
which presents a recognized infectious hazard to waste disposal workers and to the
environment if appropriate precautions are not used.
✔✔Reusable - ✔✔An instrument designated by the manufacturer as suitable for
reprocessing and reuse. Opposite to a device that the manufacturer designates or
intends for single -use only.
✔✔Sharps - ✔✔Any article that can pierce the skin and cause punctures or cuts. In the
tattoo facility sharps refer to needles and disposable razors used
✔✔Single-use - ✔✔An instrument or glove designated and labeled for one use only. It
must be immediately discarded after use.
,✔✔Stencil - ✔✔Stencil means single-use paper stencil in this booklet unless otherwise
stated.
✔✔Sterile gloves - ✔✔Single-use gloves that are sterile at the time of use. They must
come from a package that labels the gloves as being sterile.
✔✔Sterilization - ✔✔process that destroys all forms of microbial life including the most
resistant forms, e.g., bacterial spores by heat, chemicals, or gases.
✔✔Standard precautions - ✔✔Work practices that require everyone to assume that all
blood and body fluids are potential source of infection, independent of perceived risk.
Such precautions involve the use of protective barriers and safe workplace practices
and the safe disposal of body substances and soiled material.
✔✔Tattoo - ✔✔Any mark on the body of a person made with indelible ink or pigments
injected beneath the outer layer of the skin, or to make such a mark.
✔✔Tattooist - ✔✔Any person who applies a tattoo to the body of another person
✔✔Virus - ✔✔Microorganism that is smaller than bacteria And reproduces inside human
cells and may cause infection (e.g. hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV) Viruses can survive
for some time (hours or days) on inanimate surfaces and be transferred into the body
through, for example, contamination of abraded skin.
✔✔Does blood have to be visible on an instrument or a needle to transmit infection -
✔✔No, Blood does NOT have to be visible on an instrument or a needle to transmit
infection, so all reusable skin penetration instruments must be appropriately cleaned
and sterilized before use on another client.
✔✔Contamination - ✔✔the spread of microorganisms from an item to another, can
occur when: • strict operator hygiene is not observed • operators share the same
equipment or materials • used and clean instruments come into contact with one
another • clean instruments are placed on unclean surfaces • sterile instruments are
placed on un-sterile surfaces or come into contact with unsterile instruments •
contaminated dressings, spatulas and single-use gloves are not disposed of
immediately and appropriately after use
✔✔Non-Infectious Risk - ✔✔Skin disorders. The body may form bumps called
granulomas around tattoo particles, especially if the tattoo includes red ink. Tattooing
can also cause areas of raised excessive scarring (keloids), if one is prone to them.
Scarring. Unwanted scar tissues may form when getting or removing a tattoo.
Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes, particularly red dye, can cause allergic reactions,
resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after getting the
tattoo.
, MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent make up may cause swelling or
burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In some cases
- such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has and MRI of the eye - tattoo may
interfere with the quality of the image.
✔✔What is the Documented Risk of Infection Following Tattooing? - ✔✔According to
the CDC, any percutaneous exposure has the potential for transferring infectious blood
and potentially transmitting bloodborne pathogens. Tattooing has been reported as the
source of infection for several documented single case reports or outbreaks of disease.
Hepatitis B was the most common infection acquired as a result of tattooing; two
hepatitis C case reports also implicated tattooing as the source Warts (verruca, verruca
plana and verruca vulgaris) have also reportedly been spread by tattooing. Cases of
toxic shock syndrome, cutaneous tuberculosis, inoculation leprosy and Molluscum
contagiosum are other diseases for which tattooing has been implicated as the source.
✔✔The Shop - ✔✔The design of the physical space for skin piercing procedures should
be simple, organized, and clean. Equipment, furniture, floors and walls should be
purpose built or purchased specifically for the task to be performed. They should be
durable, safe and suitable for cleaning and maintenance, and constructed of sealed,
nonporous material. There should be adequate lighting and ventilation throughout the
premises. Particular attention should be paid to those areas that are frequently damp,
such as above, behind and under wash basins.
✔✔Shop zones - ✔✔Shop should be organized to provide separate function-specific
client and cleaning/sterilizing areas to prevent cross contamination of clean, disinfected
or sterile equipment with dirty equipment. Two separate areas are best:
• Function-specific client zone where clients are accommodated and tattooing
procedures are performed. All sterilized packages, disinfected and clean equipment
should be stored in this area.
• Cleaning/sterilizing area with a washing sink and holding basins that should be
available for used items that need to be cleaned and disinfected or sterilized at the end
of the day. The cleaning area should be designed to ensure movement of
instruments/equipment in a one-way direction from dirty to clean to sterile areas
✔✔Recommended General Requirements - ✔✔• Hot and cold running water. Two sinks
are recommended: a hand washing basin in the clean zone and a utility sink in the dirty
zone. If only one sink is available, care should be taken to avoid contamination of the
faucet or equipment that has been cleaned;
• Cabinets and storage space (preferably enclosed) are protected from dust and
moisture;
• Sufficient bench space for good working practices; • Public washroom access
✔✔Choice and Use of Instruments and Equipment - ✔✔Re-usable instruments should
be smooth, non-corrosive, and constructed of materials that are able to with stand heat
during sterilization, e.g. surgical stainless steel.
