Guidelines for the control of infections are needed to assist in developing policies and procedures to ensure an optimal level of care is provided. These guidelines should be seen as directing principles and indications or outlines of the expected practice. The goal of infection prevention and control is to provide service in a manner that reduces the risk of transmission of microorganisms to the client and the personal service worker. Service should be provided in a manner that prevents disease transmission. Infection prevention practices must be tailored to the services being provided. Routine Practices describe prevention and control strategies to be used with all clients during all service delivery and include:

-Face Protection 

-Hand Hygiene 

-Equipment & Environment    

Face protection should be worn to protect mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth during procedures likely to generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions.    

Hand hygiene should be performed: Between clients, before performing invasive procedures, after contact with blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions, after contact with items known or considered likely to be contaminated with blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions. Immediately prior to and after removing gloves between procedures on the same client in which soiling of hands is likely, to avoid cross-contamination of body sites. When hands are visibly soiled, hands must be washed with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand rubs are an acceptable method of hand hygiene especially when access to hand washing facilities is limited. Gloves are not required for routine procedures in which contact is limited to a client's intact skin. Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene, clean, non-sterile gloves should be worn. For contact with blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin. When handling items visibly soiled with blood, body fluids, secretions and excretions. When the PSW has non-intact skin on the hands. Gloves should be changed between procedures with the same clients and between clients. Gloves should be removed immediately after completion of the procedure, at the point of use and before touching clean environmental surfaces. Hand hygiene should be performed immediately after removing gloves. Single-use disposable gloves should not be reused or washed.  

Articles that touch the client's intact skin should be clean, equipment touching mucous membranes or non-intact skin, should be appropriately disinfected between clients. Chairs, cabinets, counters and charts should be cleaned on a regular basis. Soiled client care equipment should be handled in a manner. That prevents exposure of skin and mucous membranes and contamination of clothing and the environment. Used needles and other sharp instruments should be handled with care to avoid injuries during disposal. Used sharp items should be disposed of in an approved puncture resistant container located in the area where the sharps item are used. All equipment that is being used by more than one client must be cleaned or cleaned and disinfected or sterilized as appropriate between client according to recommendations.

Cleaning and sterilizing are crucial steps to preventing infection. There are 3 steps you need to know:

 -Cleaning 

 -Disinfecting 

 -Sterilizing

CLEANING SOLUTION 

Any combination of soap (or detergent) and water, with or without a chemical disinfectant, used to wash or wipe down environmental surfaces such as floors, chairs, benches, walls and ceilings.

SANITIZER 

Chemical the reduces the number of bacterial contaminants to safe levels on inanimate objects based on public health requirements. These are typically the CaviWipes available in the grocery stores. This is used on counter tops, sinks, doors and door knobs.

DISINFECTANT 

Chemical that destroys or inactivates microorganisms. Disinfectants are classified as low, intermediate, or high depending on their ability to kill or immobilize some, or all microorganisms. 

STERILANTS 

Chemicals used to destroy all forms of microorganisms, including endospores. Most sterilants are also high level disinfectants when used for a shorter period of time. Sterilants are used only on inanimate objects that are used in semi critical and critical areas. Sterilants are not meant to be used for cleaning environmental surfaces.

The classification system first proposed by Dr. E. H. Spaulding divides medical devices into categories based on the risk of infection involved with their use. This classification system is widely accepted and is used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), epidemiologists, microbiologists, and professional medical organizations to help determine the degree of disinfection or sterilization required for various medical devices. Three categories of medical devices and their associated level of disinfection are recognized. Understanding what category your tools and or supplies far into, critical, semi-critical, and noncritical. 

CRITICAL 

A device that enters normally sterile tissue or comes in contact with blood body fluids. Such devices should be sterilized, which is defined as the destruction of all microbial life. Items such as implements, microblading tool, comedone extractors, surgical implements, etc. 

SEMI-CRITICAL 

A device that comes into contact with intact mucous membranes or non-contact skin. Tweezers, scissors, marking pens, electrodes 

NON-CRITICAL 

Devices that do not ordinarily touch the patient or touch only intact skin. These devices should be cleaned by low-level disinfection. Esthetic Beds, Counter tops, mag lamps, machinery.

When using cleaning, sanitizing, or disinfecting products ALWAYS Choose a product appropriate for the task. Keep a log book for Chemosterilants and MSDS safety sheets from the manufacturer. Follow the label instructions for mixing, using, and storing solutions. Read the warning labels. Clean soiled surfaces and items before using sanitizers or disinfectants Store these products safely out of reach of children. Choosing your method of cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing and adhering strictly to the directions. 

CLEANING & STERILIZING WHEN IT COMES TO MICROBLADING 

Always use disposable drapery on bedding. Wipe your lights, bed, and counter tops down using a CaviWhipes or Spray, to have a facial setup use disposable drapery at the head wipe or a Virucide, Bactericide, Fungicide, Tuberculocide, 30 of the bed Second Sanitizer Use a disposable head cap or head band as hair protection. Clean your microblading tool in warm, soapy water or an enzymatic implement wash. Let dry completely and have an open garbage can with a clean liner ready, you will need easy access to throw away used garbage. If you are going to use an Auto Clav now would be the time not having to touch anything you insert your implement into a sterile pouch and follow the manufacturer guidelines. Use a sterile tray with a disposable drape on top to lay out. If you are using a chemical sterilant, follow the directions of your tools below. Keep your blade unopened until you are clean. Once you have washed and dried your tool, using clean gloves and ready to use it. With clean gloves to pick up your tool and insert it into a chemosterilant Keep your Microblading such as Virrox PreEmt CS20. Soak for the recommended tool in a sealed sterile amount of time (usually 20 mins) pouch until you are ready. Once completed again, using clean gloves rinse and dry to use it your tool free of any chemicals. Once you are ready to place tool into sterilant pouch and seal until you are ready microblade after you have measured and designed the brows, clean the skin one last time. To use it again, ALWAYS clean your tool immediately. Never leave your changed your gloves then prepare your tool and blade tools for hours unclean. Bacteria multiplies itself and will ruin your treatment. At the end fo the day, change your gloves again and dispose of all drapery. Dispose of your blade in a sharps container labeled biohazardous (These are usually available at your local pharmacy.)GENERAL 

GUIDELINES FOR EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTS, AND SUPPLIES FOR YOUR PHYSICAL SETTING REQUIREMENTS 

The work site must be appropriate to the personal service activity. Contact surfaces including: (counters, tables, trays, lamps, magnifers, etc) must have a smooth and non-absorbent finish. The work area: must be well lit to facilitate cleaning and prevention of injuries. The hand washing sink (must be accessible for use while personal services procedures are being performed (e. sink is free of cleaning equipment) and continuously supplied with potable hot and cold running water, dispensable liquid soap from a single-use disposable container and single-use (cloth or paper) hand towels in a dispenser. If the soap container is refilled, it must first be cleaned, disinfected with low-level disinfectant, rinsed and allowed to thoroughly air dry. Note: A washroom hand sink (s) within the PSS premises may be used for hand washing Hand washing sinks used by more than one premise are not acceptable (ie. hand washing sinks in a public washroom within a mal). All personal services settings must be equipped with a sink(s) for cleaning of equipment/instruments The cleaning sink (s) must be Conveniently located near the work area (s) Continuously supplied with potable hot and cold running water and of adequate size to accommodate thelargest instrument/ item of equipment to be cleaned. f one sink available within the PSS premis the same sink may be used for both hand washing and cleaning of there is only equipment/instruments providing that it satisfie the requirements of 3.1 (v) and (vii). The Pss water supply should be tested in accordance with local water regulations, unless the water is from a municipally controlled water source (e.g. water in a city or town) Note: In the event that a plumbing system cannot be installed i n an existing personal service setting (eg premises is located in an older building) the Pss must seek approval from their local health department in order to use a portable sink. Such sinks must be inspected and approved by the health unit to ensure a health hazard does not exist.

It is recommended that when working on any paying patron that you be fully insured for the procedures you are performing. Please check with your state for all important information pertaining to licensing and insurance. One company we recommend for those is Hands on Trade. 

Link To Hands on Trade Insurance 

Scalpa Academy is an International Company training both licensed and non-licensed individuals, anywhere from home use to nurses. Because of the large variance in the students we educate, and the fact that laws and governing boards vary from country to country, state to state, and city to city, it is the sole responsibility of the student to research their governing boards and laws within their state and country if you are planning to perform any of the procedures we offer as a business. 

American Med Spa Association provides more information and insight regarding laws and licensing in the US.Click here to read more! 

We at the Scalpa Training Academy encourage all students to take extra precaution when performing any procedure where bloodborne pathogens may be present. 

In the United States, the government agency responsible for worker safety is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration otherwise known as OSHA. 

We require that all students seeking certification through Scalpa to complete the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Training Course to meet and satisfy the training requirement under the federal OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard which prescribes safeguards to protect workers against the health hazards from exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials and to reduce their risk from this exposure. Example health hazards include but are not limited to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Malaria, Brucellosis, Syphilis, West Nile Virus, etc. 

Online training and certification are available through OSHA, and the training course is valid in all USA states. 

Those outside the US must check their laws and regulations for requirements. If this is not a requirement for your area, please provide us with that proof during the time of the final exam and certification process.    

*This certification must be updated after one year. 

Any procedure where there is the possibility to blood exposure, you want to take every precaution available to you for both the client and your own safety. 

Who Needs to Comply with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens? 

Anyone who could be "reasonably anticipated" to exposure to blood or OPIM (other potentially infectious materials) as a result of performing their job duties need to comply with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens. 

This includes: 

• Healthcare Workers 

• Emergency Responders 

• School and Day Care Staff 

• Cleaning and Janitorial Staff 

• Tattoo and Permanent Makeup ArtistsCosmetologists & Aestheticians    

Scalpa Academy also encourages professional interaction with clients from the beginning to the end of their interaction with you as a practitioner. This includes but is not limited to: 

• Proper Consultation 

• Intake Forms 

• Client/Patient Files 

• Procedure Table Set Up 

• Patient/Client Follow Up    

Scalpa Academy has prepared the proper intake forms to use in your business. These will be located on the final module of your course. We begin with the Patient Health Disclosure Form. Because you are working with a procedure that may expose you and your patient/client to blood, it is important to gather their health information. Also note that any time working on the mouth area it may cause trauma to the lip region. Patients with a history of the herpes virus may be at risk for breakout following the procedure. Anyone with exposed cold sores should not undergo this treatment until the infected area is healed.