Skin penetration businesses

If you own a new or existing skin penetration business, you need to follow specific design and construction standards to make sure that you design and operate your business in a correct manner.

Design, construction and approval

If you are thinking about starting a skin penetration business, you may need to obtain approval (consent) from Council to operate your business, even if a managing agent or owner has given you permission to operate. Please contact Council's Development Help Desk to discuss whether consent is required:

• T: 02 4474 1231
• E: Development Help Desk

There are requirements that apply when designing and constructing your business. These requirements will help you when designing the fit-out of your business premises. These include:

• design and construction methods that allow surfaces to be easily cleaned
• a separate sink with a supply of clean, warm water for cleaning equipment
• a waste disposal bin
• good lighting and ventilation
• storage facilities that can store utensils and equipment in a clean condition
• a hand basin that is only used for hand washing. It must be supplied with:
  • clean, warm potable water
  • an alcohol-based hand cleaner
  • a working automatic hand dryer or single-use towels.

You can find the rules for designing your skin penetration business in the Regulations on the NSW legislation website:

• Public Health Regulation 2022
• Local Government (General) Regulation 2021

Other requirements

If your business uses sharps, you must use a sharps container that meets Australian standards:

• SAI Global Standards Legislation: AS/NZS 4261:1994 - Reusable containers for the collection of sharp items used in human and animal medical applications,
  or
• SAI Global Standards Legislation: AS 4031:1992 - Non-reusable containers for the collection of sharp medical items used in health care areas.

All skin penetration businesses must be registered with Council before starting business.

Also, if your existing business changes ownership, the new owner needs to notify Council within seven days.

How to register

You can register your business with Council by completing the online registration form:

• Notification of carrying out skin penetration procedures

You will need to provide your DA or CDC reference number demonstrating consent for operating your business at the premises.

You can then return your completed form to us by:

• email: Council's Public and Environmental Health Team
  or
• post: Public and Environmental Health Team,
  Eurobodalla Shire Council,
  PO Box 99 MORUYA NSW 2537

The Regulations require operators of skin penetration procedures to be registered with Council.

The Regulations also allow Council's Environmental Health Officers to carry out inspections, when needed, to ensure businesses are being operated and maintained in compliance with the Act and Regulations (legislation), including that:

• the business meets all design and construction standards and is in a clean condition
• personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn by operators
• good infection control practices are used
• all sharps are appropriately disposed of
• all needles, sharps and other skin penetrating equipment are sterile.

Skin penetration procedures can spread viral, bacterial and fungal infections from one person to another through contaminated equipment and surfaces. Businesses that use effective infection control procedures greatly reduce the risk of infection.