COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN
What to expect at the studio for the “new normal” with Covid-19 safety precautions and protocols. These are some of the steps we are taking at DON’T LOOK DOWN TATTOO for your safety and ours. Cleanliness has always been held at a very high standard at our studio. Cross Contamination Control and blood-borne pathogen control in our tattooing and shop practices has always been the top priority. We use a wide array of Personal Protective equipment in our daily tattooing process, including: Nitrile gloves, procedural masks, disposable aprons, as well as single use sterile items and wide array of barrier control items. Many of these practices apply to Covid-19 control, and other viral pathogen control. We use a high-level disinfectant, decontaminant cleaner called CaviCide in our normal post tattoo procedure cleaning, as well as in public areas and high touch areas of the studio. A hand sanitizer station is at the front entrance for all clients to use upon entering the studio. Face masks are the “new normal” for clients and artists, and are now mandatory during tattooing practices. We currently have no walk-in tattooing. The shop is thoroughly cleaned before and after client appointments. We will contact you before your appointment to discuss shop safety, protocols, to discuss your health and well being, and to address any questions or concerns you may have.
STUDIO PROTOCOL
Do Not Enter The Studio If You have had symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 10 days. Symptoms include:
Cold Or Flu like symptoms, fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, new muscle aches, runny nose, fatigue.
Anyone that has travelled outside of Canada in the Past 14 days
Anyone directed by Public Health to Self-Isolate.
If anyone in your household has symptoms of Covid-19.
If you have been in contact with someone with Covid-19 symptoms.
The B.C. Covid-19 symptom self-assessment tool can be found online at bc.thrive.health
DON’T LOOK DOWN TATTOO will not be taking walk-in tattoos for the time being. If you are interested in a walk-in please call or email the studio and we will see if there is a time to accommodate you within the week. We are by appointment only, and will only be allowing clients in the studio - do not bring family or friends.
To avoid an overlap of clients in the studio at one time, we will ask that you wait until your appointment time before entering the shop, and call us upon arrival. We will let you in when the shop is ready for you.
Clients must now come to their appointments alone. Sorry no friends or family. This will allow us to control the number of people in the shop at one time, and limits the clients and studio to potential exposure.
There is a hand sanitizer station at the front entrance of the studio. We now require clients to use the hand sanitizer, and wash their hands upon entering the studio, after eating or drinking, using the washroom, and before they leave the shop.
Sorry no handshakes or unnecessary physical contact, Please use non-contact greeting methods.
Wearing a face mask in now the “New Normal” in the tattoo industry, and it is mandatory during tattooing practices. A disposable face mask one will be provided for you.
Below is a list of Covid-19 studio Safety Plan and Protocols. There is an industry wide provincial requirement to post a copy of these by order of the Provincial Health Officer.
COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN AND STUDIO PROTOCOLS FOR DON’T LOOK DOWN TATTOO
The health and safety of our clients has always been our highest priority at DON’T LOOK DOWN TATTOO. Our studio has always practiced the highest standards in cross-contamination control and blood-borne pathogen control. We utilize personal protective equipment in our daily tattooing practices. Including Nitrile gloves, procedural masks, disposable aprons, disposable sleeve protectors, as well as a wide array of barrier control items and single use sterile items in our aseptic technique for our daily tattooing protocols and practices. These existing safety procedures and protocols in our studio can be applied to Covid-19 cross contamination and viral pathogen prevention control. The Following are some of the normal studio practices and some new measures we will be implementing to ensure the utmost safety of our clientele.
Social Distance Measures
DON’T LOOK DOWN TATTOO will be by appointment only, with each artist tattooing a maximum of 2 clients per day. Our artists will be working in shifts to minimize traffic in the studio.
Our plan for occupancy limits is 2 artists working at a time, with one client each at a time in the studio. Our Shop Manager will also be present, for a maximum occupancy of 5.
We will ask our clients to wait until their appointment time before entering the shop. When the shop has been properly cleaned and prepared for them, we will invite them to enter.
We are a, by appointment only shop, and will not be taking walk-in tattoos.
We will schedule extra time between clients to properly clean, and disinfect before allowing any new client to enter the studio.
The entrance waiting area is separate from the tattoo station.
The entrance door will be clearly signed as a by appointment only studio, clients will be encouraged to email opposed to coming into the shop, as we are by appointment only.
Sorry no friends and family, clients must come to their appointment alone.
If people enter without an appointment, we will politely ask them to leave and email to set up an appointment at a later date.
Sorry no handshaking, non-contact greeting methods will be used and encouraged.
Social distance will be adhered to wherever possible in the studio.
Engineering Controls, Managing the Workplace
Clients will be provided an area to store personal items away from service area in a sanitized location. Clients will be required to take their belongings with them they leave.
Door signage will be posted stating: Covid-19 questions, asking if customer has travelled outside of country, has been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of Covid-19, has any symptoms, if so, do not enter.
A hand sanitizing station is located at the front entrance for clients to use as they enter.
We have a single entrance exit door at the studio.
Waiting area is clearly bordered by tape. Client will be asked to wait there until tattoo station is ready for them.
All magazines and portfolio’s have been removed from the studio.
Product deliveries will be asked to leave boxes in the waiting area, generally deliveries arrive before any clientele are in the shop. If clients are there when a delivery arrives we will ensure social distancing, and disinfect door handles after they leave.
Payment, point of sale unit and counter space will be disinfected after each customer use, and we will practice proper hand washing procedures after customer payment.
We have posted Covid-19 protocol signage in the shop, and at the entrance door.
We have posted Covid-19 policies and protocols on website and social media
Clients will be emailed before their appointment to apprise them of our policies, protocols, what to expect at the shop, and what is required of them.
Administrative Controls
We will only go to work if we are in good health and symptom free.
We will ensure my client is in good health upon booking their appointment. We will question them if they have any covid-19 symptoms, or suspected symptoms in the past 10 days, or has anyone in their house hold that has had symptoms, or has been around anyone with symptoms. If so they must rebook their appointment, and not enter the studio.
We will remind our clients of this policy before their appointment date, and the morning of their appointment.
If the client has been directed to self-isolate from a public health official, they will not be permitted to enter the studio.
Anyone who has travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 Days is not permitted in the studio.
Food and drink are not permitted at the workstation.
Revised client consent forms. They will affirm the client does not have any Covid-19 symptoms, and the form will have their contact information.
Clients are asked to follow up with us if they have questions or concerns.
Our shop is well ventilated with an air exchanger system.
Client must use hand sanitizer or wash hands upon entering the studio, after eating, or drinking, after using the washroom, and before they leave the shop.
We will practice proper hygiene, diligent hand washing practices, before and after any procedures or surface contact situations.
Wearing a face mask is now the “new normal” in the tattooing industry, and will be mandatory for clients and tattoo artist during tattooing practices. Client will be made aware of this before appointment.
Clients will be provided with a disposable face mask for the duration of their appointment.
Signage is posted in the studio on proper hand hygiene.
Signage is posted in the studio on how to use a face mask, and how to properly put on and remove a mask without cross contaminating it.
We use a high-level disinfectant, decontaminant cleaner called CaviCide in our normal post tattoo procedures cleaning.
We also use CaviCide in public areas and high touch areas of the shop, and disinfect after every client to ensure a very clean environment.
In our tattooing procedures a wide array of barrier control items and single use sterile items are used to prevent cross contamination, and blood-borne pathogen control.
We will maintain a daily cleaning journal.
Personal Protective Equipment
Face masks are now mandatory during tattooing procedures for both client and artist.
Personal Protective equipment for artist will consist of: Nitrile gloves, disposable apron, disposable sleeve protector, and disposable procedural face mask.
We will use appropriate standards and removal protocols for removing and disposing of P.P.E.