Illegal tattoo equipment seized in Plymouth

Tattoo equipment has been seized as another 'scratcher' has been raided through the Council’s Operation Itchy.

Officers from the Council’s Public Protection Service, together with the police, executed a court order at an address in the city last week in the continued crackdown on illegal tattooists, known as scratchers. Scratchers are people who have bought a tattoo kit over the internet and tattoo without the proper training or awareness of hygiene.

Councillor Philippa Davey Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities said: “We know that tattooing is extremely popular in Plymouth but we also know that people are operating illegally in the city without the proper training. We’ve seen people who have suffered serious skins infections, because they have not been tattooed by someone who knows what they are doing. The law requires tattoo premises and tattoo business owners to be registered.”

The Council recently launched a competency scheme for tattoo businesses to make sure tattoos and skin piercing takes place in hygienic and well-run premises.  Registered tattoo studios are also being invited to join a rating scheme similar to that used to show the hygiene of food premises. It aims to reduce infection and injury through better awareness and training around infection control.

Councillor Philippa Davey added: “Tattooing needs to be carried out in a hygienic environment by people who know what they are doing and our competency scheme aims to reduce infection and injury through better awareness and training around infection control.”

Other support for the businesses include training sessions with public health professionals for infection control and work to introduce better reporting arrangements for ill health and infections.
Piercing and tattooing involves contact between blood and instruments so there is a risk of blood borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis as well as other skin infections that can lead to permanent disfigurement and blood poisoning.