COSHH risk assessment. UK tattoo studio

Studio: [STUDIO NAME]
Assessment date: ____________________
Assessor: ____________________
Review date: ____________________ (annual minimum)

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, every UK workplace handling hazardous substances must complete a written COSHH risk assessment. This template covers the substance categories typical to a tattoo studio. Adapt for your specific products.

1. Hazardous substances inventory

For each substance, attach the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to this assessment.

Substance	Use	Hazard category	SDS attached	Risk control
Tattoo inks (specific brands list)	Tattooing procedure	Skin sensitisation, eye irritation	Y/N	PPE, ventilation, controlled storage
Disinfectant. EN 1276 / 13697 surface	Surface decontamination	Skin/eye irritation, inhalation	Y/N	PPE, ventilation
Alcohol-based hand rub	Hand hygiene	Skin drying, flammable	Y/N	Use as directed, store away from heat
Topical anaesthetic (if used)	Pre-procedure	Skin sensitisation, systemic	Y/N	OTC strength only, patch test
Ultrasonic detergent (if reprocessing)	Pre-autoclave clean	Skin irritation	Y/N	PPE, eye protection
Bloodborne viruses (biological agent)	Procedure exposure	Infection. HBV, HCV, HIV	N/A	Universal precautions, vaccination, sharps protocol
Clinical waste / sharps	Disposal	Infection, sharp injury	N/A	BS 7320 containers, contractor disposal
Cleaning chemicals (general)	Studio cleaning	Variable per product	Y/N	Read SDS, use as directed

2. Routes of exposure

Route	Substances of concern	Control measures
Skin contact	Inks, disinfectants, anaesthetics, blood	Gloves single-use; hand hygiene; broken-skin coverage
Inhalation	Cleaning chemicals, aerosols	Ventilation; mask use during cleaning
Eye contact / splash	Disinfectants, ink, blood	Eye protection during procedure; eye-wash station accessible
Ingestion	Cross-contamination	No food/drink in treatment areas; hand hygiene
Sharps injury	Used needles, sharps	Sharps protocol; never recap; immediate disposal

3. Persons at risk

Group	Exposure pattern	Specific protections
Tattoo artists	Frequent direct contact	Full PPE, vaccination, training
Apprentices and trainees	Variable	Same as artists; close supervision
Reception / support staff	Indirect contact	Hand hygiene; limited treatment-area access
Cleaners	Disinfectant exposure	PPE training; chemical-safe protocols
Clients	Procedure-related exposure	Single-use equipment; informed consent
Visitors	Low	Restricted treatment-area access

4. Control measures

Elimination / substitution

• Single-use disposable cartridges, needles, grips, eliminates reprocessing risk.
• REACH-compliant inks, eliminates restricted-substance risk.
• Alcohol-based hand rub, eliminates handwashing-only limitation.

Engineering controls

• Dedicated clinical handwash basin in each treatment room.
• Separate cleaning sink.
• Adequate ventilation.
• Task lighting at 750-1000 lux.
• Wall-mounted sharps containers within reach of workstation.

Administrative controls

• Written cleaning schedule and log.
• Sterilisation logs (if applicable).
• Sharps disposal protocol displayed.
• Needlestick incident protocol displayed.
• Training records for all staff (bloodborne pathogens, infection control, first aid).
• Hep B vaccination records for artists.

PPE

• Single-use nitrile gloves.
• Single-use aprons for high-splash procedures.
• Eye protection where splash risk exists.
• Single-use masks (surgical or FFP2 for higher-risk procedures).

5. Emergency procedures

Sharps / needlestick injury

See needlestick injury protocol. Summary:

1. Immediate first aid, encourage bleeding, wash with soap and water.
2. Stop procedure.
3. Seek occupational health / A&E within hours (HIV PEP 1-hour window).
4. Document the incident.
5. Report to RIDDOR if BBV infection results.

Chemical splash to eye

1. Immediate irrigation with saline or running water for 10-15 minutes.
2. Remove contact lenses.
3. Seek A&E or call 111.

Anaphylactic reaction

1. Stop procedure.
2. Call 999.
3. Position client (sitting if breathing difficulty; recovery position if unconscious).
4. Help with client's own adrenaline auto-injector if available.
5. Stay with client until paramedics arrive.

6. Training requirements

Topic	Frequency	Who	Evidence
Bloodborne pathogens	Initial + refresh every 3 years	All artists, apprentices, cleaners	Certificate on file
Infection control	Initial + refresh every 3 years	All artists, apprentices	Certificate on file
First aid at work / EFAW	Initial + refresh every 3 years	At least one staff member	Certificate on file
Hep B vaccination	Course + antibody titre check	All artists	Record on file
COSHH awareness	Initial briefing	All staff	Sign-off on this assessment
Sharps protocol	Initial + refresh annually	All artists, apprentices	Sign-off on protocol

7. Monitoring and review

Check	Frequency	Last done	Next due
Visual workstation hygiene	Daily
Disinfectant restock	Daily
Sharps container fill check	Daily
Cleaning schedule sign-off	Daily
SDS pack currency review	Annual
COSHH assessment review	Annual
Training certificate renewal check	Annual
Insurance certificate renewal	Annual

8. Sign-off

This assessment was completed by:

Name: ____________________
Role: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Signature: ____________________

This assessment was reviewed by all staff:

Staff name	Date	Signature

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Adaptation notes for studios: this is a baseline template. Add your specific ink brands, cleaning products, and any procedure-specific hazards (e.g. PMU-specific risks, paramedical workflow). Review annually and after any change in products or procedures.