Progressive Mentorship Infection Control Course

One of the defining elements of Cottage 13 is our commitment to the health and safety of both clients and practitioners.  We ensure an up to date education by taking a course offered by Progressive Mentorship which outlines the different aspects of infection control in a tattoo and piercing environment as well as important information about blood borne pathogens and the steps necessary to avoid cross contamination.  On Sunday, March 23rdYolanda Pierces and Alicia Lowe, the piercers of Cottage 13, attended one of these classes in Kitchener for a full day of learning.

The course facilitator is Jesse Villemaire,  a professional piercer and owner of Thrive Studios in Cambridge.  Jesse is also responsible for Progressive Mentorship, an organization dedicated to the education of tattooers and piercers in all aspects of our business from marketing to sterilization to record keeping.

The Blood Borne Pathogens and Infection Control course is an industry specific look at preventing the spread of blood borne disease from client to client or client to practitioner.  In this course we learn about diseases like Hepatitis B and C, HIV and MRSA the symptoms of these diseases and how they are spread.  We are taught the proper processes necessary to prevent cross contamination in the shop environment to protect our customers and ourselves.  Infection control goes beyond just cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.  It includes a thorough understanding of how to properly handle equipment throughout the tattoo and piercing process as well as how to properly clean and sterilize tools.  At Cottage 13, tattoos are done using disposable tubes, tips and needles.  All this equipment is purchased pre-sterilized and is single use so the chances of cross contamination are greatly diminished.  Piercing equipment, such as forceps, are subject to a rigorous cleaning process which includes manual scrubbing, visual inspection, packaging and sterilizing.  Accurate records of sterilization loads are kept on site.  Our sterilizer or autoclave is spore tested bi-weekly to ensure it is working properly.  All local tattoo shops are inspected by the health department and must follow the guidelines set out in the Ontario protocol.  Although this course is not mandatory for practitioners we believe it is an important part of our trade and should be updated regularly.

You can be confident that in addition to years of valuable experience, our education in regards to your health and safety is part of the exceptional service you will get at our shop!