Category Membership

Point 75: Member Updates – Aaron Pollack

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The Point Issue 75 Cover

Aaron Pollack

Aaron Pollack
Flying Tiger Tattoo

The APP has a lot going on this summer, and we want you to join us! Read through for all the latest updates on Conference, Camp APP, raffle updates, and the Members Meeting Notice.

CONFERENCE 2016 ROOM BLOCK
Attending Conference? Be sure to book in the APP room block at Bally’s! Booking within the block allows you to have the option of choosing not to pay the resort fee (which is usually mandatory), and that alone saves you $30 a day!

Filling the room block benefits the APP’s ability to negotiate the spaces and rates we are given in the future for conference spaces and hotel rooms. The APP is able to retain its meeting spaces only when the room block is filled. Please, help us achieve our goal of filling the room block this year!

After a long day and night of socializing, being able to take one elevator back to your room is way better than taking a bus, taxi, or walking numerous blocks back to another hotel. Staying in the host hotel fosters a bigger sense of community at the event and keeps you close to your home base for the week!

Check out the links below to learn more about how to book in the APP room block at Bally’s, our host hotel for 2016. The room block closes June 21, so be sure to book today! APP ROOM BLOCK REGISTRATION

CONFERENCE 2016 RAFFLE
Do you like raffles that include awesome prizes? Attendees have multiple opportunities to win prizes, with separate raffles being held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Our Vendors in the past have generously donated prizes with wholesale values from $50-$15,000!

Don’t wait to buy your tickets at Conference! Purchase in advance through your registration and have the tickets waiting for you when you arrive!

The best gamble in Vegas is waiting for you at Conference 2016! Register for Conference now!

Members Meeting Notice
Members Meeting Wednesday July 27th 7-8:30pm

This meeting will cover all current APP business for the membership. Voting members will sign in to determine if the meeting has met the required quorum. Non-voting members are welcome to attend, as well as one representative from each APP Corporate Sponsor. If you wish to address the board and membership, you may reserve a time slot by emailing secretary@safepiercing.org.

There will be a Members Mingle before the meeting, 6:30-7:00pm. Refreshments will be served.

BODY PIERCING ARCHIVE RAFFLE
The APP and Body Piercing Archive are very excited to announce a charity fundraising auction for which all proceeds will go towards the BPA and their efforts in preserving our industry’s history!

Over the past year, beautiful handmade items were meticulously constructed from donated iconic piercing industry t-shirts. Sharon McLaughlin Gowen has generously donated her time in fabricating quilts, backpacks, bags, and Ipad cases for this cause.

The items will be on display and the silent auction will happen at the 2016 APP Conference!

Thank you Sharon and Gene Gowen for making this happen!

Conference Site Survey
Every year hundreds of piercers, counter staff, shop owners, and jewelry manufacturers look forward to the Association of Professional Piercers Conference. For the past several years we have met in the desert oasis known as Las Vegas. As we look forward to planning our Conferences for 2019 and beyond we want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete our survey from which we will be able to gather information pertinent to creating and putting on the best Conference possible. Thank you in advance for your time, the APP appreciates your ideas and opinions. TAKE THE SURVEY HERE.

CAMP APP 2016
Join us for CAMP APP 2016!

The 2nd Annual CAMP APP will be held OCT 11-15 at Hard Labor Creek State Park in beautiful Rutledge, GA

We hope you will join us for a week of fun, learning, and excitement at our 2nd annual Members Retreat.

Point 75: President’s Corner – Brian Skellie

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Brian Skellie headshot at 2014 APP conference by April Berardi

Brian Skellie headshot at 2014 APP conference by April BerardiBrian Skellie
APP President

As I eagerly anticipate our next meeting, the gratitude that I feel towards my colleagues in this organization is responsible for a reliable renewal of enthusiasm. The APP mission, presence, and conscientiousness are core to my personal experience, education, and priorities. My purpose remains the same although my responsibilities change after this Conference.

Getting to know the membership better over these years working within the organization and at the helm has been a privilege. By making certain sacrifices and spending a lot of time on the road, I have appreciated real life meetings with quite a few of you. It has been both informative and delightful to visit with you, your studios, and manufacturing facilities.

These days, it is much easier (via the myriad of technological advancements available) to find out more about our colleagues and their work and attitudes. I’m convinced that this friendly professional espionage/stalking following is one of the best things for collegiality in our business. Evermore accessible technology has facilitated a greater sense of familiarization and a willingness to communicate. This development has provided a foundation for friendships and interaction with people who I may have otherwise been more reserved with, and I live with a daily appreciation of how online translation provides access to the world.

Our community seems to be rising, bolstered by social media and a culture of sharing among peers. Access to current information and peer review alongside beautiful examples of our work have created a level of accountability for achieving our goals and is keeping this trade lively. Aptitude and quality are continually improved upon and excellence may be recognized.

Even as I step down from Presidency this summer, we have committed to participate internationally to keep the momentum with fellow trade organizations going. I find it refreshing to see the progress of LBP and the UKAPP, along with the continuing success of our Associate Corporate Members, APTPI, ASAP, BMXnet and meetings in Germany, Spain, and France. Let’s make this happen!

Point 74: In the Office – Caitlin McDiarmid

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The Point - Issue 74

CaitlinMcDiarmidCaitlin McDiarmid
APP Administrator

I’ve been asked to write an article about how technology has changed over the course of my tenure with the Association.

When I first started working for the Association, I worked exclusively on a desktop computer in my home with a phone line, a credit card machine, and a small closet full of supplies and brochure stock.

That is how it remained for many years. During those years we contracted out our Registration Staff (and processes) at Conference and each instructor brought their own computer for their class. It was a great leap forward a few years down the road when we bought laptop computers for both the registration desk and our classrooms.

Back at home in the office I went from a desktop computer to a combination of desktop and laptop computers. Now I work solely on a laptop computer which moves with me whether working in the office, at home, or at Conference.

We have certainly utilized programs such as Cvent for registration in the past few years and have added to the Cvent family of programs with the CrowdCompass app starting last year. These programs have allowed us to register people ourselves, and even have them register themselves onsite. With these advances, we have also been able to compile statistics over a period of years which help us make decisions about each year’s Conference. We’ve gone from stamping cardboard cards, to collecting paper tickets, to bar code scanners, to scanning with smartphones (OnArrival) at our classroom doors. This has made the collection of data in our classes more accurate and streamlined the certificate production process.

However, in the office, software has stayed fairly consistent for us until this year. We have continued to manage our databases exclusively with Excel. As we have grown, this has become increasingly cumbersome. Information is transferred from one spreadsheet to another or maintained on multiple documents, which not only takes a lot of time, but comes with an increased risk of error.

After Conference last year I became frustrated with the problems facing us in the office and the overwhelming amount of time devoted to tasks which I felt could be automated. I did some preliminary research and began pitching the idea of the Association adopting a management system. Jef Saunders was also looking for ways to automate the application process by taking it fully online. While it took a lot of work and we looked at a lot of systems, we were able to narrow it down and select one (with approval of the Board) which we feel very excited about.

I am happy to announce that the APP is on the cusp of implementing an Association Database Management Software system. When fully active, this program will change the way we do our “day to day” work. It will streamline almost all of our office processes, consolidate all our databases into one, provide a structure for committees to work from, establish a member portal where members can access their record, upload documents, pay dues, get member notices, provide an online application process, automate many of our communications, and more!

This is a big undertaking and will result in big changes. At this point in the office pretty much every day, I think to myself “this would be so much easier if the system was already in place.” I was probably about a year later than I should have been with my push for us to look at an overhaul of how we manage things in the office and with our membership documents applications and other matters. I know that Jef also cannot wait for these processes to be fully active. Like with all the projects this will take time; we want to do it right the first time.

The office has already taken its accounting program online. Members are experiencing the benefits by being able to pay their dues directly from their invoices. We see the benefits as those payments get recorded in real time, saving Paul King, Emily (our clerk), and me a lot of data entry. Paul and I can also both work in the program whenever we want, which keeps us from getting too behind on the growing workload.

So while it has taken us 13 years to really change how we handle our daily tasks, our databases, and our office procedures, we ARE doing it this year. I am happy to help steer the Association to this new level of efficiency and growth. I am sure that every member and every potential member will benefit from this new system – this new technology – and the changes that result.

This management software system will change my job. How it will change my job is not yet fully known. I am prepared however to go with the flow and tackle new challenges that come with new systems and any kind of change. I hope that those who are reading this will watch as the Association takes this great leap forward. We encourage our membership to provide feedback on how these changes affect the Association, its members, potential members, and the greater community of the piercing industry.

Point #72: 2015 Camp APP Member’s Retreat

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The Association of Professional Piercers is proud to announce our first ever APP Members Retreat. The retreat will be held at Hard Labor State Creek Park in Rutledge, GA from September 29, 2015 to October 3, 2015. Attendance is limited to APP Business Members and Business Members at Large and registration is limited to 100 people. Registration closed September 20. We can’t wait to see you there.

How to get here:

For those who are driving from Atlanta:
Take I20 East from Atlanta
Get off at Newborn Rd. Exit and go left
Follow signs to Hard Labor Creek
Follow sign for main park entrance
Continue on that road until you cross a small bridge and then take an immediate right- this is the road to Camp Rutledge. Pass through the gate, entry code is #1234. (Directions)

Permits are required—we will have them for you when you arrive at the camp.

For those taking our transportation from Atlanta:
First, to get to the pick up location:
The Atlanta MARTA train system is VERY simple. There are only 3 trains! The system is convenient and safe and starts at the Atlanta domestic airport terminal. The DORAVILLE train, northbound will take you to the Chamblee station.

Our transport to and from the camp:
Shuttle service will pick up and drop off at the Chamblee station. Departure time September 29th will be 4:30pm. Shuttle will depart from the camp October 3, at 9:30am and arrive at the Chamblee station at around 11:00am.

2015 Camp APP
Camp APP is providing an opportunity to explore previously unused advanced curriculum as well as more thoroughly presenting topics that can only be touched on in Las Vegas. Workshop leads and instructors will be posting about their sessions in the main forum and on the event page. The certificates for this event will both read and be distributed differently than ever before. Attendees will receive their certificates during the closing session.

We also understand how important eating well is when you are in the forest. We are striving to cover all of the bases here. There will be plenty of vegan and omnivore options.

We will also be fortunate enough to have some extra special additions to our menu.

Some other important things to know
No procedures will be performed
No Wi-fi
Limited phone reception
Fishing licenses are available at the ranger station
No pets
No projectile weapons of any sort.

Special events

• Grounding and Public Speaking
(John Johnson)

APP member John Johnson first started teaching Bedside Manner and Grounding in Las Vegas in 2008 and this fall he’s teaching Public Speaking and Grounding at the member’s retreat. The mission of the APP is to disseminate health and safety information relevant to body piercing and public speaking is a great way to fulfill that mission. Our members often get this opportunity and this class will help them be prepared. As a professional piercer you may be asked to speak to groups like schools, health departments, and professional organizations.

Public speaking doesn’t come naturally for anyone. This is a skill we all have to work on and develop through experience and hard work. If you speak to any group about piercing you represent yourself, your studio, and the association. We want you to be confident, competent, and prepared. After attending John’s course you’ll have the tools to prepare both yourself and a presentation that impresses and engages your audience.

• Movies
(Paul King)

What camp out would be complete without a movie night? We will have an assortment of films including action, comedy, body piercing classics, as well as horror films situated in the woods of course!!!!

We even have a surprise Hollywood blockbuster filmed on location at our camp! How terrifying 🙂 Don’t blame us for your nightmares, you guys get to compete for what you watch.

So bring your comfy PJs and enjoy the snacks, popcorn, and soda.

• OSHA— It Isn’t Just About the Blood
(John Johnson, Rick Frueh)

We all know that OSHA is about worker safety. We have all taken a Blood Borne Pathogens courses, many many times. Need to renew your certificate? Well, sorry but this isn’t that class. In this 2 hour seminar we will be going into detail about some other aspects of OSHA that apply directly to the body piercing industry. Topics will range from Fire Safety to Electrical Standards and several points in between. John Johnson and Rick Frueh will be co-instructing. They are both Authorized OSHA Outreach Instructors for General Industry. If you have ever had an OSHA specific question this is the course to ask it.

• Social Media Workshop
(Social Media Committee)

Ever wonder how to make pictures look their best working with the equipment you already have? Do you have poor lighting in your studio or outside and are looking for ways to improve your media content? Join us for our content creation workshop! We will be covering everything from equipment, lighting techniques, apps, detachable lenses and setting up a photo studio in your piercing shop. Bring your smartphones, or even your full sized cameras!

The second part of our workshop will include a round table discussing ways to increase your media reach beyond Facebook and Instagram. We will cover utilizing the social functions of review sites such as Google and Yelp, as well as some newer options like Reddit and Foursquare. See you there!

• Dialing in Jewelry Sales Workshop
(Bethrah Szumski lead)

We have had numerous presentations about how to up-sell. Particularly for gold and genuine stones. The skill involved in selling people not only higher price point products but items that fit their style and personality has been generally under addressed. This session will cover three main points. First how color theory works both in metal/stone combinations and skin tone. Second, how color forecasting effects fashion and design. Third, ways to assess and talk with clients, incorporating these concepts and their personal preferences, to fit them with jewelry that they will be happy about buying.

We will also have four other workshops available, including a hand positioning workshop, we will be sure to update you as details are available.

• Hand Positioning Workshop
(Luis Garcia lead)

Whether you work freehand, with tools or somewhere in between, hand positioning is crucial. This session will focus on this for all style preferences. Participants will be able to focus on areas they find difficult as well as demonstrate the techniques they excell at.

• Fine Tuning the Eye Workshop
(Chrissy Shull lead)

Just as athletes can always find small ways to improve their performance, body piercers can and should as well! Accuracy and consistency can be fine tuned by a better understanding of visual perceptions and how they apply to marking and performing a piercing. This workshop will utilize a series of exercises that will give you the opportunity to discover your blind spots and how to work with them, how you personally perceive depth and shape and how to use your perception to your advantage, and visual illusions and how they might be affecting the quality of your work.

• Advanced Industrial Concepts Workshop
(Rob Hill lead)

Techniques that can apply to the most advanced industrial piercings. Starting off with some modern tips for traditional industrials, we will build off that with some key tips and tricks to help you nail those multi point and curved industrial projects taking your skills to the next level.

• Practical Asepsis Workshop
(Brian Skellie lead)

This workshop will include discussion and demonstration of achievable means to establish and maintain asepsis for procedures. Brian will facilitate a roundtable to concentrate upon the interdependent concepts, methods and equipment available for aseptic contact and non-touch techniques.

This should be an extension of the concepts discussed in the workshops, designed for members to go further. Come share your thoughts and learn more about safety and quality.

Point #72: Membership News & Updates

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Hello Members and Readers! We have just wrapped up another successful Conference and have many big things on the horizon. Here are our most recent updates and announcements.

2015 BILLING & CERTIFICATE UPDATE

Membership dues billing has traditionally taken place in February with the due date at the end of May—when certificates expire. This year the APP changed the timing of when billing takes place and when membership dues are paid.

2015 certificates were issued in May of 2015 with no payment required from an existing member and are good until the end of 2015. Bills will be sent at the end of September, with membership dues for 2016 being due by the end of December 2015. The certificate received from this payment will go from January to December 2016. This will effectively move our billing cycle to the end of the year for all members.

Those new members paying initial dues in July-December, will not be billed for the following year, but will be issued a 2016 certificate along with the rest of paying members in December.

ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA COMPLIANCE CHECK

Notices were sent to Members this Spring who need to update their environmental criteria.

To ensure all of our members are operating at the current minimum standards, we are requiring that all current members who have a video walk through and environmental criteria older than two years provide an updated video walk through and submit updated environmental criteria.

Members who received this notice will need to submit these updates by January 1st, 2016. There will be no video processing fee with digital or hard copy submissions.

 NEW LATE DUES POLICY

(2016 Billing Cycle: Notice of Membership Dues will be sent September 2015; and due by December 31, 2016.)

Any member who has failed to pay dues and/or provide evidence of membership certification and testing requirements (CPR certification, First Aid Certification, BBP certification, autoclave spore test results) by 6 months after the Membership Renewal due date will be required to re-apply in full with the Membership Committee.

The renewal fee will be the same as the yearly membership dues.

UPCOMING ELECTIONS

In the fall the Association will begin elections for three seats on the board.  These seats are currently occupied by Brian Skellie, Ashley Misako, and Chris Glunt.  Brian is not eligible for re-election at this time; Ashley Misako is able to be re-nominated/elected.

The APP will be sending out nomination forms in the Fall to voting members of the APP, which are business members and business members at large.  This election is for two seats on the Board.

Once received, voting members will have 30 days to return nomination forms selecting two people from the list of eligible members as their choice.  At that time, the office will send Nominees information about what it means to serve as a Board member, and paperwork including a form to return to the office to accept or deny their nomination.

After 30 days, ballots and bios of the nominees will be sent to all voting members.  Please participate in the election and in your Association by voting!  Members will have 30 days to return ballots to the office.  Once the results are tabulated and the entire election is reviewed and certified, the APP will contact the nominees about the results.  Those elected will attend a Board meeting (tentatively March), and take office in July at the Annual Conference.

Who is eligible to run?

Only voting members are eligible; for the APP these are Business Members and Business Members at Large. As specified by the APP’s bylaws, each Director can hold office for no more than three years in any given position, and can serve no more than two consecutive terms. If a member has filled two different seats in two consecutive elections, that person cannot immediately run again and must be off the Board for at least one election cycle before being eligible to serve again.

Nomination packets sent to members will have a list of eligible members to select from. And yes, you are allowed to nominate yourself.

What is the difference between an Officer & a Director?

The bylaws clearly outline the titles of the Officers: President, Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer (or Treasurer); but leave the other titles and job descriptions to the discretion of the Board itself. The bylaws further state the Officers may be members of the Board of Directors, but this is not required, as the Officers are elected to their positions by the Board of Directors. Officers are allowed to be compensated for their work; Directors are not. Officers are not subject to terms limits, unless also Board Members. The current Officers are Brian Skellie, President; Paul King, Treasurer; and Aaron Pollack, Secretary. However, of the Officers, only Brian is also a Director. Brian has voting rights as a Director and is subject to the 3 year term limit.

Is it important that I vote?

Yes. The Board of Directors, while working for the membership and the mission of the Association bring their own talents and experiences to the table. Every Board will govern a little differently or want to push the Association in different directions, have varied outreach interests, and/or see different opportunities available to the Association. As a voting member it is your right and responsibility to be sure those elected will do their very best, have a mission focus rather than a personal agenda, and have time and energy to devote to this important task. If the APP doesn’t get enough votes cast to have a quorum, the entire election has to be redone. This is an avoidable expense and time-suck from the Association. Your vote is important in many ways. Please remember to vote!

How do I know if I (or someone else) would make a good candidate for a Board position?

Ask/Answer these questions:

1. Do you have the time and energy?

All Board Members travel for APP board meetings, annual Conference, health conference/s, and miscellaneous travel such as membership assistance and Conference planning. Average time away from work is twenty five to thirty days per year. Most of the time, you will make your own travel arrangements, but you will be reimbursed your costs. It is estimated a Board Member will spend a minimum of ten hours per week on APP duties for three years.

2. Can you present yourself in a professional manner, verbally and in print? Can you present the APP’s stance even if it differs from your personal opinion?

Most Board Members provide interviews with the press when required, in a professional manner. Most Board Members contribute articles and promote article submission from the APP membership or other potentially informative parties for The Point and other APP publications or online settings.

All Board Members respond to emails from other Board Members, the employee, members, general public, etc. in a timely and professional fashion.

3. Have you been actively serving on a committee or have you volunteered, taught, or led a round table at the APP Conference?

All Board Members actively participate in ongoing projects and the APP educational Conference; including teaching classes and other duties as assigned. Having an ongoing history of performing these duties is the best preparation for serving as a Board Member.

4. Are you able to keep matters to yourself? Not gossip? Understand your behavior will be under scrutiny at all times? Behave professionally even when no one is watching? Keep your cool online? Not be drawn into arguments or into offering your opinion as separate from the APP’s position on something?

All Board Members must sign and abide by a confidentiality statement and statement of conduct. All Board Members must conduct themselves for the duration of their term, in a way that reflects the mission and professional attitude of the Association, acknowledging their position as a leader, role model, and spokesperson for the membership, organization, and industry at large.

It’s a big job and responsibility but it’s also hugely rewarding. Need more information? Talk to your current Board Members; they too wondered what it would be like, and now they most certainly know.

Website Update

Our web presence as an Association is constantly evolving to better serve our members and the public at large. Our newest version of our website has recently launched. Be sure to check it out: www.safepiercing.org

2016 APP Conference and Exposition

We are excited to announce the location and dates for the 2016 APP Conference and Exposition.

Where: Bally’s Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV

When: July 24- July 29 2016

Can’t wait to see you all there!

Point #71: APP’s New Secretary – Aaron Pollack

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Aaron Pollack

Aaron Pollack
Flying Tiger Tattoo

Hello Point Readers! I am honored to have been selected as the incoming secretary for the APP. I will be taking over the role Bethrah Szumski has been in for quite some time, this means I have quite the shoes to fill. I am excited for the challenge and humbled by the opportunity to work for our Members. I have been piercing since 2006. I currently work at Flying Tiger Body Art in Auburn, Alabama (War Eagle!). I attended the Fakir Intensives and my first Conference was in 2009. In 2013 I fulfilled a career goal of becoming an APP Member. Shortly after becoming a Member, I started volunteering for the Media Committee, and became chair of that committee in December. I would like to thank Bethrah for all her hard work over the years. Shadowing her has shown me that the secretary position is a large task, but she has been excellent in preparing me for this new role. This is an exciting time for the APP, and I am looking forward to working with the Association in this new capacity.

Point #71: Environmental Criteria Update

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Dear APP Members,

The Association of Professional Piercers Membership Committee and Board of Directors thanks you for being a part of our organization. In response to overwhelming demand from our members, we have made significant strides in updating our membership requirements. To ensure all of our members are operating at the current minimum standards, we are requiring that all current members who have a video walk through and environmental criteria older than two years provide an updated video walk through and submit updated environmental criteria. If you are receiving this letter, your video walk through and environmental criteria are older than two years as of December 31, 2015.

These updates should be submitted no later than January 1st, 2016. There will be no video processing fee with digital or hard copy submissions.

You can upload all your completed forms, signed pages, photos of your autoclave(s), scans or photos of your documentation, and everything else to Google Drive as a single Google document or PDF (Google Drive is the preferred method). Upload the video to YouTube (www. youtube.com/upload), set to unlisted, and Creative Commons license. (Go to info and settings, then choose advanced settings, then Creative Commons license.) Next, copy the link to your video, paste it into the document you created, then share the completed application with media@safepiercing.org or email.

Pre-Application Processing Checklist:

  • Application Form
  • Copy of current CPR certificate
  • Copy of current First Aid certificate
  • Copy of current Bloodborne Pathogens training certificate
  • A narrated unedited 360 degree video of your shop
  • Photograph of all autoclaves with Make, Model, and Serial Number
  • Copy of two most recent spore tests from each autoclave
  • Copies of piercing aftercare sheets
  • Copy of Business License
  • Copy of shop/personal business card
  • An example of advertising
  • Copy of certificate of Liability Insurance (if applicable)
  • Copy of jewelry invoices from last 90 days

Pre-submission video checklist:
Pre-Video Checklist

  • Show the front of shop
  • Show the back of the shop too.
  • Required: Videos must be shot in LANDSCAPE view, not portrait.
  • Required: No cuts or editing in the video
  • Go through every drawer and closet in the shop.
  • Tattoo stations may be omitted.

Front Counter

  • A non-porous front counter that can be disinfected
  • Disinfectant products behind counter
  • Gloves behind counter
  • Bags or cups for contaminated customer jewelry
  • Suggested: signage asking clients not to touch jewelry
  • Suggested: a thoroughly organized, neat counter and desk area

Sterilization Room

  • Non-porous flooring
  • Clear separation between dirty and clean
  • An ultrasonic or instrument washer for piercing tools
  • An employees only sign
  • Does your autoclave meet requirements?
  • Is your clean up room totally contained?
  • “No handwashing in dirty room” sign
  • Suggested: A clean jewelry ultrasonic or steam cleaner or both
  • Suggested: HEPA filter

Hand washing Area

  • Is it in the studio, or a separate employee handwashing area? (bathrooms and sterilization room sinks are not acceptable)
  • Hands free paper towels (single hand)
  • Suggested: hands free faucet (infrared or foot pedal)
  • Suggested: hands free soap (infrared)

Piercing Room

  • Sharps Container wall mount and placed correctly
  • A Biohazard tool tray
  • Lidded trash cans, foot operated or infrared
  • Is your piercing studio private, with minimum 8 foot walls?
  • Do you have an appropriate (non-porous, massage/dental/ medical style) piercing table
  • Is your artwork framed, nonporous and easily disinfectable?
  • Is your storage sealed, disinfectable and appropriate?
  • Suggested: HEPA filter
  • Suggested: Sterile Gloves for piercing procedures

Bathroom

  • Is the bathroom clean, with an operational toilet and sink?
  • Are there appropriate handwashing products in the bathroom?
  • There must be no piercing related items in bathroom storage.
  • Suggested: A sign that asks clients not to touch or change their jewelry in the bathroom.

The Membership Committee is available to anyone who needs any assistance in any way, shape or form. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions (members@safepiercing.org).
THE APP OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
• Brian Skellie—President
• Cody Vaughn—Vice President
• Paul King—Treasurer
• Bethrah Szumski—Secretary
• Jef Saunders—Membership Liaison
• Steve Joyner—Legislation Liaison
• Christopher Glunt—Medical Liaison
• Ash Misako—Outreach Coordinator
• Miro Hernandez—Public Relations

Point #70: The APP wants to thank North Bay Bioscience

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The APP wants to thank North Bay Bioscience, LLC (NBBS) and Autoclave Testing Services, Inc. (ATS) for working with us to find an efficient streamlined process for the reporting of spore tests results for the APP Members who test with them.  Once the APP Member gives permission for their testing company to release spore test records to us, we will be able to review test results online.ATS-Logo-small

The APP can now get information/reports on our Members who test with NBBS or ATS via an online portal.  This will make maintaining records much easier and allow the APP to have immediate access to test results.  Members who test with them will no longer have to send in their spore test results monthly/quarterly; instead if for some reason we are NOT seeing test results we will contact the Member.

We have also sent out an inquiry to SPS Medical in the hopes of doing something similar.