Saturday, February 11, 2006
Editorial: That's gotta hurt
From the RoundTable blog
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The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation regulates 31 professions, including hair braiders, nail technicians and tattoo artists. Oddly, people who stick pieces of metal through body parts are not on the list.
The department rightly is about to change that.
Under the proposed rules, licensed body piercers would have to complete an apprenticeship with a state-defined curriculum that includes safety training, professional ethics and performing 250 piercings on 17 different body parts. They would demonstrate mastery on a board examination and receive five hours of health education every two years.
Those who pierce only ears would be exempt from the apprenticeship and would have to complete only three hours of health education every two years.
Such requirements will help protect the public without being onerous. The state should, however, consider issuing a separate license for nongenital piercers. Below-the-waist procedures are just not that popular in some places, creating a barrier to successful apprenticeships.
Properly trained piercers will minimize health risks and give Virginians confidence when they enter a piercing parlor. Adopt the new rules.
