As an organization, APP Benelux is committed to promoting safety and hygiene within the piercing industry. Our membership requirements are designed to ensure a higher level of safety and professionalism than the legal minimum standards. Below, you will find the requirements that our members must meet to contribute to a safe and responsible piercing practice.
Membership Requirements:
- Business License/Registration + National Health Registration:
– Belgium: KBO registration + Hygiene Procedure Course (Syntra West).
– Netherlands: Chamber of Commerce registration and GGD license (renewed every three years).
– Luxembourg: Proof of three years of industry experience or an EU diploma + 21 hours of hygiene and safety training.
*These are the minimum requirements as set by national health organizations. All studios and piercers must meet these legal standards. Additionally, businesses must be registered with the tax authorities.
- Complies with or exceeds all health, safety, and legal standards as required by national and local authorities.
- Does not use a piercing gun.
- Performs intimate and nipple piercings only on clients aged 18 or older.
- Demonstrates a commitment to education and professional growth.
- Uses a new, sterile, single-use piercing needle for each procedure, which is immediately disposed of in a medical sharps container after use. All other tools are properly cleaned, sterilized, or disposed of after use.
- Wears a new pair of medical gloves (sterile or non-sterile) for each procedure and replaces them regularly during the procedure (see glove protocol on our website).
- Uses sterile gloves when performing new piercings.
- Uses disposable materials for skin marking.
- Does not use steel jewelry for new piercings.
- Does not use coated jewelry (e.g., PVD) for new piercings.
- Does not use plastic jewelry.
- Only verified internally threaded or threadless jewelry with proper certifications is used for initial piercings. (A list of brands meeting these criteria is available upon request.)
- Maintains a logbook for every sterilization cycle of autoclaves and/or Statims (proof of three months required during application).
- Includes a separate Class 5 or higher indicator with every cycle.
- Ensures an annual inspection report for each autoclave and/or Statim.
- Holds a valid certificate for First Aid and CPR:
-Theory (online courses are allowed).
(Requirements and expiration depend on the country.)
(Individual courses or combined courses are acceptable.)
- Holds a valid certificate for Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP), renewed annually.
- Has professional or liability insurance (if available in the country of operation).
- Completes a membership questionnaire within the application form. (Click here for the questionnaire in pdf to prepare beforehand)
- Provides photos of autoclaves and sterilizers (including model and serial numbers).
- Submits a copy or photo of the business card.
- Submits a copy of the clients consent form.
- Submits a copy of aftercare instructions.
- Provides invoices for jewelry purchases (from the last three months).
- Submits copies of sterilization indicators and test logs every three months.
- Acknowledges the APP membership code of conduct and logo agreement. (Click here for the member code of conduct in pdf)
Studio Criteria
Studio (General):
- Provides an unedited 360° walkthrough video of the entire studio (We need an insight of your studio to approve all given standards, so please include all walls, ceilings, floors, cabinets and their contents). Upload this video to YouTube with privacy set to “Private”. Paste the viewing link in the registration form.
- The reception area includes small cups for accepting jewelry from clients. Additionally, gloves, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant for the counter must be available.
- Proper signage and warnings, such as:
– Biohazard waste
– Employees only
– No handwashing in dirty room
– No jewelry changing or touching piercings (by clients)
- No piercing-related items or storage in the bathroom/restroom.
- All studio floors must be non-porous and easy to disinfect.
- Needle stick incident protocol in place.
- Desk/lobby/counter/display must be made of glass, metal, or another non-porous surface that can be disinfected multiple times daily.
Piercing Room:
- Must include:
– A sink used exclusively for handwashing.
– A hands-free trash bin.
– A hands-free liquid soap dispenser and towel dispenser.
– A wall-mounted sharps container.
– Non-porous and easily disinfectable countertops, walls, and floors.
- The piercing room must be fully enclosed with walls, ceilings, and doors. (Walls do not need to extend from floor to ceiling but must be at least 2.4 meters high.)
- No propeller-based air conditioning, fans, or blowers in the piercing room.
- The use of a HEPA filter or another air purification system is recommended.
- Only piercing-related services are permitted in the piercing room.
- Sterilized instruments and jewelry must be stored in closed, non-porous containers or cabinets, separated from non-sterile items.
- Maintains a logbook of weekly helix tests for the autoclave and daily helix tests for the Statim.
Sterilization Room/Dirty Room (Not applicable for disposable studios):
- Separate dirty/processing area (minimum of 1.2 meters between dirty and clean areas or separated by a non-porous barrier).
- Non-porous and easily disinfectable walls and floors.
- A designated rinsing sink for contamination/processing.
- At least one ultrasonic cleaner or instrument washer used exclusively for cleaning dirty tools.
- An additional ultrasonic cleaner, steam cleaner, or anodizer for cleaning new jewelry.
- Equipped with a Class B/vacuum autoclave or Statim.
- Sterilized instruments and jewelry must be stored in closed, non-porous containers or cabinets, separated from non-sterile items.
- Maintains a logbook of weekly helix tests for the autoclave and daily helix tests for the Statim.
- T/he use of a HEPA filter or another air purification system is recommended.
This comprehensive list ensures that you and your studio meet the highest standards in the piercing industry. By adhering to these requirements, you contribute to a safer, more professional, and hygienic field. If you have any questions or need assistance with implementation, feel free to contact us!