2.2 A.A.C. Title 4, Chapter 10: Display Rules & Infection Control Standards

A.A.C. Title 4, Chapter 10: Display Rules & Infection Control Standards

Administrative Law Overview: The statutes tell the Board what to regulate; the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) Title 4, Chapter 10 tells barbers exactly how. The chapter is the Barbering and Cosmetology Board chapter, renamed under Laws 2021, Ch. 334. Its live articles are Article 1 general provisions (R4-10-101 to R4-10-115), Article 2 personal licensure (R4-10-201 to R4-10-210), Article 3 schools (R4-10-301 to R4-10-310) and Article 4 establishments (R4-10-401 to R4-10-405, plus Part A barbering and Part B cosmetology). Articles 5 through 9 — the old Board of Barbers rules — were repealed effective May 6, 2024.

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1. Display of Licenses, Registrations and Signs (R4-10-111)

Read this rule precisely; almost every commercial study aid adds requirements that are not in it.

[!CAUTION] Three things R4-10-111 does not require. It does not require a photograph attached to a posted license. It does not require a consumer complaint notice. It does not require the inspection sheet — that requirement is statutory, in A.R.S. § 32-543, which directs each establishment to display in a conspicuous location readily observable by any patron: the current establishment license, the current license of each practitioner, the current registration of each eyelash technician, and the latest inspection sheet.

[!NOTE] Duplicates are required, not forbidden. Subsection (D) affirmatively requires duplicate licenses for mobile services. A blanket claim that "photocopies of a license are always a violation" contradicts the rule.

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2. Infection Control and Safety Standards (R4-10-112)

R4-10-112 is the operational heart of Arizona barbering compliance and was last amended effective May 6, 2024. It is also the rule you are required to post on the wall.

Minimum equipment and supplies — R4-10-112(A)

1. Non-leaking, solid-side waste receptacles with liners, emptied, cleaned and disinfected daily
2. Ventilated, covered containers for soiled linens including towels and capes
3. Covered, clean containers or cabinets to hold clean linens
4. A covered, wet disinfectant container that is set up with disinfectant solution at all times the establishment or school is open, and is changed as determined by the manufacturer’s instructions or when visibly cloudy or contaminated
5. An EPA-registered bactericidal, virucidal, or fungicidal disinfectant effective against HIV and human hepatitis B virus, mixed and used according to manufacturer’s directions on all tools, instruments and equipment

[!IMPORTANT] Arizona sets no fixed immersion time. Subsection (B)(2) requires totally immersing the cleaned item in the wet disinfectant "following manufacturer’s recommended directions." Many products specify ten minutes, and using an EPA-registered product contrary to its label violates federal law — but the ten minutes comes from the product label, not from the Arizona rule. Likewise the disinfectant solution is changed per the manufacturer or when cloudy, not on a fixed daily schedule.

Disinfecting non-electrical equipment — R4-10-112(B)

1. Clean with soap or detergent and warm water, rinse with clean water, and pat dry
2. Totally immerse in the wet disinfectant, following the manufacturer’s directions

Disinfecting electrical equipment — R4-10-112(D)

Electrical equipment must be in good repair and disinfected before each use:

1. Remove all foreign matter
2. Clean and spray or wipe with an EPA-registered disinfectant compatible with electrical equipment, keeping it in contact for the time specified on the disinfectant label
3. Store the disinfected equipment in a clean place separated from its cords
4. If the equipment has removable parts, disinfect those parts by the immersion method in subsection (B)

Storing tools and instruments — R4-10-112(C)

  USED OR SOILED                      DISINFECTED
  +---------------------+             +--------------------------+
  | covered receptacle  |             | disinfected, DRY, covered|
  | labeled "dirty"     |             | container labeled        |
  |                     |             | "ready to use"           |
  +---------------------+             | isolated from            |
                                      | contaminants             |
                                      +--------------------------+

The two labels are prescribed by rule and are exactly "dirty" and "ready to use" — not "clean implements" or "soiled items."

Tools, instruments and supplies — R4-10-112(E)

• Dispose immediately of anything that contacts a client directly and cannot be disinfected — the rule names cotton pads, sponges, porous emery boards and neck strips
• Do not store or carry disinfected tools in a leather or cloth pouch or pocket
• Dispose of sharps by sealing them in a rigid, puncture-proof container and disposing of them so licensees, students, clients and sanitation workers stay safe
• Do not place clips or other tools in the mouth, pocket, or other holder that cannot be cleaned and disinfected
• Sharpen pencil cosmetics before each use and clean and disinfect the sharpener after each use
• A client’s own tools brought into the establishment must comply with these rules

Blood or body fluid exposure — R4-10-112(F)

This is the Arizona rule, and it is shorter and more specific than the generic protocols in circulation. Stop the service, then:

1. If the wound is on the licensee’s, registrant’s or student’s hand: clean the wound with an antiseptic solution, cover it with a sterile bandage, and cover the wounded area with a glove or finger cover
2. Discard all blood-stained tissue, cotton or other blood-contaminated material
3. Disinfect all equipment, tools and instruments that contacted blood or body fluids, using the (A)(5) disinfectant and the (B) immersion procedure
4. Disinfect electrical equipment as described in subsection (D)

[!NOTE] Subsection (F)(1) is written for a wound on the practitioner’s hand. The rule does not prescribe double-bagging in a biohazard bag or a numbered eight- or nine-step sequence; it requires stopping, self-care where the practitioner is cut, discarding contaminated materials, and disinfecting. Separately, R4-10-112(U)(1) requires a first-aid kit containing at minimum bandages, gauze, antiseptic and antibiotic cream, present in the establishment and easily accessible.

Personal cleanliness and client protection — R4-10-112(H), (I), (J)

• Wash hands with soap and warm water, or an equally effective hand sanitizer, immediately before servicing each client, before checking a student’s work on a client, and after smoking, eating or using the restroom
• Wear clean, fluid-proof, single-use gloves while performing any service if any bodily discharge is present from the practitioner or client, or is likely to occur; discard gloves immediately after use
• Do not perform a service on an individual who has a contagious disease that may be transmitted by the service, or who is exhibiting a sign of infection such as reddened, erupted or open skin
• Protect the client’s clothing from direct contact with shampoo bowls or headrests using clean linens, capes, robes or protective neck strips
• Use bracing when working around a client’s eyes, ears, lips, fingers and toes
• Provide a pre- and post-analysis with follow-up instructions when applicable

Linens, products and facilities — R4-10-112(K), (L), (M), (N)

• Clean linens for each client, laundered after each use, using detergent and bleach; soiled linens in a ventilated receptacle; clean linens in covered containers or closets
• Products stored in clean, non-corroded, labeled containers; poisonous substances distinctly marked; a portion removed so as not to contaminate the remainder; and once dispensed, a product is not returned to the original container
• No FDA-banned hazardous substances on the premises, expressly including liquid methyl methacrylate monomer and methylene chloride
• Headrests of chairs and treatment tables disinfected at least daily; shampoo bowls and neck rests cleaned and disinfected after each use and kept in good repair

General requirements — R4-10-112(T), (U)

• An entrance from the outside; if the establishment is in a residence, the entrance may be through living quarters
• Except for an establishment in a residence, the establishment shall not be used for residential or other living purposes
• A restroom open and available to employees and clients during business hours, with a wash basin, running water, liquid soap and disposable towels, kept clean, and close enough to ensure safety during procedures
• Extra material stored in the restroom must be locked in a cabinet
• Sufficient hot and cold running water, including in a mobile unit
• Natural or mechanical ventilation and an air filtration system
• A first-aid kit with bandages, gauze, antiseptic and antibiotic cream
• No animals except fish in aquariums and service animals
• Discard hair and nail clippings immediately after each client; disinfect counters and all work areas after each client