This regulation is promulgated pursuant to § 12-29.5-111, C.R.S., which states the Department shall promulgate rules relating to the proper cleaning and sterilization of needles used in the practice of acupuncture and the sanitation of acupuncture offices.
All parts of the premises of an acupuncture establishment shall be kept in a clean, sanitary, neat, and orderly condition at all times. All surfaces (e.g., tables, counters, chairs) used in connection with procedures involving equipment items shall be cleaned and disinfected with a disinfectant registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in health care settings according to labeled instructions. Equipment shall be defined as any needle, instrument, probe, or device utilized by practitioners of acupuncture that punctures the skin or enters tissue of any patient/client.
Prior to and after each treatment of acupuncture, the practitioner shall perform hand hygiene by either washing his/her hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Needles and other equipment items that puncture the skin or enter the tissues of any patient/client shall be disposable single-use items that are appropriately discarded immediately after use in an appropriate sharps container, and shall never be used on more than one patient. Equipment that are vehicles for needles and other puncturing devices shall either be disposable, single-use items (preferred), or thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between each patient use according to the manufacturers' instructions. If there are no manufacturers' instructions for how to clean and disinfect the device, the device shall not be used on more than one patient.
6 CCR 1009-1, reg. Regulation 10