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SALT LAKE CITY -- Downtown Salt Lake City is going to be a lot busier this weekend. The International Tattoo Convention started Friday at the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center.
The event brings in artists and state health inspectors, who are looking for anyone who is doing business in an unsafe and unsanitary way.
Tony Michelli, of Corinne, was one of thousands of people at the Salt Palace Friday getting a new tattoo at the convention.
Sitting as still as possible with a needle buzzing in his skin is nothing new for Michelli. Then again, after 65 tattoos, number 66 is really no big deal.
"There's a lot of my tattoos that have a meaning behind them, like the pains I've been through, and just something that means something to me in my life," Michelli said.
Neck tattoos, shoulder tattoos, back tattoos -- you name it, an artist at the convention can do it.
"I've been doing it for 13 years professionally, and I'm still learning stuff that I've never learned before," said tattoo artist David Garlitz.
But the first thing any tattoo artist should learn is how to work in a clean environment. For those who don't, that's where health inspector Kerry Cramer comes in.
Being able to keep people on their toes and to stay clean is what it's all about.
–David Garlitz, tattoo artist
Cramer is a Salt Lake County health inspection supervisor. Along with other inspectors, he made surprise visits to artists at the convention.
"Anytime you're dealing with a tattoo, you're dealing with the potential for blood-borne disease," he said.
Cramer and his team checked for clean needles, wrappings, and even the proper licenses and paperwork. They found some minor violations, like workers eating in the procedure area, but nothing major.
Tattoo artists KSL News spoke to actually appreciate the surprise visits.
"It totally helps the business," Garlitz said. "Being able to keep people on their toes and to stay clean is what it's all about."
He feels those inspections allow customers to trust him.
"Anybody who is legitimate in this industry is not going to worry about answering questions," Garlitz said.
The inspector said if you want to get a tattoo, go to a licensed, legitimate shop. Avoid those fly-by-night type operations that work out of a van or basement.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
