[HISTORY: Adopted by the Bloomfield Board
of Health 6-14-2007; amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 575,
General Provisions, Board of Health, Art. V). Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to protect and preserve the health,
safety and welfare of the citizens of the Township of Bloomfield and
the patrons of massage and bodywork businesses.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any establishment wherein massage and/or bodywork are administered
or are permitted to be administered, when such therapies are administered
for any legal form of consideration.
Touching, including, but not limited to, holding, applying
pressure, positioning and mobilizing soft tissue of the body by manual
technique and use of visual, kinesthetic, auditory and palpating skills
to assess the body for purposes of applying therapeutic massage or
bodywork principles; including the use of therapies such as heliotherapy
or hydrotherapy, the use of moist hot and cold external applications,
external applications of herbal or topical preparations not classified
as prescription drugs, movement and neuromyofacial education and education
in self-care and stress management. Massage and bodywork do not include
the diagnosis or treatment of illness, disease, impairment or disability.
Any person who administers massage or bodywork therapies
for any form of legal consideration.
No person, firm or corporation shall perform massage and/or bodywork therapies in the Township of Bloomfield unless or until there has been obtained all necessary permits for such establishment or premises and therapist from the Township of Bloomfield Board of Health in accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter and Chapter 624 of the Code of the Township of Bloomfield Board of Health.
Any person requesting a massage and bodywork therapy establishment
license from the Board of Health shall file a written application
with the Health Officer upon a form to be furnished by the Health
Officer.
A.
Every applicant for a license to operate or conduct a massage and/or bodywork therapy establishment shall submit a fee as set forth in Chapter 624, Licensing, of the Code of the Township of Bloomfield. Said license fee shall be paid at the time application is made. Every license issued pursuant to this chapter shall expire at the end of the calendar year. The license fee shall not be prorated in the event that an application for a license is made at any time after January 1 of any year.
Each establishment must comply with each of the following minimum
requirements:
A.
All massage tables, bathtubs, shower stalls, steam or bath areas
and floors must have surfaces which may be readily disinfected and
shall be maintained in a sanitary condition and regularly cleaned
and disinfected.
B.
Adequate bathing, dressing and locker facilities shall be provided
for the patrons to be served at any given time. In the event that
male and female patrons have concurrent or overlapping appointments
for massage or bodywork therapies, then separate bathing, dressing,
locker and massage room facilities shall be provided.
C.
The premises shall have adequate equipment for disinfecting and sterilizing
nondisposable instruments and materials used in administering massage.
Such nondisposable instruments and materials shall be disinfected
after use on each patron.
D.
All employees, including massage and/or bodywork therapist, shall
be clean and wear clean, nontransparent outer garments.
E.
All massage and/or bodywork therapy establishments shall be provided
with clean laundered sheets and towels in sufficient quantity, which
shall be laundered after each use thereof and stored in a sanitary
manner.
F.
All walls, ceiling, floors, pools, showers, bathtubs, steam rooms
and all other physical facilities and surfaces shall be in good repair
and maintained in a clean and sanitary manner. Wet and dry heat rooms,
steam or vapor rooms or steam or vapor cabinets and shower compartments
and toilet rooms shall be thoroughly cleaned each day the business
is in operation. Bathtubs and showers shall be kept dry, clean and
sanitary.
G.
Oils, creams, lotions and other preparations used in administering
massage and/or bodywork therapies shall be kept in clean, closed containers
or cabinets.
H.
Animals, except for Seeing Eye dogs, service animals such as guide
dogs that are trained to assist an employee or other person who is
handicapped and are controlled by the handicapped employee or person,
shall not be permitted in the massage work area.
I.
All employees and each massage and/or bodywork therapist shall wash
their hands in hot running water, using proper soap or disinfectant
before administering a massage or bodywork therapy to a patron.
[Amended 3-16-2023 by Ord. No. BOH 01-2023]
The Department of Health may, from time to time, make inspections
of each massage and/or bodywork therapy establishment granted a license
under the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of determining
whether the provisions of this chapter are being complied with. Such
inspection shall be made at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.
It shall be unlawful for any licensee to fail to allow such inspection
officer access to the premises or to hinder such officer in any manner.
The massage and/or bodywork therapy establishment shall display
its license and inspection placard as well as a therapist's license
of each and every massage and/or bodywork therapist employed in the
establishment in an open and conspicuous place on the premises of
the establishment. The massage and/or bodywork therapy establishment
shall make available at the request of any client their most recent
Health Department inspection results.
A.
A license issued under this chapter may be immediately suspended
for a period of not more than 30 days, pending a hearing to revoke
the license for any of the following causes:
B.
Notice of the hearing for the revocation of a license shall be given
in writing, setting forth specifically the grounds of the complaint
and the time and place of the hearing. Such notice shall be given
personally or mailed to the licensee at their last-known address at
least five days prior to the date set for the hearing. Such notice
shall contain a brief statement or the grounds to be relied upon for
revoking the license. At the hearing, the licensee shall have an opportunity
to answer and be heard, and after due consideration, the license may
be revoked or the complaint may be dismissed. The Health Officer or
Board of Health shall serve as the hearing officer or body for any
hearings pursuant to this subsection.
