§ 897-11. Massage Establishment License; Special Requirements.

(a)

No massage establishment license shall be issued if the applicant has been convicted within the last ten years of any felony, or any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude and having a reasonable relationship to the functions of a massage establishment licensee, or if the application was deliberately falsified.

(b)

No massage establishment license shall be issued if the applicant has been convicted within the last ten years of any offense committed outside this state or city which if committed in this state or city would constitute a felony, or any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude and having a reasonable relationship to the functions of a massage establishment licensee.

(c)

An applicant for a massage establishment license or a licensee shall permit representatives of the police department, and any other federal, state, county, or city agency in the performance of any function connected with the enforcement of any code, statute or regulation relating to human health, safety or welfare or structural safety, normally and regularly conducted by such agencies, to inspect the premises of a massage establishment for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the law, at any time it is occupied or open for business.

(d)

No massage establishment license shall be issued unless inspection by a city agency or, where appropriate, a county agency, indicates the site of the establishment complies with each of the following minimum requirements:

(1)

A current certificate of occupancy shall be issued in the name of the massage establishment.

(2)

A readable sign shall be posted at the main entrance identifying the establishment as a massage establishment.

(3)

Minimum lighting shall be provided in accordance with the building code of the city of Cincinnati and in addition, at least one artificial light of not less than forty watts shall be provided in each room or enclosure where services are performed on patrons which shall be in operation when such services are performed.

(4)

Minimum ventilation shall be provided in accordance with the building code of the city of Cincinnati.

(5)

Adequate equipment shall be provided for disinfecting and sterilizing instruments used in administering or practicing any of the subjects or methods of treatment listed in section 897-1-M-3.

(6)

Hot and cold running water, tempered by means of a mixing valve faucet, shall be provided at all times.

(7)

Closed cabinets shall be provided, and used, for the storage of clean linens.

(8)

Adequate dressing and toilet facilities shall be provided for patrons. One dressing room, which may be the same as the massage treatment room. One toilet and one wash basin shall be provided by every massage establishment for every three treatment rooms. A minimum of one shower or tub shall be provided for any establishment offering colon therapy, colonics, or any hydrotherapy services, including whirlpool baths, saunas, steam baths, and herbal wraps. Each dressing room or treatment room shall contain a locker for each patron to be served, which locker shall be capable of being locked.

(9)

Any pool or spa shall be issued a permit and inspected.

(10)

All walls, ceilings, floors, showers, bathtubs, steam rooms, and all other physical facilities within the establishment must be in good repair and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Wet and dry heat rooms, steam or vapor rooms or cabinets, toilets and wash basins shall be thoroughly cleaned each day business is in operation. Shower compartments and bathtubs, where provided, shall be thoroughly cleaned after each use.

(11)

Clean and sanitary sheets and towels shall be provided for each patron of the establishment. The head rest of each table shall be provided with a clean and sanitary covering for each patron.

(12)

All wash basins within an establishment shall have hot and cold running water, tempered by means of a mixing valve faucet; provide sanitary towels placed in permanent installed dispensers or upon a permanently attached rod dispenser, and provide soap in a soap dispenser that is placed on or near the wash basin. A hand wash basin shall be provided in each treatment room providing colon therapy, colonics, or hydrotherapy services, including whirlpool bath saunas, steam baths and herbal wraps.

(Ordained by Ord. No. 232-1996, eff. Sept. 6, 1996)