How long does the Pierce Safe course take?

Most piercers complete the full course in 60 to 90 minutes. It is self-paced and split into nine modules. Access does not expire, so students can return to review specific modules later.

How long is the Pierce Safe certificate valid?

There is no formal expiry date, but Pierce Safe recommends re-taking the refresher every 12 months. Best practice is to re-take on the anniversary of your last completion so your certificate is always current.

For Working Piercers · Annual Refresher

Pierce Safe: IPC Level 2 Online Refresher

Q: Who issues the Pierce Safe certificate?

The certificate is issued directly by Pierce Safe Ltd, an independent UK accreditation body for piercer IPC training. Essex Piercing Academy is a delivery partner. We sell access to the course, but the certificate carries Pierce Safe's name.

The annual Infection Prevention & Control refresher every UK piercer should take. It's online, self-paced, accredited and recognised across the UK piercing industry. Take it through us, get certified by Pierce Safe.

Pierce Safe: accredited IPC certification

£69

Online · Self-Paced

Enrol Now → Read FAQs

Why Take It

The Annual Refresher Clients Look For

There's no UK law that forces working piercers to refresh their Infection Prevention & Control training every year. There's also no UK law that forces dentists to publish hygiene scores. Both groups do it anyway, because professionalism is a competitive advantage and clients notice.

Pierce Safe is the recognised UK standard for IPC Level 2 in piercing. Taking it once a year is the simplest, cheapest signal you can put on your studio that you take client safety seriously.

Client trust. Display your current Pierce Safe certificate where clients can see it. They notice. They tell friends.
Insurance signal. Up-to-date IPC training strengthens insurance renewals and council inspections.
Stay sharp. Even experienced piercers forget specifics. The course refreshes BBV protocols, sharps handling and sterilisation in 90 minutes.
Affordable differentiator. At £69, it's the cheapest and highest-leverage marketing investment most piercers make all year.

What's Covered

The IPC Level 2 Curriculum

Nine self-paced modules covering everything a working UK piercer needs to keep their Infection Prevention & Control practice up to standard.

Cross-Contamination Prevention

Working environment principles, how contamination spreads, and how to engineer it out of your studio.

Hand Hygiene

When, why and how: the WHO five-moments framework adapted for studio work, with technique reminders.

Sharps Management

Safe handling, transport, and disposal of needles. Sharps-bin protocol and incident reporting.

Blood-Borne Viruses

HIV, Hepatitis B and C: how transmission happens, how exposure is managed, and your post-incident protocol.

Sterilisation Principles

Autoclave operation, sterilisation cycle verification, packaging and storage of sterilised instruments.

Personal Protective Equipment

Gloves, masks, aprons and eye protection. When each is required, and how to don and remove them safely.

Workplace Cleaning

Surface decontamination protocols, spillage management, and cleaning schedules that hold up in council inspections.

Waste Management

Categorising clinical waste, legal disposal routes, and what your council expects to see documented.

Risk Assessment & Documentation

Building, maintaining and reviewing a written risk assessment that satisfies inspectors and insurers.

How It Works

Four Steps, One Afternoon

Enrol Online

Pay £69 once. Instant access to all nine modules, with no waiting and no cohort start dates.

Work Through Modules

Self-paced. Most piercers complete the whole course in 60–90 minutes. Stop and start whenever.

Pass The Assessment

A short multiple-choice assessment at the end. Pass to receive your certificate. Re-take if needed.

Get Certified

Pierce Safe issues your certificate directly. Print it, frame it, post it on your wall and your social.

Who It's For

Built For Working Piercers

Solo Piercers

Run your own chair

You pierce paying clients regularly. Pierce Safe is your annual safety MOT: proof to clients (and your own peace of mind) that your IPC practice is current.

Studio Owners

Certify your whole team

Get every piercer in your studio Pierce Safe certified annually. Display the certificates on your wall. Clients ask, councils notice, insurers approve.

Beauty Pros

Piercing on your menu

If piercing is part of your beauty service offering, Pierce Safe keeps your IPC training current (separate from your wider beauty CPD).

Common Questions

Pierce Safe FAQ

Is annual IPC refresher training legally required for UK piercers?

No. UK law does not require body piercers to refresh their Infection Prevention & Control training annually. But every reputable piercer treats it as best practice anyway. Insurers, councils and clients all view current IPC certification favourably, and most working studios treat it as standard.

How long does the course take?

Most piercers complete the full course in 60–90 minutes. It's self-paced and split into nine modules, so work through them in one sitting or break it across an afternoon. Access doesn't expire, so you can dip back in to review specific modules later.

What format is the assessment?

A short multiple-choice assessment at the end of the course. Pass it to receive your certificate. If you don't pass first time, you can re-take it, and there's no extra cost or penalty.

Who issues the certificate?

The certificate is issued directly by Pierce Safe Ltd, the independent UK accreditation body for piercer IPC training. Essex Piercing Academy is a delivery partner; we sell access to the course, but the certificate carries Pierce Safe's name and credibility.

How long is the certificate valid?

There's no formal expiry date on the certificate, but Pierce Safe recommends taking the refresher every 12 months, and so do we. Best practice is to re-take it on the anniversary of your last completion, so your certificate is always current when clients or inspectors ask.

I'm already enrolled on a 2-Day or 4-Day course. Do I also need this?

No. Our full 4-Day, 2-Day and Hybrid piercing courses already include the IPC Level 2 module as part of the curriculum. Pierce Safe is for piercers who already trained (anywhere in the UK) and want an annual standalone refresher.