[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Town of Georgetown 3-20-1991.
Revisions made at time of publication of Code. Other amendments noted where
applicable.]
In accordance with the authority granted by MGL C. 111, § 31,
and C. 140, §§ 51, 52 and 53, the Georgetown Board of Health
hereby establishes the following regulations for the practice of massage and
the conducting of establishments for the administering of vapor, pool, shower
and other baths.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Approved by the Board of Health of the Town of Georgetown.
A course on the art and science of massage which includes both theory
and practice and is approved by the Georgetown Board of Health in accordance
with accepted standards of education, training and experience.
The Georgetown Board of Health.
Any office, place of business or premises where massage is practiced
or where therapeutic or conditioning baths of water, vapor or other substances
are given.
Any method of manipulation or conditioning of part or parts of the
body by manual, mechanical or other means as a beauty treatment, for purported
health or medical treatment or medical treatment or for the purpose of invigoration.
Any individual, male or female, corporation, company, association,
society, firm, partnership and joint-stock company.
A.Â
No person shall practice massage or conduct an establishment
for the administering of massage or vapor, pool, shower or other baths in
the Town of Georgetown without being licensed by the Town of Georgetown Board
of Health.
B.Â
All applications for said license shall be submitted
to the Board of Health on an approved form, accompanied by the appropriate
fees and any additional documents required by the Board.
C.Â
The Board shall act to approve or deny an application
for a license to operate within a reasonable time not to exceed 45 days from
the date the completed application was received by the Board of Health.
D.Â
All licenses issued under these regulations shall expire
on December 31 of each year.
E.Â
All applications for renewal must be submitted on written
forms at least 30 days prior to the expiration date.
F.Â
Licenses are not transferable.
G.Â
Before a license is issued, all applications shall be
reviewed by the Georgetown Police Department who shall make its advisory recommendations
to the Board.
H.Â
Falsification of any information on the application shall
be grounds to revoke the license immediately without a hearing.
Every person desiring to practice massage in the Town of Georgetown
shall:
A.Â
Be 21 years of age or older.
B.Â
Have completed an approved course of massage or have
had at least two years experience in an approved massage establishment.
C.Â
Submit a minimum of two written references supporting
the applicant's professional qualifications.
D.Â
Present a certificate signed by a physician stating that
the applicant is free from any communicable disease.
Every establishment desiring a license to administer massage, vapor,
pool, shower or other baths in the Town of Georgetown shall meet the following
requirements:
A.Â
Written verification from the Building Inspector and
the Fire Department stating that the proposed premises are in compliance with
state and local codes shall be submitted to the Board of Health.
B.Â
Each room used for massage shall have an operating telephone
with the numbers of ambulance, fire, police and emergency contact person conspicuously
posted near said telephone.
C.Â
There shall be toilet facilities with an adequate supply
of hot and cold running water and single-use hand-washing soap and towels
available at all times to both patrons and staff.
D.Â
The license for an establishment is restricted to the
location specified on the application.
E.Â
Inspections by the Board of Health or its Agent shall
verify that all applicable sanitary code requirements are met.
A.Â
Physicians, physical therapists, nurses, chiropractors
or podiatrists registered in the commonwealth are excluded. A person registered
as a barber or an apprentice under the provisions of MGL C. 112, § 87H
or 87I, or as a hairdresser, operator or as a student under the provisions
of MGL C. 112, §§ 87T to 87 JJ, inclusive, may practice facial
and scalp massage without obtaining a license.
B.Â
A person licensed to practice massage in any other town
in the commonwealth may on written orders of a physician attend patients,
specified by the physician, in Georgetown. He shall, if required, submit to
the Board of Health a copy of his license from another community and any other
documents required by the Board.
C.Â
Hospitals, infirmaries, nursing and convalescent homes,
school athletic departments and other similar licensed institutions where
massage and baths may be given are excluded from the definition of an establishment.
A.Â
No room used to conduct business in an establishment
shall be used as a bedroom or other form of housing.
B.Â
All licenses shall be conspicuously posted at all times.
C.Â
All equipment, instruments, devices, wearing apparel,
linens or any other materials or items which may come in direct contact with
the body shall be disposed of or cleaned and sterilized after each use.
D.Â
All rooms, furniture and equipment shall be kept clean
and sanitary at all times.
E.Â
Hours of operation shall be between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00
p.m. only, unless specifically authorized in writing by the Board.
F.Â
There shall be no alcoholic beverages on the premises
at any time.
G.Â
Every licensed massage person shall thoroughly cleanse
his hands immediately before administering a massage.
H.Â
All rooms used for massage shall be well lighted and
well ventilated.
I.Â
Every licensee shall permit the Board of Health or its
Agent to inspect the place of business at any reasonable time. At no time
shall inspections occur less than once annually.
A license may be suspended or revoked by the Board for violation of
any of these regulations. A hearing must be requested in writing within 10
days of the notice of suspension or revocation. The Board shall set a time
and place for said hearing within seven days of receipt of said request.
Any person who violates any provision of MGL C. 140, § 51,
or any rule or regulation promulgated under the authority thereof, shall be
punished by a fine as provided in MGL C. 111, § 31.
So far as the Board of Health may provide, each section of these rules
and regulations shall be construed as separate, and if any section, item,
sentence, clause or phrase be held invalid for any reason, the remainder of
these rules and regulations shall continue in full force and effect.
These rules and regulations were adopted by a vote of the Georgetown
Board of Health and are to be in full force and effect upon publication in
a newspaper and a copy thereof shall be deposited with the Office of the Town
Clerk.