Taking proper safety precautions for your members and staff is part of running a successful business. You may already have policies and best practices in place at your fitness center, but do they cover all the critical areas that pose safety risks? Keep these tips in mind to reduce your fitness center hazards:
Equipment
Fitness equipment is expensive and endures wear and tear over time. A lack of maintenance can cause serious injury or harm to those who use it.
- Ensure equipment is commercial grade and purchased from a licensed fitness equipment professional
- Do not use homemade equipment
- Get equipment serviced monthly by a licensed professional, and maintain service logs
- Check the equipment daily for safety concerns
- Properly space out floor equipment, and keep high traffic areas clear
Members and Staff
To keep your facility running successfully, utilize your members and staff. Members and new employees may not be familiar with safety procedures, proper weight lifting measures and exercise methods; therefore, fitness center management and trained staff should educate employees and members about workout safety.
- Provide a member orientation of the facility, rules and safety guidelines
- Require members to complete a waiver for participation in exercise, recreational sports, personal training, group exercise classes or any other activity prior to joining/participating
- Ensure staff is available at all times for supervision, instruction, spotting and emergencies
- Display safety instructions on all equipment
- Train and certify staff in CPR/AED and on emergency procedures
Facility
Your members expect a clean and well-maintained facility. Whether someone slips on standing water in the locker room or doesn’t sanitize equipment after using it, things happen that compromise the safety and security of your members.
- Ask members to wipe down equipment before and after each use
- Require staff to clean and sanitize the facility on an hourly basis
- Clean locker rooms hourly, and install non-slip mats in wet areas
- Post signs throughout the facility to indicate exits, restricted areas and rules
While no one can predict what can go wrong at your place of business, you can take the necessary precautions to help stop or reduce the most common claims from occurring on your premises.
