In light of recent events, we’ve realized once again just how vital cleanliness is, especially in places that see a lot of traffic like fitness centers. Every gym owner should know how to keep their establishment clean and safe. It’s not enough to clean the showers and locker rooms, you also need to sanitize the machines and gear with diligence. The amount of germs and bacteria that accumulate on these surfaces is scary, which is why this task should be taken seriously in order to maintain sanitary compliance.
There is no doubt that you also want to protect your coaches, crew, and clients from getting infected, which is why you must take the necessary steps to ensure their safety. Here’s what you need to do to ensure that you’re in compliance with the official sanitation standards.
Educate Members and Staff
You can’t expect to have a clean gym without ensuring that your staff and clients are aware of the importance of good hygiene. The first thing you need to do is conduct a meeting with your employees, where you discuss and give clear instructions on how to keep the place clean. You must share with them the statistics that show the number of germs that gather on weights, dumbbells, and other equipment. This will give them a clear picture of how dirty and dangerous gym gear can get.
Moreover, you must encourage your clients to follow sanitation rules and regulations and practice good personal hygiene. Consider hanging signs that remind them to wash their hands before and after using the machines. Add other signs that demonstrate how negligence can lead to unwanted repercussions. All of these steps will ensure the cleanliness of the place as well as the sanitary compliance for your staff and members.
Disinfect, Sterilize, and Sanitize
Cleaning a gym is not an easy job nor should it be taken lightly. Start by making a cleaning schedule that can be easily followed. Make sure that the cleaning staff wash their hands and wear gloves before sterilizing the place. Create a list that includes everything that needs to be cleaned, from equipment and machines to the bathroom and locker rooms.
If your fitness center has jacuzzis and pools, then you need to have a specific sanitizing plan for them. There are plenty of owners who hire a gym cleaning service because they don’t have a professionally trained staff. But if you choose to clean the gym yourself, make sure that the disinfecting solutions you’re using won’t damage your machines. In that case, you’ll need to do your research before the cleaning staff starts sterilizing to preserve your equipment. However, you won’t have to worry about this if you hire a team of experts since they know what they’re doing.
Emergency Plan
The last step you need to take is to create an emergency plan for your gym. Your fitness center should have an emergency plan for extreme cases, like a global pandemic, for example. You will have to take certain precautions that won’t necessarily accommodate everyone, but they will surely keep them safe.
First of all, you need to hire a team of experts who can clean the equipment with diligence. Second, make sure everyone washes their hands regularly, whether they are a staff member or a client. Third, try to limit the number of clients at your premises and advise them to maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet. Fourth, promote the use of alcohol sprays and hand sanitizers. You can do so by giving out flyers or hanging signs that list the benefits of these practices. Finally, try to encourage your clients to get their own mats and gear to prevent the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses.
All in all, sanitary compliance of your fitness center is important, whether there is a global pandemic or not. There are a lot of necessary steps that you need to take to keep your premises clean and safe. You need to educate your staff and members on how to maintain the cleanliness of the place and the equipment. Hold meetings with the cleaning team and make sure they know the cautionary steps that they need to take to disinfect the place properly.
You should also encourage your clients to maintain good personal hygiene by hanging signs that remind them to wash their hands before and after working out. Remember that you can hire a gym cleaning service if need be. Otherwise, just make sure that your staff knows how to properly sanitize the place and the gear. Finally, make sure that you have an emergency plan that can keep you, the staff, and your clients safe, even in such extreme cases.
