Gyms, health clubs and fitness centers were among the businesses that were significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Most were forced to close while others had to make do with operating at reduced capacity, making it hard to stay afloat.
But over the last couple of months, most Covid-19 restrictions have been gradually lifted. As a result, gyms and workout facilities have started to reopen, either at full or partial capacity.
However, as much as gyms, health clubs and fitness centers have started to resume operations as efficiently as they can, they still provide an environment where the Coronavirus can spread. Hence, it’s important to put place certain health and safety measures in place, to minimize the spread of Covid-19 in workout facilities.
In this article, we will explore some health and safety practices that gyms and fitness centers can implement so that they can resume operations safely and minimize the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
1. Ventilation
One of the most cost-effective methods that gyms and fitness centers can implement to resume operations safely is ventilation. Proper ventilation of indoor areas with outside air can help to lower the concentration of disease-causing pathogens. And this also includes the Covid-19 virus.
So, as you resume operations in your fitness center, you need to ensure there’s a robust ventilation system in place.
In case you are not sure whether the ventilation system that is currently available in your gym is adequate, you should consider consulting an HVAC specialist for the same.
If the current ventilation system is not adequate, then you should consider making the necessary improvements. In case it can’t be improved due to its configuration, then you should go for portable air ventilation units, which come with high-efficiency filters.
As for the humidity, you should maintain levels of approximately 30% to 50%. If the humidity is too low, respiratory droplets will remain suspended in the atmosphere for a longer period, thus increasing the chances of the virus coming into contact with someone. At the same time, high levels of humidity will increase the size of the respiratory droplets, thus increasing their rate of falling to the ground. And they may end up falling on the workout equipment, leading to infections.
You should also consider taking your workout sessions outdoors as much as possible. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, outdoor workout sessions provide a safer means of exercising, compared to doing it in the gym. Hence, outdoor workout sessions should be part of your routine.
2. Cleaning and Disinfection
Once you’ve resumed operations in your gym, you should also make sure that you put in place an enhanced cleaning and disinfecting routine. Cleaning and disinfecting the various surfaces in a gym will help to prevent or reduce Covid-19 transmissions.
Ideally, high transmission risk surfaces, equipment and objects should be cleaned and disinfected several times throughout the day. They include workout equipment, handrails, lockers, doors, and elevator buttons, among others. You also need to promote these cleaning and disinfecting practices in your gym by using signage.
Also, you should require your gym members to clean workout equipment before and after every use. So, make sure you post these instructions throughout the gym, to ensure they are visible to every gym user.
However, you will also need to provide your gym users with cleaning and disinfecting materials such as wipes, gloves, paper towels, and disinfectants.
Once these materials have been used, they should be properly disposed of into a plastic-lined garbage container. You should have several of these containers strategically placed throughout the gym, to minimize in-person contacts. Ensure you dispose of garbage at least once per day.
3. Hygiene Measures
Your gym users also need to follow strict hygiene measures, to minimize the spread of Covid-19 in your gym. Some of the personal hygiene measures that you can implement in your gym include:
- Placing several hand washing stations in the washrooms and locker rooms
- Placing EPA-approved sanitizers in highly trafficked areas like breakrooms, elevators, entrances and service counters
- Requiring every individual that comes to your gym to sanitize at the door
- Providing paper towels that gym members and staff will use to disinfect and clean the equipment
- Requiring members to clean and disinfect the various pieces of equipment in your gym before and after use
- Encouraging the gym users to change into their workout gear prior to coming to the gym to minimize the need for using the locker rooms
- Discouraging yelling, shouting, chanting and singing, as these activities can spread aerosols around
You also need to find ways of reducing in-person contact. For instance, you can install motion-activated doors, automatic flushing urinals and toilets, foot-activated sanitizer, soap, and towel dispensers, as well as foot-activated waste containers. Other methods that can help to reduce in-person contact include cashless payment systems.
Remember to keep checking the levels of sanitizer, soap, wipes, disinfectant and paper towels. Ensure you restock all of them on time. Also, keep a close eye on the waste receptacles and empty them frequently, to ensure they don’t overflow.
4. Physical Distancing
Physical distancing remains one of the most effective methods of containing the spread of Covid-19 in indoor spaces. Hence, you should also consider implementing it in your fitness facility once you resume operations. For physical distance, you have several approaches that you can use.
First, you should modify the workout stations in such a way that your gym members will remain at least two meters apart, whether they are working or not. Also, the workout stations should be designed in such a way that the members don’t exercise facing each other.
Second, you should consider limiting the number of people occupying narrow spaces. Such spaces may include corridors and staircases. Also, you should limit access to common areas like urinals, sinks and lockers. If possible, you should block access to some of the lockers, to ensure gym members maintain the minimum recommended distance of two meters.
Third, you should consider suspending activities that take place in enclosed spaces temporarily. If it’s not possible to suspend them, then you should limit the number of people using such services at a time, to prevent crowding.
Fourth, you should consider reducing the number of people using your gym facilities at a time, to prevent crowding. For instance, if your gym can support up to 100 people per session, it will be advisable to reduce that number by at least half.
You should also encourage some of your gym members to join your online personal training program. If successful, this approach will help to prevent crowding in your gym, thus reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission even further.
Fifth, you should install physical barriers like Plexiglas or clear acrylic plastic where appropriate. These barriers can help to block aerosols. Remember to clean and disinfect these physical barriers at least once every day. You can install these barriers between equipment, at the reception desk and between lockers, just to name a few.
5. Face Coverings
Face coverings like masks can also go a long way in helping to minimize the spread of aerosol-transmitted viruses like the Covid-19 virus. So, after you re-open, you should make sure you follow all the mask-wearing requirements set forth by your local public health body.
In case there’s no mask mandate in your local area, it will be advisable to encourage everyone in your gym to be wearing them, especially during group workout sessions when the risk of transmission is high.
The masks to be worn should be the CDC-recommended N95 and the KN95 masks. These masks will limit the travel distance and volume of respiratory droplets that may be dispersed when breathing, talking, or coughing.
Also, you should post signage notifying the gym members of proper mask use such as making sure the mask is properly worn and covering the mouth, nose and chin. Also, remind the gym users to avoid touching their masks or face with unwashed hands.
You should also consider buying some additional masks and storing them somewhere in the gym. People forget to carry masks all the time. And someone forgetting to carry a mask shouldn’t be a reason big enough to miss a workout session. To prevent such issues, you should always have some spare masks in the gym. If someone forgets to carry one, they can always use the spare ones you’ve purchased.
6. Additional Control Measures
Apart from the main Covid-19 prevention strategies, there are also a couple of other additional measures that you can implement in your gym, to help prevent the risk of spread even further. They include:
- Encouraging clients and employees to stay home if they have any noticeable symptoms
- Implementing a system where clients can book the sessions by themselves by themselves
- Encouraging employees to opt for alternative forms of transportation instead of using public means
- Commuting during off-peak times
- Encouraging gym users who rely on public transportation means to wash their hands before and after the trip
- Making sure you wash your hands after every physical interaction with someone else in the gym
7. Wrapping It Up
As you move to re-open your gym, you need to ensure you do it safely. And by following the above safety recommendations, you will be providing a safe environment, where your fitness clients can continue pursuing their fitness goals. Also, you will be playing your role in helping to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmissions.
