Gym Cleaning and Sanitation Services for Fitness Centers

5/15/2020 (Permalink)

Gym Cleaning and Sanitation Services

For many, shelter in place means being homebodies are becoming out-of-shape bodies. Fitness clubs have been popular because people enjoy a dedicated space for their workouts in an encouraging atmosphere. Good news! Texas has given gyms the green light to reopen on May 18th. 

Fitness enthusiasts look forward to getting back into the groove of their old routines, but with the continued concern about the spread of the Coronavirus, it takes the coordination of the staff and cooperation of the patrons to ensure reopening is done properly.

Governor Abbott has limited the operating capacity to 25% (staff and contractors are exempt from the headcount) and strongly recommends the continued practice of social distancing. Businesses across the state that are reopening to the public should encourage patrons to maintain a safe buffer area from one another (around 6 ft), practice frequent handwashing/sanitizing, and adopt policies that prohibit patrons or staff from entering the facility if ill.

Burning calories means sweat production and an increase in breathing. Each of these is conducive to spreading germs. For this reason, clubs like Equinox in Austin have announced plans to schedule morning and afternoon disinfection sessions daily with the use of a hospital-grade product.

At SERVPRO, we use SERVPROxide. We know this hospital-grade solution to be effective against other coronavirus strains and SARS. These may be used as part of our gym cleaning services.

Once your fitness club or gym has decided that it’s feasible to reopen for service, the first phase of your health and safety plan should include a thorough gym cleaning, maintenance, and contingency plan. Ideally, this guide should integrate the tips and best practices introduced by the CDC Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Businesses guide.

We’re here to support businesses to reopen safely and confidently in hopes that we won’t see them shut down again.

Recommended Health Protocols for All Gyms and Exercise Facilities

Corporate or franchise gyms will likely already have an updated Coronavirus-conscious standard operating procedure ready to implement. 

If you’re curious how yours compares to the state guidelines, we’ll go over the basics of the State of Texas List of Recommendations for Gyms.

Safety Protocols for Employees and Contractors

These are the state recommended guidelines for the management of fitness club employees and contractors. These are intended to promote vigilant health and safety measures.

• All employees and contractors should be consistently trained in best practices for the gym facility. This includes appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
• Employees and contractors should be screened for symptoms prior to or upon arrival at the gym or exercise facility or class.
• Any employee or contractor who shows potential symptoms of COVID-19 should be sent home. These symptoms are:
• Cough.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Chills.
• Repeated shaking with chills.
• Muscle pain.
• Headache.
• Sore throat.
• Loss of taste or smell.
• Diarrhea.
• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100F.
• Known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19.
• Symptomatic employees or contractors may return to work once 72 hours have passed since recovery.
• Return to work criteria for employees or contractors diagnosed with COVID-19 are as follows:
• 10 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared.
• Improvement in symptoms (cough, shortness of breath).
• Symptom-free without the aid of fever-reducing medication.
• Employees or contractors who are suspected to have COVID-19 and do not receive a medical evaluation or testing for COVID-19 should be treated as a positive case of COVID-19. They should not return to work until they have completed the three-step criteria listed above or receive clearance from a medical professional before the 10-day window closure.
• Employees and contractors should notify the business of close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. These individuals must self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of the most recent contact before returning to work. (Healthcare workers and critical infrastructure workers are the exceptions.)
• Employees and contractors must wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the gym or exercise facility.
• Employees and contractors should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from one another. 
• When social distancing is not feasible, compensatory solutions such as face-covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be faithfully practiced.
• Gyms or exercise facilities that provide meals for employees and/or contractors should arrange foods individually packaged rather than buffet-style self-service.
• Like many employers across the state have done, have employees and contractors wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth). When feasible, employees should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks to reserve those for medical centers.
• Those conducting gym cleaning services should wear the appropriate PPE (masks and gloves) and consistently wash their hands after using disinfectants.

Health & Safety Protocols for Facilities

Likewise, there are overall health and safety guidelines for fitness club facility operations to follow:

• Make space of at least 6 feet of separation between patrons and exercise equipment.
• Regularly and frequently clean/disinfect any “high touch” areas/surfaces, such as doorknobs, tables, chairs, and restrooms.
• Disinfect any objects or surfaces that come into contact with customers.
• Provide self-serve cleaning products throughout the gym or exercise facility to use in classrooms or open floor areas so patrons and staff can sanitize equipment such as dead weights.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers, disinfecting wipes, soap, and water, or similar disinfectant should be regularly replenished and readily available to employees, contractors, and customers.
• Post signage in areas of best visibility to remind everyone of best hygiene and social distancing practices.
• Appoint a staff member to monitor and ensure that all health and safety policies are being followed during each shift/workday.

It’s important to look at our standard operating procedures critically to determine where they should be modified. When we compare notes, it allows us to include things we may not have considered. 

Refer to official government and industry leader guidelines as well as communicate with your management team and staff to ensure that your policies are comprehensive and inclusive.

Coping With Cleaning Supply Shortages

Increased cleaning and sanitizing of gym equipment and general areas means the increased need for sanitation supplies which are already in high demand. 

IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) released a complete guide for fitness club reopening including what to do about cleaning supply shortages.

When the usual suppliers are out of hand sanitizer, wipes, disinfectant cleaners, paper products, etc. you can look to sources off the beaten path (like unexpected places to find cleaning products).

As for sanitizers, you may substitute with any products that have at least 60% alcohol or make your own batch using either ethyl alcohol or isopropyl or rubbing alcohol as the main ingredient.

However, handwashing continues to be the most important thing patrons and staff can do to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. 

Also, keep in mind that the healthcare industry relies on PPE or Personal Protective Equipment (like hospital-grade face masks and respirators) to protect the health of their medical professionals so they can continue to care for the sick and save lives. 

Stockpiling such PPE may potentially deprive hospitals of critical supplies. It is highly encouraged that you forgo excessive purchases of those critical items medical staff needs.

With interruptions in the supply chain and increased demand for PPE and sanitation supplies, we will need to get scrappy and creative for the time being.

Gym Cleaning and Sanitation Services

Reopening your gym or fitness center with confidence means having a comprehensive and updated standard operating procedure as well as a thoroughly cleaned facility. 

Professional gym cleaning services using the best disinfectant products in the industry gives your staff and your guests the reassurance they need to ease back into daily operations. 

The longer a business has been closed, the more necessary it is to have a complete and thorough cleaning dine. SERVPRO of Richardson is on call to do a total commercial cleaning of your facility in preparation for welcoming back your members and staff to the world of health and fitness. 

What We Offer:

• A trusted name in the Dallas area with 34 years of superior cleaning and sanitation services in Richardson, TX. 
• 24/7 service for emergencies (confirmed case of Coronavirus on-site) or overnight scheduling to work around your long operating hours.
• SERVPRO is the most recognized biohazard cleanup and restoration company in the country. Our IICRC trained technicians and industrial disinfectants are trusted by international airports and federal agencies to prepare their facilities for safe and secure use. We have effective disinfecting services for any sized facility and for any kind of situation. (Including expertise with school coronavirus cleaning and nursing home coronavirus cleaning.)
• Our uncompromising safety and hygiene standards include protecting our MVPs: our technicians. We insist that our professional staff has the proper PPE when working on site. Other cleaning companies may quote less, but chances are they do this by cutting back on PPE. For SERVPRO of Richardson, it’s always safety first!
• Professional bioremediation services to completely clean, disinfect, and sanitize the property with CDC-recommended & EPA-registered disinfectants on all porous and non-porous surfaces, such as walls up to 8 feet. 
• Hand-wipe all moisture-sensitive surfaces with a disinfectant-wet towelette. 
• Receive a certification of your property’s cleanup as completed by SERVPRO. 
• Social media announcement from us announcing your gym has been cleaned and is ready to re-open.
• Facility refresh services include:
• Carpet cleaning
• Upholstery cleaning
• Air duct cleaning with new a/c filters
• HEPA air scrubbing

Returning customers and new customers alike are probably beyond eager to get to the gym and get back in shape. We’re here to help get your facility ready for your staff and fitness enthusiasts with confidence.

Call us with any questions about your facility’s sanitation needs, cleaning products, or about getting a thorough cleaning done to streamline your reopening plan. 

Call us at (972) 690-1414 or fill out our quick and easy contact form anytime!