After more than three months in isolation, many people may be looking forward to getting back into the gym, whether it’s to lose “quarantine weight” or to simply get out of the house, and you’ll want to make sure you’re taking extra precautions to keep your staff and members safe. While occupancy limits and stricter cleaning procedures may be at the top of your list of new policies, so should your plumbing. In this blog post, we highlight some ways you can be proactive as Clark County inches closer to reopening gyms in Phase 3.
Flush Your Water System
If your building has been unoccupied, you’ll want to flush every toilet in your building and run every faucet with hot and cold water. When pipes go unused, water becomes stagnant. This can cause low levels of chorine and puts your plumbing system at risk of biofilm-associated bacteria, including Legionella. Legionella, which is also found in other bodies of water like streams and lakes, is known to cause Legionnaires’ Disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Disinfect Hot Tubs and Pools
Even if your pools aren’t opening, you’ll want to clean and disinfect them as a safety precaution. This also goes for showers, shower drains, and saunas.
Clean Out Ice Machines
If your gym has a cafe or smoothie bar, you’ll want to discard all of the ice in your ice machine, clean the ice machine, and sanitize it. This will not only provide you with clean, fresh ice, but it will also help cut down on energy costs and increase the life of your machine. In fact, you should clean your ice machine about every three to six months as listed on your owner’s manual.
Touchless Water Bottle Filler Station installed by Pacific Plumbing
Offer Touchless Plumbing Fixtures
Touchless plumbing fixtures can help decrease the cross-contamination of germs. Consider touchless soap dispensers, touchless faucets, touchless hand dryers, touchless flushers, and even touchless water bottle filler stations to help improve your gym’s safety.
Post Signage
Post signage around your facility to help reinforce cleanliness reminding members to sanitize their areas and wash hands for at least 20 seconds. You can also post floor signage to help direct members and reinforce social distancing.
Provide Sanitizing Stations
Because so many people will be touching equipment, you’ll want to add extra sanitizing stations around your facility or designate staff members to perform the sanitizing in between equipment usage. Installing sanitizing stations or dispensers near bathrooms is also a good way members can sanitize, before entering the restroom and after.
Update Your Website to List the Health Precautions You’re Implementing
With all of the safety precautions your business is taking, you’ll want to keep your members informed. Update your website and social media sites so they know about the extra steps you’re taking to help keep them and your staff safe.
Interested in more guidance for your gym’s reopening? At Pacific Plumbing and Drain, we offer inspections for businesses that are set to reopen. We can suggest optimizations against COVID-19 for your gym. Just give us a call today! We proudly serve the greater Portland OR and Vancouver WA area.
