Health Clubs

HEALTH CLUB RISK MANAGEMENT

Clubsafety.com has been designed as a resource for facility owners, managers, and staff members to obtain information dealing with risk management and safety issues in their clubs. We have built these pages around standards and guidelines developed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and other governing bodies that directly affect the industry.

At clubsafety.com we break down a facility into the core areas and discuss safety issues and concerns. You will also find informative links to other industry websites that will raise the level of safety in your facility. Use the resources on this site to help protect your clients and your business.

AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED)

What is an AED?

The automated external defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device. An AED can check a person’s heart rhythm. It can recognize a rhythm that requires a shock. And it can advise the rescuer when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take. AEDs are very accurate and easy to use. With a few hours of training, anyone can learn to operate an AED safely. Read more....

DOCUMENTATION

Record-keeping is very important in day-to-day operations because it helps ensure that policies and procedures are followed by staff members. Records should be kept for all activities offered at the facility and any maintenance performed on equipment. In the event that a lawsuit arises from an incident, record keeping is vital in proving that staff members acted properly in carrying out day-to-day operations and were properly trained to react to an emergency situation. Documentation includes Emergency Plans, Waivers, Incident Reports, Maintenance Logs, etc. Read more...

EMERGENCY ACTION PLANNING

What is an Emergency Action Plan?

An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a formal plan designed to dictate duties to staff members when handling an Incident. By Incident, we mean any situation where a person is injured or lives are in danger. This could be as simple as a sprained ankle or as complex as a fire evacuation. The plan should address it all.

Why do I need an Emergency Action Plan at my facility?

Out of the thousands of fitness facilities that the Sport Management Group has inspected, only a small percentage of management teams have a formal, written Emergency Action Plan. When asked if an EAP exists, most managers merely state that they call 911. Well, that's not good enough anymore. Management must realize that they are providing services that can place individuals in potentially risky situations. With this in mind, management has to train its staff members on how to identify, evaluate, and determine what actions, if any, should be taken to alleviate an incident.

How do I create an Emergency Action Plan for my facility?