Loose = Dangerous
How often do you check your equipment for loose bolts? Over time, vibrations and general movements during use can cause bolts to become loose in gym machinery and equipment. This can present risks in 2 ways – either through bolts falling out/off and so decreasing the structural stability and safety of equipment, or through mechanical […]
Tie up loose ends!
Do you ensure your ring straps are tied up each time they have been adjusted? Loose straps are one of the biggest trip hazards in a gym. Because they are normally hung off a rig or other structure, this also means that there are plenty of extra hazards in these areas that can be fallen […]
Do you have an outdoor training area?
Do you regularly test touch-temperature levels, especially during warm weather, to ensure members don’t get hurt by hot equipment? A 2010 study by NASA defined touch-temperature limits using the onset of pain (rather than skin damage) as the limiting factor. The study determined that “if the temperature of any commonly used material is lower than […]
Online presence….
Today we picked a CrossFit affiliate website from random and analysed the risks we could see that the business was taking – without even having to step through their doors. We identified the following: 1) No cookie policy/pop-up despite having a ‘contact us’ form2) No choice over opt-ins for further communications 3) Privacy policy invalid […]
What’s in your box?
What do each of these items have in common? They can all be found in gyms (CrossFit or otherwise) and also in many other businesses across the world. The other commonality they share is that they all contain chemicals that need to be assessed by law and considered in terms of risk to health, safety […]
Which route?
How did you choose your running route? One of the biggest factors for choosing a running route is whether it is easy to identify markers for turnaround points at 100m, 200m, 400m and so on. But there are numerous other factors which should influence the decision of a route too. You may even have ‘summer’ […]
Best before……?
Did you know that First Aid equipment has expiration dates? This includes bandages, plasters, eye wash, wipes, defibrillator pads & batteries, and more. When was the last time you checked your first aid kit for out of date equipment and do you have a written record of it and any replacements made? #firstaid #keepitlegal #keepitsafe […]
Take action…
Emergency evacuation procedures are an important part of any Health & Safety system. Displaying fire safety signs is a legal requirement under the Health & Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. Their purpose is to guide occupants safely out of a building to a place of safety and/or find fire-fighting equipment if lighting fails […]
What chemicals?
This is the Safety Data Sheet for Magnesium Carbonate , or chalk. Whilst not one of the most hazardous substances in a CrossFit gym, you should still have this on file and as part of your legally required COSHH assessment. Briefings to staff should also be undertaken and recorded. It may also be prudent to […]
Do you have gym heating?
Gas heaters may seem like a good option, but there are a huge set of regulations and risks surrounding what you can and can’t do. A quick search on social media has highlighted an extremely dangerous trend of using propane gas cylinders indoors to heat gyms – risking the leakage of harmful gases into an […]