Planning To Reopen - Phase 3, Fitness Centers and Health Clubs Part 2

7/10/2020 (Permalink)

Phase 3 of Governor Charlie Baker's administration's plan to reopen the state of Massachusetts for business is in effect. Strict rules are in place for the third phase of a four-phase economic reopening in Massachusetts. The following outlines the workplace safety standards pertaining to staffing, operations, cleaning and disinfecting for Fitness Centers and Health Clubs.

As always, work with your local health officials to determine a set of strategies appropriate for your community’s situation.

These standards are minimum requirements only and are not exclusive or exhaustive. The public health data for disease prevention upon which these guidelines are based can and does change frequently, it is the responsibility of each Fitness Centers and Health Club to stay abreast of any updates to these requirements.

(See our "Planning to Reopen series of blogs for more information regarding CDC, EPA, FDA, Mass EEA and OSHA safety requirements). To review the administration's reopening guidance from the state click here. To view Governor Baker's full report click here).

Staffing and Operations 

Managers and staff of Fitness Centers and Health Clubs must adhere to the following:

1. Encourage outdoor exercise, classes, sessions, etc. where possible, so long as appropriate physical distancing is maintained at all times and any equipment used is sanitized after each use
2. Personal trainers should maintain six feet of distance from clients to the extent possible and should minimize any prolonged close contact. Personal trainers must wear face coverings.
3. Any equipment used during the personal training session must be sanitized after each use, or at the end of the session if the client was the only person who used the equipment during the session
4. Provide training to workers on up-to-date safety information and precautions including hygiene and other measures aimed at reducing disease transmission, including:
   1. Social distancing, hand-washing, proper use of face coverings
   2. Self-screening at home, including temperature and symptom checks
   3. Reinforcing that staff should not come to work if sick o When to seek medical attention if symptoms become severe
   4. Which underlying health conditions may make individuals more susceptible to contracting and suffering from a severe case of the virus
5. Adjust workplace hours and shifts (working teams with different schedules or staggered arrival / departure) to minimize contact across workers and reduce congestion
6. Require customers to sign up for classes in advance
7. Facilities must screen workers at each shift by ensuring the following:
   1. Worker is not experiencing any symptoms such as fever (100.0 and above) or chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle/body aches, runny nose/congestion, new loss of taste or smell, or nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
   2. Worker has not had “close contact” with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. “Close contact” means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, or coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was symptomatic
   3. Worker has not been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by their doctor or a local public health official
   4. Workers who fail to meet the above criteria must be sent home
8. Maintain a log of workers and customers to support potential contact tracing (name, date, time, contact information)
9. Limit employees to discrete work zones to minimize overlap where possible
10. Close or limit waiting areas and, for class-based activities with distinct session times, ask customers to wait outside or in cars until 10 minutes prior to their class
11. Schedule 30-minute windows between classes to allow for thorough cleaning and appropriate ventilation of the fitness room, and to discourage congestion
12. Consider creating “shifts” for customers engaging in unstructured exercise (i.e., open weight rooms) by using a reservation system in order to enforce occupancy limits
13. Clearly designate staff responsible for sanitizing, cleaning, and supervision during each shift
14. Workers who are particularly high risk to COVID-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control (e.g., due to age or underlying conditions) are encouraged to stay home
15. Encourage workers to self-identify symptoms or any close contact to a known or suspected COVID-19 case to the employer
16. Workers must stay home if feeling ill
17. Encourage workers who test positive for COVID-19 to disclose to the workplace employer for purposes of cleaning / disinfecting and contact tracing. If the employer is notified of a positive case at the workplace, the employer shall notify the local Board of Health (LBOH) in the city or town where the workplace is located and assist the LBOH as reasonably requested to advise likely contacts to isolate and self-quarantine. Testing of other workers may be recommended consistent with CDC or DPH guidance and / or at the request of the LBOH
18. Post notice to workers and visitors of important health information and relevant safety measures as outlined in the Commonwealth’s Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplace
19. Close or mark lockers to enforce 6 feet social distancing, especially in locker rooms. Lockers should be sanitized after each use. Gyms should provide sanitizing wipes near the lockers or in the locker room
20. Close all communal and individually partitioned showers. Showers that accompany pools may follow guidance for pools located on the Reopening Website
21. Consider setting aside specific hours of operation exclusively for vulnerable populations
22. Require that towels be stored in clearly labeled (clean vs. soiled) sanitary containers. Appropriate temperatures should be used when washing and drying towels. Employees must wear proper protective equipment (gloves and face covering) while handling towels. Towels should not be shaken out
23. Operations of related services may be allowed to open and must follow sector-specific safety protocols for each setting. Some examples include:
    1. In-facility child-care: Must follow child-care guidance
    2. Bars/food services: Must follow restaurant guidance o Pools: Must follow pool guidance
    3. Athletic facilities (e.g., tennis courts): Must follow adult and youth sports guidance
    4. Massage: Must follow close contact personal services guidance
    5. Saunas, hot-tubs, and steam rooms: May not open before Phase 4
24. Fans should not be used indoors and should only be used for outdoor classes if directed away from other customers
25. For indoor and outdoor sports guidance, please refer to the EEA Reopening Site

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Managers and staff of Fitness Centers and Health Clubs must adhere to the following:

1. Clean commonly touched surfaces in restrooms (e.g., toilet seats, doorknobs, stall handles, sinks, paper towel dispensers, soap dispensers) frequently and in accordance with CDC guidelines
2. Conduct frequent cleaning and disinfection of site (at least daily, and more frequently if feasible)
3. Keep cleaning logs that include date, time, and scope of cleaning
4. Conduct frequent disinfecting of heavily transited areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, handrails, equipment, etc.)
5. In the event of a positive case of a worker, customer or vendor shut down site and wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting of the workplace in accordance with current CDC guidelines
6. Open windows and doors to increase airflow where possible
7. Disinfect all fitness equipment or mutually-touched objects (e.g., spin shoes, jump ropes, dumbbells, etc.) immediately after each use. At no point should customers come in contact with objects that others have touched without first being disinfected according to CDC guidelines

While the administration continues to work with communities to implement best practices and protocols we will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC, FDA, OSHA, Mass EEA and the Governor's office to follow as we prepare for reopening. Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every business has access to the resources necessary to meet these strict guidelines. For those businesses, we are here to help!

Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!