By Bridget Brazie, Special AFS Contributor
For many, we’re beginning to get started back up and running after the shutdown. One thing we’ve all seen is that it’s critical to take the right steps to provide a safe, healthy, and reassuring facility for both members and staff when you welcome back your wellness community. What’s one of the best ways to provide this comfort? Creating a touch-free facility.
Safe Spaces Start at the Main Entrance
Provide a touch-free main entrance with automatic door and alternative options such as foot-powered openers. In your entry, adding in a touch-free sanitizing station gives both peace of mind and an immediate sanitizing start.
Reassess Your Sanitizer and Wipe Stations
Many of you already have touch-free hand sanitizer stations throughout your space. Do a check around — make sure that they’re readily available, with clearly labeled signage by the exits/entries, restrooms, common areas including registration and check-in, and be sure that there are plenty of disinfecting wipes near your free weights and treadmills (two of the areas that can have the highest concentration of germs). A good rule of thumb?
Members shouldn't have to go out of their zone to get wipes, cleaning spray, or hand sanitizer.
Restrooms and Locker Rooms
A hot spot for bacteria, restrooms, and locker rooms are good places to make the switch to touch-free. Simply put, switching out to automatic soap dispensers, automatic hand dryers, and hands-free antibacterial dispensers will cut down on contact and spreading of germs in a major way.
Other touch-free opportunities to consider that you may not have in place: remote locker openers, remote shower starters, touch-free faucets, and toilets with sensors and touch-free step can trash bins.
Get the word out! Encourage members to wipe down equipment after each use (though we’re fairly certain that what wasn’t necessarily a habit before will most certainly be now). Make sure that wipes (with an alcohol count of 60% or more) are readily available.
There’s More to Touch-free than Good Hygiene
What’s good for your communities’ health is also good for the environment. An energy-efficient automatic hand dryer (mentioned above) also saves on paper costs and dries hands quickly. Hands-free drinking fountains and bottle filling stations encourage hydration, cut down on plastic bottle usage (score another one for Planet Earth!) and promote safe drinking habits.
Consider the Switch to Hands-Free Exits and Entries
Inside your facility, foot-operated door openers will allow members to enter restrooms, saunas, and the like with the touch of their foot. Outside, hands-free adapter kits or automatic door openers can help to cut down on the spread of germs as well.
Focus on Education
Get the word out! Encourage members to wipe down equipment after each use (though we’re fairly certain that what wasn’t necessarily a habit before will most certainly be now). Make sure that wipes (with an alcohol count of 60% or more) are readily available.
Encourage members to wash their hands before and after their workouts, and communicate your deep clean schedule to further provide reassurance to your community. And let your members see the staff cleaning and using the hands-free stations - if your staff is on board with proper cleaning techniques using touch-free products, your members will be, too.
We’re in this Together!
Questions? Zogics is always available to walk you through the options for moving to a touch-free facility. Call or email us anytime.
Bridget Brazie is the Content Marketing Manager at Zogics, the industry's best one-stop-shop for all your facility needs, from cleaning and disinfecting supplies to equipment.
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