Pavigym floor markings to aid social distancing in reopened gyms

April 30, 2020

With fitness clubs in Australasia looking at post Coronavirus lockdown reopening, and gyms in some states in the USA already back in use, flooring innovator Pavigym is offering a simple solution to aid social distancing among exercisers.

With social distancing requirements calling for people to remain 1.5 metres apart, a protocol fitness facilities are likely to need to adhere to in a post lockdown environment, the functional training markings that can be included in Pavigym's multi-use rubber gym flooring offers a simple way to reinforce the requirement.

The markings (as pictured) can be permanent or part of interactive and integrated LED lights and sensors that link with Pavigym's Interactive Training Software.

Combining traditional manufacturing with cutting-edge technology, Pavigym remains that the only flooring manufacturer exclusively focused on the fitness industry.

Between its flooring and interactive solutions, Pavigym has completed over 20,000 health and fitness installations around the world over the last decade alone, impacting the fitness experience for millions of exercisers worldwide.

Pavigym advice on hygiene and disinfection
Pavigym is also sharing advice for the cleaning and disinfection of gyms, publishing a Blog post that advises "during these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to bear in mind what your members will value most when they return to your facility."

Explaining that "unbeatable hygiene and correct disinfection of your installations will convey a feeling of security and confidence" the Blog documents "all the necessary measures to ensure that your flooring is correctly disinfected and free from viruses and bacteria, based on hygiene recommendations from international health authorities."

It goes on to advise "standard recommendations to prevent infection include regular hand washing, covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and maintaining social distance.

"However, these measures may not be enough to ensure your facility is totally free of COVID-19."

Its advises "we have prepared this list of suitable disinfectant cleaners and disinfection strategies recommended to help control or prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens."

The advice continues, before we start, there are a few important distinctions that need to be made clear:

Not all disinfectants are effective, which means you have to take care when choosing which products you buy and use. Detergents weaken the virus, but must be followed by a disinfectant in order to ensure complete elimination of the virus.

Bleach is effective but requires a minimum concentration (around 6%). This therefore means it can be damaging to certain products, so you should always check with the manufacturer before using it.

Below you’ll find our recommended guidelines and products for cleaning our flooring.

Ensuring your gym is properly sanitised
If it hasn’t been done already, you’ll need to clean and disinfect the entire centre and all the materials that users and staff will be using. This cleaning process should be undertaken 2 or 3 days before the reopening, in order to make sure that cleaning teams have time to properly clean every space and material.

There won’t be much difference between this deep clean and the later daily cleaning in terms of protocol, but it’s an opportunity to ensure that every element is taken care of while also setting new routines and protocols.

Don’t forget to turn on the air conditioning/heating systems an hour or so before cleaning in order to remove any loose dust that may have accumulated during the closure.

Once that’s taken care of, you’ll need to create a cleaning plan in order to minimise the risk of contagion when users return.

When doing this you’ll need to bear in mind the length of time that COVID-19 can survive on different surfaces, in order to focus efforts on the most problematic areas. According to the information we have up to now, we know the following about how long the virus lasts on these common surfaces:

Wood - two days
Glass, furniture, and counters - two to four days
Plastic - seven days
Metals - More than seven days

Areas of focus for gym cleaning
In order to get ready for the reopening of your gym, there are certain areas that you’ll need to pay special attention to when cleaning and disinfecting.

Fitness Studio/Machine room/Lockers. Start by dusting the machines and materials one by one, down to dumbbells, bars, and kettlebells. Next use a detergent disinfectant to eliminate any trace of bacteria or fungi.

Showers/Sauna/Spa area. A detergent disinfectant is useful for this area, and it’s important to clean all areas, including floors, walls, and drains/gutters.

Flooring. Floors should be attended to last, once all the other areas have been cleaned. You can find a guide to the best products to use and how to use them below, all of which are guaranteed not to damage our virgin rubber gym flooring.

Click here to view Pavigym's full Blog.

To contact Pavigym click here to view their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images courtesy of Pavigym.

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