This is Aran....
Aran is a personal trainer who specialises in body sculpting. He works at Elev8 Fitness Club. Aran’s responsibilities include; demonstrating the correct way to use exercise equipment, monitor the misuse of equipment, maintain and store equipment in his area, ensure the gym is clean and free of health and safety hazards, and develop and deliver personal exercise plans to his clients incorporating the safe and effective use of equipment.
How can you find out the safety standards for the equipment you are responsible for?
A manufacturer, importer, wholesaler/retailer of exercise equipment supplied to Australia (even online) must comply with the applicable Australian mandatory safety standards. Supplying or selling non-compliant exercise equipment to consumers in Australia is illegal. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has set out Australian mandatory safety standards for exercise equipment. Guidelines and standards for equipment use and maintenance are also developed by our partners within the fitness industry. These resources are widely available. And there is good information on equipment setup, use and maintenance, available on reputable equipment manufacturer websites.
What key points should you keep in mind in regards to the maintenance of the equipment?
Follow the manufacturer's maintenance recommendations. Ensure that this information is accessible to all relevant staff. Wipe or clean equipment daily. Use the recommended disinfectant and anti-bacterial cleaning products. Use a vacuum cleaner under the equipment and other surfaces, when necessary. Use only replacement parts from the equipment's manufacturer. Install surge protectors. This will help prevent electrical damage from power spikes to equipment that is plugged in.
What information would you include when completing records of routine maintenance and repairs on equipment?
Detailed information on any problem. Notes on function checks and calibration. Any maintenance performed by the internal maintenance or repair team, manufacturer/vendor service team or external service agents. Follow-up activities and information regarding the resolution of any problem. Schedule of preventive maintenance activities. Troubleshooting tips. Date of event and name of team member responsible.
What is maintenance scheduling and why is it important?
Maintenance schedules include frequency of all maintenance tasks, function checks, routine replacement of parts and replacement of old equipment. Scheduling includes; short-term maintenance tasks that occur daily or weekly, preventive maintenance tasks that occur monthly or quarterly, and an annual professional servicing which helps to extend the life of the equipment and hopefully prevents major malfunction or a safety incident from occurring.
Following a maintenance schedule is helpful for; identifying and solving problems before they can affect the user, preventive maintenance on working equipment to minimise the chances of equipment failure, and predictive maintenance to reduce maintenance frequency and actively preventing unplanned and reactive maintenance. Maintaining equipment is necessary for the safety of all concerned.