Maintenance programs commence from initial purchase of equipment and include the initial set-up and calibration processes. Some maintenance duties will be undertaken by workplace staff, or yourself, and will include basic tasks such as cleaning, oiling, inspecting for wear and tear, and calibration. Other more complex maintenance tasks may be undertaken by a qualified technician (especially for large machines).
An effective maintenance program should consist of the following types of documents:
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Policy - Overarching document which summarises workplace, health and safety, storage, maintenance schedules, record keeping, and reporting channels. Individual pieces of equipment may be listed in the policy along with the accompanying manufacturer specifications, or this information may be available in separate procedures for specific equipment items (this may be the case if there is a large quantity of equipment owned by the business). The policy should allocate responsibility to a person/job role or team to ensure maintenance is undertaken as scheduled.
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Procedure - Outlines step-by-step instructions for the completion of maintenance tasks for specific pieces of equipment in accordance with manufacturer specifications. Factors to consider when constructing a maintenance procedure include the maintenance schedule (what tasks need to be done and how often), function checks (is the equipment working correctly), any safety considerations related to undertaking maintenance duties, and the routine replacement of parts.
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Checklist - Usually linked to the procedure and will be specific to a particular piece of equipment. Its purpose is to document the maintenance history including dates/times, maintenance activity undertaken, by whom etc...
If maintenance programs are followed correctly the life-span of equipment items will be significantly extended and the safety of users improved. However, if equipment breaks-down or is damaged then either immediate repair, usually from an qualified technician or replacement of the item will be required.
The Australian Competetition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has implemented some mandatory safety standards for certain items of fitness equipment (Exercise bikes and Treadmills) which must be followed by manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and/or retailers.
Whilst these safety standards are the minimum requirements for compliant sale and consumer use of these types of equipment there are other workplace health and safety considerations related to effective maintenance of fitness equipment, these are:
Equipment with moving parts that can be reached by people has the risk of crushing, ejecting, striking, electrocuting, or otherwise injuring users. It is essential that the following safety precautions are taken:
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Protective guards are installed.
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Signage/labels displayed.
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Emergency stop mechanisms are in place.
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Belts are adequately tightened and aligned.
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Adequate supervision made available.
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Electrical surge protectors are in use and no electrical maintenance is attempted by untrained people.
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Damaged or missing exercise equipment and accessories are fixed or replaced. In particular, exercise bike pedal straps, damaged cables on weight machines, torn or worn resistance bands, improperly inflated stability balls and also broken free weight racks.
Staff must be able to safely access equipment for the purposes of undertaking maintenance/cleaning duties.
All staff members who are responsible for the use, supervision, and/or maintenance of equipment should be thoroughly trained in manufacturer recommendations for set-up, safe operation, maintenance, and dismantling. Staff must also be aware of their scope of responsibility and know when to utilise a qualified technician for maintenance or repairs.
Maintaining a clean and orderly storage facility minimises workplace hazards and promotes workplace safety, efficiency and productivity. A well-maintained storage facility is not only good for the items stored in it but also for the individuals whose work is connected to it. It is considered a basic factor in accident and fire prevention.
Some recommendations for the set-up and ongoing organisation of storage areas:
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Walkways and floors are clean and free of clutter, to prevent slips and trips.
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Waste materials and other fire hazards are disposed of properly and in a timely manner.
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Labelling of storage units, shelving, tools and equipment, to ensure a systematic storage environment and to easily identify if items are missing.
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Organise items in terms of purpose, frequency of use or other features, so that commonly used items are easily accessible.
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Do not put bulky and/or heavy items on high shelves, to prevent falls and/or back strain.
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Checking the environmental conditions of the storage facility, for example temperature, humidity, and pest control.
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Installing sufficient security measures such as door locks and/or alarms, to prevent unauthorised access and potentially theft.
Larger items of equipment will not be stored in a specific area, rather they will stay in-place on the exercise floor, however, there should be set processes in place for the safe shut-down and/or pack-up of these pieces of equipment. This may include powering down electronic equipment, replacing weights to correct racks, and/or covering equipment.
Schedules may include daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and/or yearly intervals. The exact interval and the associated maintenance activity will vary depending on the piece of equipment, its frequency of use, and also manufacturer recommendations. Regardless of the actual intervals chosen it is vital that staff respect the maintenance schedule and undertake all designated tasks.
Some examples of maintenance activities that could be undertaken at each interval include:
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Daily - Basic cleaning/wiping down. Use a mild anti-bacterial detergent to sanitise certain contact areas like handles, seats, console screens etc... Note: Do not spray chemicals or apply liquids directly to equipment, use a dampened rag.
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Weekly - Inspection for general wear and tear and also staff function test to ensure equipment is operating as designed.
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Monthly - Oiling/lubrication. Resistenance machines with moving parts must be sufficiently lubricated either manually (by spraying lubricating agent directly onto bearings) or by topping up oil reserves in self-lubricating machines.
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Quarterly - Calibration of items such as skinfold calipers, pedometers, treadmills, scales, and measuring tapes.
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Annually - Routine maintenance with qualified technician including replacement of any worn parts.
This part of the maintenance program includes any documentation pertaining to equipment, including:
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Purchase orders / receipts for original equipment and also any replacement parts.
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Warranty information.
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Equipment model and/or serial numbers.
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Manufacturer instructions, recommendations, warranties etc...
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Maintenance checklists.
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Function test notes / forms.
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Troubleshooting recommendations.
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Technician service dockets and contact details.
Record keeping helps to provide an accurate historical record of a piece of equipment's life-span. It can be especially useful if the piece of equipment is expensive or likely/expected to be in use for many years. Staff come and go and people who originally purchased and maintained a piece of equipment may not be employed by the business years later when a problem surfaces or original purchase and set-up information is required.
It is essential that any record keeping be completed fully, accurately, and legibly and the resulting documents securely stored.
The formalilty of reporting channels will depend on the size of the workplace and the different types of equipment in use. The maintenance policy should allocate responsibility to a particular person, or job role (ie. personal trainer/receptionist) and/or a specific team of people, for the undertaking of scheduled maintenance tasks. This helps to avoid confusion as to who is responsible for what tasks and helps to prevent potentially dangerous situations not being addressed/rectified.
Staff members who observe any maintenance related issues must report them to an appropriate officer. This person may be their direct supervisor or, if they know they have authority, then it may be a matter of reporting directly to the manufacturer or repair technician.
In some cases formal documents may need to be submitted outlining the specific problems.
