GENERAL ORIENTATION TO SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Abstract
Safety management within sports and health facilities are a crucial part of properly administering any area used for physical activity. The area in this case refers to the geographical zone, the facilities used and any person engaging in activity within the said locality. This paper analyses the 34 forms that are provided in Appendix B of the ACM’s Health and Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines. Wave Health and Fitness Boston was chosen as the fitness entity on which the applicability of the 34 forms would be tested.
Introduction
In every health facility or sports environment there is a need for safety and security. This need is addressed mainly through the use of orientation practices to inculcate in those that work and use such facilities a sense of safety (Gross, 1). Employees must be made aware that any sports facility may present as a recreational area, but is equally an extremely hazardous atmosphere. American College of Sports Medicine generates a set of 34 forms that can be used to the benefit of both the client and facility in identifying possible areas of concern. These areas may be in terms of health for the client and safety for the facility. Each party must ensure that a balance between health and safety is realized to prevent cases of legal suits.
This paper will evaluate each from in Appendix B (American College of Sports Medicine, 1) and analyze its applicability to Wave Health and Fitness Boston. This Health facility is located in the Seaport District of Boston and serves the Seaport Boston Hotel. The facility has one Director of operations, one Fitness manager, two certified personal trainers, one dietitian and one wellness coach. It offers personal training and other exercise regimes that include Pilates, yoga, circling and weight training.
The physical activity readiness questionnaire is Form 1; it is abbreviated as the PAR-Q. This form seeks to determine the medical soundness of all clients before they are permitted to take part in any activity at the health facility. The form restricts the age of persons that may be permitted to engage in physical activity as 15-69, for this bracket, the questionnaire determines whether they should be permitted to take part on not. Any other person above the age of 69 years must seek a medical approval from their physician.
The PAR-Q calls for the application of honesty and common sense in answering the questionnaire. It addresses the following areas of concern: Whether the doctor has limited client’s physical activity due to heart condition, inquires if the client has chest during and outside the exercise, bone and joint problems, blood pressure issues and whether any reason whatsoever exists to exclude the client from any sports activity.
A positive answer to any of the above concerns would result in further investigation by a physician for the client to be permitted use of the sports facility. A negative answer would result in an all green to participate in activities at the facility and to undergo further internal evaluations.
Wave Health and Fitness does not have this preliminary form. Whenever any person voices interest to be part of the club, they fill a Wave membership inquiry form which merely seeks to know the exercise regime that the client would like to undertake.
Form one is important since it is able to assist the facility to weed out persons with possible health issues from the start. However since it is an on sight nonprofessional evaluation it may be aced by a good liar who does not exhibit signs of chronic illness (The Leisure Media Company, 1).
The Guest History Questionnaire is form 3. It merely takes note of a guest’s contact, date of birth, title, address and gender. All the guests must be invited by a member of the facility. They provide theirs insurance information and then fill a questionnaire on their health condition. The questionnaire makes an attempt to investigate whether the guest client has problems related to heart disease, stroke, epilepsy, diabetes, bone and joint trouble or high cholesterol.
The guest must indicate their consent to the process by signing the form, after which a staff member evaluates the guest’s application, either granting them access to the facility or denying it. The importance of this form is that it keeps the facility legally removed from any repercussions that might result from the use of their facility by a stranger, in terms of medical conditions of the client becoming aggravated. Wave Health and Fitness Boston did not have such a system in place.
The Informed Consent for participants in a Personal Fitness Program for Apparently Healthy Adults (Form 8) seeks to indemnify the facility from lawsuits that might arise from clients without any known or suspected health issues. The client signs that they have understood the regulations at the facility, specified expectations, the risks present at the facility. This practically elaborates the realistic circumstances within a health facility that a client ought to be aware off. It indemnifies the facility at a later date against strange claims of legal culpability.
The Informed Consent for Exercise Testing of Apparently Healthy Adults (Form 9) presents inexactly the same manners as Form 8 except for the fact that in this case the exercise is a test for fitness as opposed to a personal fitness program in Form 8.
The Informed Consent for participating in an Exercise Program for Apparently Healthy Adults (Form 10) is an arrangement that allows the client to voluntarily consent and engage in a health regime. The client agrees to be directed by an instructor whose guidance is to be followed at all times. The performance of the participant is closely monitored by the instructor and in the event of any difficulty; the health exercise is immediately brought to an end.
The form stipulates the risks and benefits of the program. It also grants individuals a freedom of information privilege where they may ask any question that they wish to know.
Express Assumption of Risk (Form 11) provides the client with an opportunity to consent to any activity they so with. This particularly mandatory for exercises that by nature may result in injury or even death due to over exertion. Participants accept all responsibility and delineate all risk from the facility. The form provides that all the clients’ questions are to be answered and a witness must be present when consent is given. This practical ensures that all clients are enlightened on any possible dangers that may occur from exercise and they carry own at their peril.
Physical Release for Activity (Form 12) is issued to those whom after completing Form 1 require a medical note to permit physical activity. It calls for a comprehensive physical examination by a medical professional who considers the clients medical history, responses given during the PAR-Q evaluation and other factors that the physician might see fit to consider.
The Guest Agreement and Waiver with Brief Medical History (From 13) collects information and data about a guest client before they are permitted use of the facility. The form investigates existence of heart, chest and bone conditions. It ascertains that the client is below 65 years of age, is willing to consent to risks involved with the facility’s use by completing the questionnaire. This mechanism of evaluating any guest who wished to join the facility is crucial in ensuring that a standard is adhered to for all persons hence fostering a sense of quality and pedigree for all members. This leads to a kind of ownership by the members.
Form 14 is an Emergency medical authorization form which permits the facility, in the absence of an adult responsible for a minor to ensure that all efforts necessary are undertaken to save the life of the client. The form records medical data, response protocols and permits limited medical procedures like X-rays. It is crucial particularly for the case of children below the age of consent. It’s important, in fact and advisable to make use of such provision both for the case of parents and facility administrators. In addition, staff at the facility ought to be trained in basic first aid and lifesaving procedures. In all situations, lifesaving protocols must be adhered to.
The Fitness Evaluation Form (Form 15) exists to collect physical and medical data of the client. It notes the address, contact detail and information that is pertinent to the client’s medical status. The general physiological information that this form seeks to capture includes the following. The clients age, weight, risk factors, height among others. In this case a cardiovascular assessment, lung capacity assessment, and muscular strength test are mandatory. A body composition test is carried out as well which investigates skin folds, body fat and blood chemistry of the client.
The Fitness Integration Tracking Form (Form 16) is an amalgamation of the goals of the client and their plan of action. It states the goal and stipulates how it will be achieved. The client must equally states when they intend to be at the facility, what obstacles they foresee in the achievement of that goal and then they specify what support or assistance they require to achieve their goals.
Form 17 is a Cardiovascular Assessment Data Sheet. The form is used to evaluate the client’s heart rate during each workout. Then based on this data that is collected, a safe working range is suggested.
Form 18 is Release of Information Form, which permits one’s physician to grant access to any medical records they may have on the person or client in question
The Progress Note (Form 19) evaluates any client’s progress based on the previous benchmarks that they had set for performance review. The form records the dates of medical review and notes the weight of the client based on this it exams whether any change has occurred.
The Incident Report Form (Form 20) is a report card for incidents at the work place. It keeps track of the date, time, and persons involved in any incident at the health facility. The location and staff attending to the incident is noted as well. The form provides that any witnesses to the incident who go on record must be non-staff members.
Closely related to Form 20 is Form 21, the Theft Report Form. It takes a form of an incident report that concentrates on theft of any client’s belonging from the facility. It notes the time, date, items lost, location of the incident and provides a brief description of the incident. The form also provides for witnesses to be identified and their versions of events documented.
The Special Events Sign-up Sheet (Form 22) is a provision for any event and activity within the facility to be properly documented in terms of those clients that wish to participate. The Name of participants, event type, location, time and staff responsible are mandatory information that this form seeks to capture.
The Appointment Sheet (Form 23) records and creates order for those that so wish to see the facility therapist. It requires that all clients adhere to their appointments. A request to cancel must be received three hours before the appointment time or face a 10$ penalty.
The Physical Activity Readiness Medical Exam (Form 1) also abbreviated as the PAR Med-X is a form created to support Form 1. It addresses any of those questions that were positively answered in Form 1. The form records personal data, and investigates the existence of any risk factors that might aggravate the condition of a client. Such risk factors include smoking, leading a sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol and blood pressure. The form must be completed by a physician.
The Emergency Procedure Sheet (Form 26) is document stating procedures that should be followed in the case of a medical emergency with medical personnel absent. It places role of action on the most senior staff present at the scene of the incident. Emergency services must be duly informed while all effort is made to stabilize the injured person. Once response and jurisdiction is handed to the Emergency Services the Staff at the facility must ensure the Client’s next of kin are informed, belongings are safe and an accident report is filled.
The Health Questionnaire (Form 27) investigates the health history of the client. The client must acknowledge and accept the risk and dangers or risks that exist at the facility, by accepting that adverse activities may cause risk to their health.
The Coronary Risk Factor Identification Form (Form 28) exists to check medical predisposition to ill health due to behavior. The predispositions include the following: age, family history, smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
The Medical Clearance Form (Form 30) simply gives a client’s physician the capacity to concur with the exercise regime that they have chosen.
The Exercise Contract (Form 31) stipulates the client’s goal and stipulates a contract period by which it should be met. The Client to any of the following exercise regimes: cardio, muscle strengthening, nutrition and flexibility exercises.
The Health, Fitness and Racquet Sport Club Incident Report (Form 32), Housekeeping Checklist Fitness Equipment Room (Form 33) stipulates the routine based on daily, bimonthly, and yearly category. The activities include the following: dusting, carpet cleaning, and pest control, vent clearing and washing the walls. Generally these are activities to improve the overall cleanliness of the facility. Form 34 which is the Housekeeping Checklist for the Locker room merely replicate form 33 with the location of the activity as the sole difference.
A proposed consent and screening for should take the format below:
- INFORMED CONSENT AGREEMET
Ihereby express my consent to be part of the physical exercise programs at Wave Health and Fitness Center Boston.
I assume complete responsibility for the use of all and any equipment with or without the facility’s supervision.
I declare, that being of sound mind, I have been briefed and taken through an orientation program by a staff member at this facility. I am aware and fully understand what this agreement entails
- SCREENING FORM
Physician. Sign.
The client above hereby consents to a medical review and examination by the physician mentioned.
Age.. Sex.Weight..
Blood Pressure and Chemistry
Cardiovascular Examination
.
Body Fat
Physician’s Comments
.
The above forms of screening and consent are meant to probe for information about the client and at the same time provide data on the facility. Specifically, information derived is meant to do the following:
- Decrease Liability of the facility.
- Determine whether the facility is popular.
- Evaluate the health of the client.
- Determine the popular forms of exercise.
- Identify weak spots in the facility’s system of operation.
- Evaluate quality of services provided.
In conclusion, most health and fitness facilities make use of some the above form. There is a tendency to reduce the forms that members fill, so as to prevent their exodus to other facilities due to inconvenience.
REFERENCES
American College of Sports Medicine. 2006. ACM's Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines . American College of Sports Medicine.
American College of Sports Medicine. 2013. News. ACM's Certified, 23(2). American College of Sports Medicine.
Gross, R. 2005. Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour (5th ed.). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
The Leisure Media Company. 2013. Health Club Management: Handbook 2013 . Health Club Management. Hitchin, UK: The Leisure Media Company.
