The Canadian Fitness Matters web site was designed for the consumer and the practitioner to get all the information they need to understand the Canadian Fitness Safety Standards. Patricia Clark was on the Fitness Safety Advisory Committee that developed the Canadian Fitness Safety Standards and pointed out during our phone interview why the web site was created, “That’s where the bulk of the people who are going to clubs would look; the research showed that that’s where people go first now, to the Internet to find stuff.”
What if a club user thinks a recognized facility isn’t adhering to the standards? The program was set up so if there’s a concern, they could go and visit them. There is also a 1-800 number, basically a complaint line, so if there is a facility that is recognized, a consumer can send an e-mail or call the 1-800 number with a concern and we would follow up with it. As Clark points out, that ensured the quality of the recognition program.
Candice Ashton, a 38-year-old Edmontonian, has been going to gyms since she turned 18. The ones she frequents the most include Spa Lady, Curves, YMCA, Club Fit, and the World Health Club and currently works out most often at the gym in her place of work. Ashton was surprised to hear there are fitness safety standards and shares her thoughts. “After browsing through the web site, I noticed that a lot of the guidelines they have on the checklist are things I look for when I am choosing a gym. I don't think not being CFSS recognized will deter me from going to certain gyms, but I will certainly be asking some questions the next time I go.”
Ashton continues, “I consider safety in the realm of my own safe practices and expect others to do the same i.e. making sure you are lifting properly and putting weights away when finished.”
Although the Ontario Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (OASES) and now the Canada Safety Council are doing all they can to promote the Canadian Fitness Matters program, there are fitness facilities that are unaware the standards exist. Dawn Moyou, a manager at Planet Fitness & Women Zone in Victoria, B.C. admits that no customers have ever asked about the Fitness Safety Standards in the 15 years they have been in business.
Are Fitness Facilities Concerned About Safety?
Is safety even an issue for fitness facility users? Kevin Smith thinks so. “I believe there is a greater awareness for safety and in addition, the issue of cleanliness i.e. disinfectant cleaning of equipment.” Dawn Moyou doesn’t feel their users give safety much thought, “I do not think safety is a concern for the customer but it is certainly a concern to me.”
Nikki Layton, a personal trainer and co-owner of Momentum Fitness in Vancouver, B.C., has also never had anyone ask if the gym meets the Safety Standards. “We do have clients that will ask about trainer certification etc. but not specifically about meeting the Safety Standards. This could be due to the fact that we have a smaller cleaner facility and everyone works with a trainer in our gym.”
Fitness Facility Response to Safety Standards
How have fitness facilities responded to the Safety Standards? Patricia Clark explains, “In general, I think you are preaching to the converted. A lot of people we spoke to were interested and wanted to ensure that they were providing safe practices for their members. We found that a lot of facilities appreciated the information. And when we did the survey in 2003 when we were revising them, one of our objectives was to have a significant increase in awareness and implementation of the Standards. Our awareness increased significantly, I’m guessing well over 30 or 40 percent, so for me that was very good because people can’t start to abide by something if they don’t know anything about it. So through all our different promotional vehicles we did increase awareness significantly so I do think certainly they were regarded favourably, they felt they were a good practice, they felt the standards were feasible and realistic. I think that’s one of the reasons the standards were well received was because the industry provided the input into them; it wasn’t some powers that be that were dictating to them that this is what thou shalt do. It was what we agreed as a community across the country that this is what was important. I think because of the way they were approached they were well accepted.”
Nikki Layton makes an interesting point, “I think that they (customers) assume that they will receive a high level of safety in their fitness facilities. However because they assume it they never actually look closely at their surroundings. In Canada there is not a lot of publication or consumer awareness of safety standards in the industry. The US is a different story, they educate consumers more. Accidents in fitness facilities are not generally publicized in Canada so the general public wouldn’t be aware of the number of accidents and the track record of facilities.”
The Future of the Fitness Matters Program
OASES closed down their office in December 2005 and had to find a partner to keep the Fitness Matters program alive; they chose the Canada Safety Council. Patricia Clark explains, “We spent five years working on this project and because we are unable to continue it on for many reasons, we really wanted someone who had integrity and was respected across Canada in all areas. The CSC had been involved on the advisory council so they were absolutely the perfect fit. They were involved with safety, they were nonprofit – they weren’t out there to make the money – and they were national in scope so it was a perfect fit for them to pick it up. So we were thrilled they took it on and everything is still up and running. They were looking for sponsors themselves to promote the program so I do hope that that does happen. If there’s no major things happening, people may not really care about it.”
(Read What are the Canadian Fitness Safety Standards? for more information on this topic)
All sources were interviewed via email or phone by the writer.
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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