Gyms In Florida Can Open Today But Must Follow These Safety Rules

May 18, 2020

Gyms and fitness centers in Florida can reopen Monday weeks after being forced to closed due to COVID-19.

There are several mandatory safety rules for gyms set by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, along with a few recommended best practices.

Mandatory Safety Measures

  • Monitor building occupancy and restrict customer access to no more than 50% of the building’s occupancy.
  • Offer readily-available dispensers of a disinfectant and provide patrons with sufficient cleaning materials, including disposable wipes. Instruct patrons to clean touched surfaces upon each use of fitness equipment.
  • Thoroughly clean and disinfect all seating, counters, weights, weight bars, mats, machines, and other fitness equipment upon closing the facility each day.
  • During daily operation, routinely clean and disinfect surfaces, particularly high-touch surfaces such as faucets, toilets, doorknobs, and light switches.
  • Maintain restrooms that remain open with functional toilets, clean and disinfected surfaces, and hand washing supplies, including soap and materials for drying hands or hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Employees who appear to have symptoms upon arrival at work or who become sick during the day must immediately be separated from other employees, customers, and visitors, and sent home.

Recommended Best Practices

  • Display posters and signs throughout the facility to remind visitors to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the wiping and sanitation of touched surfaces upon each use of fitness equipment.
  • Open doors between separate fitness areas or rooms of the facility to reduce surface touching by multiple people. Open windows where feasible to improve ventilation in the facility.
  • Remove all unnecessary, frequently touched items like magazines, newspapers, service menus and any other unnecessary paper products and décor from customer waiting areas and locker rooms.

Comments

3 Responses to “Gyms In Florida Can Open Today But Must Follow These Safety Rules”

  1. BJohnson on May 21st, 2020 1:43 pm

    @ “Your Responsible for Peoples Lives” Everyone is responsible for their own lives…if your scared stay at home, stay out of the gym. No one has to go to the gym.
    Question? The flu kills say 60,000 a year with the vaccine available, I think we are still under 100,000 for covid without a vaccine….how is the vaccine going to save us all?

  2. Julia Sanders on May 18th, 2020 8:29 pm

    My son is use to getting up every morning at 5:30 to go to the GYM before he goes to work. He owns his own business. This was the day I was not looking forward to. I pray that the GYM’s do sanitize and make them safe for all their customers. I’m glad you got to open back up, because I know it’s been hard on so many people, but please remember your responsible for peoples lives.

  3. Rasheed Jackson on May 18th, 2020 6:28 pm

    Bout time, some of you folks starting to look like that guy in my mirror.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News