Gym and Fitness Studio Risk Assessment (UK)

A gym has members using heavy equipment, often with limited supervision and sometimes out of hours, which creates a particular mix of risks. This guide covers what a gym or fitness studio risk assessment should address.

The main hazards

1. Equipment, from free weights and machines to cardio kit, including injury from misuse, trapping and falling weights.
2. Manual handling of weights and moving equipment.
3. Slips and trips, especially in changing rooms and wet areas.
4. Member health events, such as collapse, with the need for first aid and a defibrillator.
5. Lone and out of hours use, where members train with no staff present.
6. Legionella in showers and any spa or pool water.

Equipment and maintenance

Equipment must be suitable, maintained and inspected, with clear instructions and faulty kit taken out of use promptly. This is a PUWER matter as well.

Unstaffed and out of hours

Where members use the gym with no staff present, the assessment must address how they raise the alarm in an emergency, monitoring, induction before first unsupervised use, and access to a defibrillator and first aid.

Member screening

A health commitment statement or screening on joining helps members train safely and flags anyone who should seek advice first.

Record it

Record the equipment, premises and member hazards and controls. Our risk assessment template gives you the form, and showers tie into our legionella guide.