Canadian Fitness Safety Standards

1
Canadian Fitness Safety Standards

• Five Year Progress in Fitness Industry
• Awareness and Compliance
• April 2007

2
Acknowledgements

• Author
• Patricia Clark, Executive Director
• Ontario Association of Sport and Exercise
  Sciences (OASES)
• Editors from the Fitness Safety Advisory Council
• Blake Ferris, FSAC Chairman
• Cathy McNorgan, FSAC Member
• Norm Naisbitt, FSAC Member

3
Survey Methodology

• On-line survey format used
• Survey open from February 7/07 to March 9/07
• 384 surveys completed nationally
• 319 surveys completed from Ontario
• Results compared to the 2002 Ontario baseline
  survey results

4
Key Differences between 2002 2007 Surveys

• 2002
• Provincial telephone survey
• Random sample
• Stratified sample allowed for sectoral and
  geographical analysis
• Large response from commercial club sector - 72
  response

• 2007
• National on-line survey
• 100 sample
• Non-stratified sample and an aggregated data
  capture process prevented sectoral or
  geographical comparisons with the 2002 results
• More balanced cross section of sectors in
  industry 20 response from commercial clubs

5
Regional Response Rates between 2002 2007
Survey
6
Sectoral Responses for 2002 and 2007 Surveys
7
Fitness Related PersonnelFacilities employ
fitness area personnel

• 88 of respondents have fitness area personnel
  (2002)
• 88 of respondents have fitness area personnel
  (2007)

8
Fitness Related PersonnelPercentage of fitness
area personnel qualified in First Aid.
In facilities that had over 75 of staff
certified in first aid qualifications, there was
a slight decrease by 3, from 85 to 82.
9
Fitness Related PersonnelPercentage of fitness
area personnel qualified in CPR.

• There was no significant change in facilities
  that train 75 or more of their staff in CPR.
• 2007 - 90 of the facilities trained over 75 of
  their staff.
• Only a 1 increase from the 2002 survey.

10
Fitness Related PersonnelPercentage of staff
certified in area in which they are providing
program services. (e.g. personal training,
aerobic classes, aqua fitness, martial arts etc.)

• 2002 - Less than half of the facilities qualified
  50 or more staff through CSEP (fitness
  consultants)
• 2002 - 67 used certifications other than NFLAC
  (aerobic instructors) (Can-Fit-Pro, YM YWCA
  most popular alternatives)
• 2002 - 75 of facilities had certified Personal
  Trainers
• 2007 - 75 of facilities have 76 of
  professional staff certified in program service
  areas

11
Pre-Screening Informed ConsentPre-screening
methods used with members

• 2002 - 80 of all respondents used pre-screening
  methods
• 2007- 90 of respondents used pre-screening
  methods
• 2007 - an overall increase of 10 compliance

12
Special Exercising PopulationsMedical advice
given to pregnant women and those over 70 years
of age

• 2002 82 (pregnancy) and 72 (70 yrs) general
  compliance
• 2007 81 (pregnancy) and 74 (70 years)
  general compliance

13
Special Exercising PopulationsMaximal testing
available and supervised

• 2002 - less than 30 of facilities offered
  maximal testing
• - between 42 to 50 were supervised
• 2007 - less than 15 of facilities offered
  maximal testing
• - of that 15, supervision ranged from 53 to 80
  
• depending on client

14
Emergency ProceduresAccidents Documented, First
Aid Kit readily available, Internal External
Links

• 2002
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Practice
• 86 had an EAP
• 87 of those practiced EAP 1-5 times/yr
• Accidents Documented
• 90 compliant
• First Aid Kits Available
• 97 compliant
• Immediate access to in-house first-aid services
• 78 compliant
• Contact information for medical services

• 2007
• Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Practice
• 80 had an EAP, 12 did not, 8 did not know
• 70 responded to practicing EAP 1- 5 times/yr
• 30 of those compliant did not know
• Accidents Documented
• 93 documented accidents, 5 did not know, 2 did
  not comply
• First Aid Kits Available
• 96 compliant, 3 not compliant, 1 did not know
• Immediate access to in-house first-aid services
• 85 compliant
• An increase of 7 from 2002
• Contact information for medical services
• 81 compliant

15
Emergency ProceduresComparison between 2002
2007 Surveys
16
Communicable Disease PreventionProvide training
pertaining to awareness, prevention control.

• Similar compliance rates
• 2002 47 compliant, 50 not compliant, 3 did
  not know
• 2007 49 compliant, 38 not compliant, 13 did
  not know

17
Fitness Related Environments

• Standard
• Equipment cleaned, well maintained and free from
  hazards
• Access to clean drinking water
• Limit participation size in group exercise
  classes
• Offer fitness assessment services
• Fitness equipment checked, cleaned and
  calibrated
• Floors in wet area have non slip surface
• 32 of respondents have whirlpools, spas, or hot
  tubs
• Electrical panels covered
• Ground fault circuit interrupters
• Fire alarm systems
• Portable fire extinguishers

• Compliance Rate 2007
• 87
• 96
• 77
• 76
• 88compliant with those who offered
• fitness assessment services
• 78
• 72 compliant with Ministry guidelines
• 87
• 47 dont know, 45 compliant, 4 not compliant
• 92
• 87

18
Fitness Related Environments
19
Awareness of Standards

• 2002 52 of respondents were aware of the
  Standards
• 2007 76 of respondents were aware of the
  Standards
• 46 aware of Standards, but not all the specific
  content details
• 30 aware of the Standards and specific content
  details
• 24 increase in awareness of the Standards from
  2002 to 2007

20
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• Apparent Increases in Compliance Awareness
• 24 increase in awareness of the Standards (from
  52 - 76)
• Representation from the clinical sector and
  public safety services sector were included in
  2007 survey and awareness campaign. These sectors
  were not previously represented in the 2002
  survey.
• 10 overall increase in use of pre-screening
  methods
• (from 80 - 90)
• 10 increase in use of both PAR-Q and PAR-Med-X

21
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• Apparent Increases in Compliance
• 8-30 increase of supervision of maximal
  exercise testing on special exercising
  populations
• 30 increase with individuals unaccustomed to
  exercise
• 8 increase with females over 50
• 11 increase with males over 40
• (Note There was a decrease of 15 (from 30 -
  15) of facilities that offer maximal testing.)

22
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• Apparent Increases in Compliance
• An increase between 3 to 7 in compliance with
  Emergency Procedure practices, including
• documenting accidents
• first aid kits available
• access to in-house first aid
• contact information for medical services

23
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• Apparent Increases in Compliance
• Fitness Related Environments were not Standards
  in 2002, therefore there is no comparison data
• Compliance generally ranged from 77 to 96
• However, ground fault circuit interrupters
  response was
• 47 did not know, 45 were compliant, 4 were
  not compliant

24
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• Apparent Decreases in Compliance
• First aid qualifications in staff decreased by 3
  in facilities that had over 75 of staff
  certified (from 85 to 82)
• Although overall pre-screening methods have
  increased, specifically, the use of the Informed
  Consent has decreased in use by 17 (from 86 to
  69)
• Development of an Emergency Action Plan has
  decreased 6 (from 86 to 80)
• Practicing the EAP decreased by 17 (from 87 to
  70)

25
A Summary of the Comparison of Results between
2002 and 2007 Surveys

• No Significant Changes
• There was no significant change in the number of
  facilities that train 75 or more of their staff
  in CPR
• Advice to special exercising populations remained
  the same
• Use of PAR MED-X for Pregnancy remained at 50
• No significant change in communicable disease
  prevention

26
Areas for Improvement

• Ensure all fitness program staff are currently
  certified
• Use an informed consent, pre-screening signage
• Post signs for exercise precaution for pregnant
  women those over 70 years of age
• Develop and practice an Emergency Action Plan
• Increase training of Communicable Disease
  Prevention with staff
• (training document available in CFSS 3rd ed.)
• Become compliant with legislation for spas
  whirlpool, if applicable
• Determine if ground fault circuit interrupters
  are installed in facility
• Ensure non-slip floors are installed in wet areas