In order to allow us to keep our members and our staff safe, we need your cooperation as members in making sure you follow the guidelines we have put in place to keep the community safe. All the team at BodyWorksWest will be trained in new procedures to ensure everyone’s safety.

We recognise that there will be a large spectrum of Members views on what is necessary and safe, and what is not, but we ask you all for your understanding in helping us to implement this safety protocol. We cannot maintain a safe environment without your help and support in following these guidelines and we appreciate your understanding and taking appropriate actions when at BodyWorksWest.

Importance of not contracting and spreading the Virus

Every action taken in the following guidelines is intend to protect our staff and our members, prevent the virus spreading, protect people from becoming ill, save lives and protect the health services from becoming overburdened.

If at any moment you feel any of the following symptoms either before, during, or after time at BWW please contact reception by telephone, so we can guide you through what to do – DO NOT Approach reception or a member of staff physically if you are exhibiting any of these symptoms

COVID 19 – Symptoms

• High temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• New, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Please do not attempt to hide any of these symptoms our staff are here to help you and will advise you on what to do in order to help you and others!

High Risk Persons

If you are in the high risk category in line with government guidelines we recommend you stay home. To find out if you are high risk, please click here

Handwashing, Hand Sanitising and Hand Care

Staff and Members must:

• Sanitise every time they enter the building from being outside regardless of the trip’s purpose using the sanitisers in the buildings entrance.
• Please wash your hands after going to the toilet, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, etc.
• Whenever you cough or sneeze do so into a tissue or toilet paper and then dispose of it appropriately by putting it directly into the bin and wash hands. If you do not have a tissue please sneeze or cough into your elbow.
• These must be disposed of appropriately to ensure these cannot transmit the virus. Put directly into bins or flush down the toilet and then wash your hands.
• Please use the hand sanitisers provided regularly and when required to do so to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. These can be found in common areas and all landings.

Washing your hands regularly and using high alcohol sanitising products will irritate your hands and can lead to cracks which will make them vulnerable to infection. Ensure you are moisturising your hands regularly, particularly after washing your hands to protect them from becoming too dry.

General

• Follow all signage on display to ensure the safety of staff and members. The measures recommended by the World Health Organisation or Public Health England may change day to day, and we will maintain them updated to ensure your safety.
• Follow guidelines provided in this safety protocol to help stop the virus spread and learn what you can do to help others reduce their impact.
• Please do not congregate in through areas like reception, lobbies, stairs and the entrance
• As per Government Guidelines Members are encouraged to arrive at the club already in the clothes they would like to exercise in, and to avoid the showers, showering at home where possible.
• The Air Conditioning filters have all been replaced or serviced whilst we have been closed. Every room in the building including the Gym, Studios, Swimming Pool, Lounge and Changing Rooms has fresh air pumped in and stale air taken out.  There is absolutely no air that is re-circulated between rooms.
• As per Government advice, we will also be encouraging staff to leave doors and windows open where possible to increase the circulation of fresh air
• We are strongly advising Members to bring their own towels to minimise the risk to our members and staff of sharing items.

Additional disinfecting and cleaning around the Gym

• In all areas there will be an additional supply of cleaning equipment. Although we will clean the building consistently throughout the day, we strongly encourage members to clean any equipment they use before and after use
• Additional training has been provided to all BWW staff so everyone can help in cleaning banisters, door handles, and other high use areas such as the lounge and entrance. This includes the periodic cleaning of all handles and push plates around the building, but please ensure you are constantly washing or sanitising your hands to minimise the risk of infection/contamination.
• Minimise contact with surfaces when possible to do so.

Facilities Affected

• Studio Classes including all classes in the spin studio, main studio and Pilates reformer studio will be operated at reduced capacity to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
• There will be no classes running back to back, to ensure that members need not wait outside the class for one to finish, to avoid loitering in groups, but can enter straight away and gather the equipment they need for the class.
• Members will be encouraged to bring their own matt to Studio classes where possible, otherwise they will be asked to disinfect the matt after use.
• The Lounge will have a strict maximum number of people allowed at any one time, and members will be encouraged to spend no more than 45 minutes here to ensure everyone can make use of the Lounge.
• The Gym Floor will have restricted access to machinery, with Members asked to use every other machine to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
• The Changing rooms will be open, with strict social distancing measures in place. Members will be encouraged to arrive in the clothes they want to exercise in and shower at home.
• The Swimming Pool will remain open with strict social distancing requirements in place meaning a maximum of 4 people will be allowed to use the swimming pool at any one time (the exception being during Aquafit classes, when there will be a maximum of 6 people). We will also be running a booking system to ensure the pool does not get overcrowded.
• Saunas and Steam rooms will reopen with restrictions in place to ensure social distancing can be maintained at all times.
• All water fountains have had the drink function disabled, you will only be able to use the Water fountain to fill up a water bottle to avoid transmission of the virus.

Protective Equipment

Masks will not be mandatory for Members, however, we strongly encourage you to wear one upon entering/leaving the Club, when waiting for a class and in all common areas; including changing rooms, reception and the lounge. A mask is not required nor recommended while exercising on the gym floor or in the studios. All Staff will be required to wear masks, and the reception desk will have protective screens to protect our Receptionists.

Reception

• Please Sanitise your hands as soon as you enter the building from outside.
• When Members enter the club, they will be required to have their body temperature checked. Anyone with a body temperature above 37.8 Degrees, will be deemed to have a fever and will not be allowed to enter the club, they will need to return home immediately.
• We will also ask all Members to verbally confirm that they are free of Covid-19 symptoms after performing the body temperature check before entering.
• Members are encouraged to make a purchase of Credit on their account, which can be used to make purchases in the retail area to avoid repeat contact (a discount will be given for purchasing Credit in this way).
• If a Member uses a pen or the Chip and Pin device, this will be disinfected after each use.
• The retail area will not stock clothing items. We kindly ask Members not to touch anything unless they intend on purchasing it.  More Gym equipment will be made available for those that wish to carry on doing online classes at home.

Lounge

• The Lounge will be open for Members to use, but will be strictly limited to 5 persons at any one time.
• Members will be allowed to use the lounge for a maximum of 45 minutes to allow all members use of the Lounge.
• Members are encouraged to use the Lounge to have a cup of tea or coffee and read the newspaper, please do not sit and work in the lounge.
• Tea and Coffee will still be available to Members and Staff, but disposable cups will be removed with Members and Staff encouraged to bring their own cup (BWW Branded cups will be on sale at reception, though you are encouraged to bring your own if you wish).

Gym Floor

• Every other machine on the gym floor will not be available to use, to ensure that social distancing can be maintained.
• Small Towels will not be provided for members to use, they will be encouraged if they wish to have a towel to bring their own.
• We are encouraging all members to disinfect any equipment that they have used including but not limited to running machines, exercise bikes, cross trainers, rowing machines, free weights, bar weights and other gym equipment.
• The water fountain will remain open for members to fill their water bottles, but the push button for drinking directly from the fountain has been disabled.
• Personal Training will be encouraged but Trainers must maintain a safe distance from clients and must not touch the clients or pass them any equipment.
• Fitness Advisors will be largely in charge of ensuring that all high frequency touch points and equipment is being cleaned regularly.

Changing Rooms

• Changing rooms will remain open for Members to use, however as part the Government guidelines, we strongly encourage members to arrive in the clothes they will train in, and to avoid using the shower and shower at home wherever possible.
• We are also strongly encouraging members to bring their own towels if they do wish to use the showers after a swim, or an intense exercise class, to avoid the sharing of items and reduce the transmission of the virus.
• Lockers may be used provided that social distancing is always being maintained.
• The toilet in the Men’s Changing Room will remain closed, as if there is no male cleaner on site it cannot be cleaned regularly enough for it to remain safe.

Swimming Pool

• The Swimming Pool will remain open, as there is no evidence that Covid-19 can be spread to humans through properly Chlorinated water and the Government has deemed them safe to open.
• There will be a maximum number of people allowed to use the pool at any one time which will be 4, except in the case of an Aquafit class which will be 6. We will be running a Booking system for the swimming pool.
• Members that wish to partake in Aquafit classes should proceed straight into the pool with the equipment they need. Teachers must not pass any equipment to members involved in Aquafit classes and must allow the members plenty of space to leave the swimming pool
• The Jacuzzi will be open with social distancing measures in place. The maximum number of people in the Jacuzzi will be 2.
• The Steam Room will be open with social distancing measures in place. The maximum number of people in the Steam Room will be 2.

Pilates Reformer Studio

• There will be a maximum number of 5 people in the Pilates Reformer studio, plus the teacher to ensure Social Distancing can be maintained.
• Members will be asked to disinfect the reformer beds before and after their use with the teacher reminding them to do so at the beginning and end of each class.
• There will be at least 30 minutes in between each class to ensure adequate time to clean the studio.
• The toilet in the Reformer Studio will remain closed.

Main Studio

• There will be a strict limit on the number of people allowed in the Main Studio for studio classes to ensure Social Distancing can be maintained which will be limited to 9 plus the teacher.
• All classes will now be booked using the Mindbody system or through our new BWW App.
• Members should go straight into the studio and avoid waiting outside, gather the equipment they will need for their class and remain within the area where they will be exercising.
• There will be at least 30 minutes in between each class to ensure adequate time to clean the studio.
• Markings on the floor will show members within what areas they may put their matt for exercise.
• A cleaner or Fitness Advisor must go in between every class to disinfect the door handle, main rail and any other touch points within the Studio.
• The teacher must disinfect carefully the buttons on the Stereo system if they have used it to play music during their class.

Spin Studio

• There will be a limit on the number of people within a Spin class, which will be limited to 9 plus the teacher.
• There will be at least 30 minutes in between each class to ensure adequate time to clean the studio.
• Members will be asked to enter the studio straight away and find their chosen bike, and not to loiter outside the studio at all.
• There will be no more bikes within the studio than the maximum number of people to ensure there are no more members than allowed.
• Members will be encouraged to disinfect the Spin bikes, including the handles and seats before and after they use them.

Member DO’S

• Do check in at the desk and be patient as the receptionist checks your temperature, checks you have booked the correct slot and confirms with you that you have no Covid-19 symptoms.
• Do sanitise your hands as soon as you enter the building, and regularly when moving around the club.
• Do ensure that you maintain a safe distance from other members when using any of the machines, in the changing rooms or during any of our Studio Classes and when moving through the club.
• Do bring your own water bottle to fill up at the water fountain, and your own coffee cup if you wish to have a tea or coffee.
• Do use the cleaning materials provided to disinfect any machines, bikes, reformer beds or equipment that you use before and after each use.
• We strongly encourage you to come to the gym prepared with your training kit already on and to avoid the changing rooms where possible, unless you are swimming or doing an intense exercise class.
• Do proceed straight into your studio class, gather the equipment you need and find your position.

Member DONT’S

• Don’t try to enter the gym without first checking in with Reception and following their steps.
• Please try to avoid waiting in any areas such as reception, corridors or the entrance to any of the studios to avoid congestion.
• Please don’t enter the pool unless you have a booking or if there are already 4 people swimming.  Don’t enter the Jacuzzi and Steam Room if there are already 2 people in there.
• Don’t wait in the studios after your class has finished, to allow our team time to go in and sanitise it before the next class.
• Don’t forget to sanitise your matt, bike or any equipment you’ve used after your class or workout in the gym.

If a member of staff or member is showing symptoms

Following the guidance of what Public Health England, in the event a staff member or club member is showing signs of Coronavirus they must be immediately isolated from the rest of the members’ and team.

• If you feel you may have the symptoms of Corona Virus before arrival, you must go back home our priority is ensuring the welfare of all of our employees and members. You will be unable to come in if you are presenting symptoms.
• In the case of a member displaying symptoms of Covid-19 they are encouraged not to have any contact with any other members, or staff and to go back home immediately and contact 111.
• If a colleague or member has become ill when at the club, we encourage them to contact 111 and to give all the information to the Contact Tracing Team of the NHS.

Things to remember when outside the Gym

• Please always maintain a safe distance from other people.
• Use hand sanitiser regularly particularly after contact with a high contact surface like public service handles.
• Wash hands after going to the toilet, sneezing, coughing, putting contact lenses in or out, after handling laundry, before handling clean laundry, before and after preparing and eating food, after unpacking delivery parcel or shopping, before bringing drinks or snacks into other households, before eating with your fingers, after handling refuse.
• Keep your hands away from you face and nose.
• Do not shake hands.
• Stay as far part as you can and turn away from people on public transport if you can.

Always follow the guidance as stated above. If you are unsure on how to do something, how something works, or have any questions regarding general health and safety or something specific to Covid-19, please see the Club manager.