Following yesterday’s announcement by the NSW Premier regarding the new requirement to have a hygiene marshal on duty at all times during operational hours from 12.01am on Saturday 1 August, Fitness Australia has confirmed this can be an existing staff member.

Fitness Australia CEO Barrie Elvish said while it is important for the fitness industry to do whatever possible to safeguard the health and safety of all gym users, many operators were already undertaking this requirement as part of the industry’s COVID Safety Plan released in May.

Mr Elvish said:

“The move by the NSW Government to ensure there is a staff member responsible for COVID safety plan adherence at all times reinforces the best practice procedures outlined in Fitness Australia’s COVID Safety Plan, which many health and fitness operators are already doing.”

“We have confirmation from the NSW Government that operators do not need to go out and hire a new staff member to fulfil this new requirement. Rather, an existing staff member can be nominated the responsibility of ensuring adherence to the COVID safety as part of their usual job.

“This new requirement is effective across the industry and includes gyms, fitness facilities, Yoga and Pilates studios and dance classes. The biggest impact is on 24/7 gyms who will either choose to reduce their hours to times that can be staffed or roster existing staff over the full hours of operations to ensure someone can be responsible for the COVID safety plan adherence at all times.”

Fitness Australia’s COVID Safety Plan and Framework of Operations is a robust operations framework, developed to ensure gyms and fitness facilities understand what they need to do to safeguard the health and safety of members and employees.

The COVID Safety Plan and Framework of Operations can be downloaded here.

Further information about the Fitness Australia’s COVID Safety Plan and Framework of Operations can be found at fitness.org.au/articles/framework-of-operations-for-fitness-facilities-under-covid-19-restrictions/2071

Further information about the latest NSW Government requirements for the fitness industry can be found at nsw.gov.au/covid-19/industry-guidelines/gyms-health-and-dance-studios-and-martial-arts-training-facilities