EPIC has a specified section of its handbook with safety-related policies , including anti-harassment and anti-discrimination ; bloodborne pathogens / universal precautions ; violence in the workplace ; workplace safety ; accidents and emergencies ; company vehicle policies ; drug-free workplace and substance abuse ; and a smoke and vape-free workplace policy .
“ We have a very thorough handbook with policies intended to protect our team . To ensure our team members have a way to reach out if they have concerns that they would like to escalate , we have an open-door policy that gives folks access to senior-level management and HR . Additionally , we have a confidential People Hotline that may be accessed that is a hotline directly to HR ,” said Julie Eastman , vice president of HR for EPIC Fitness Group .
Planet Fitness is home of the Judgement Free Zone ®, but unfortunately , sometimes members do not share this sentiment and can cause unrest in the club . It is important that procedures are implemented prior to the occurrence of a disturbance .
“ We have experienced some incidents at various locations where a member – or sometimes a non-member – has created a disturbance such that the police needed to be called ,” DeCoux said . “ In these cases , we have responded by adding third-party security guards for a time , at least until the situation has settled down . It ’ s true that anything can happen at any time , but we hope these types of incidents are isolated events .”
Privacy in certain areas of the gym , such as the tanning area , is also important . Since working with Planet Fitness , DeCoux mentioned the biggest change he has seen is with the design of the tanning area . “ One key change that has happened within PF ® has come from the design team surrounding the tanning rooms . In the early days , the ceiling of the tanning rooms was allowed to be open , which made it easier for privacy to be violated . The design team has since mandated a dropped ceiling in the tanning rooms , which has made privacy violations rarer ,” he explained .
Other club design features can help protect PF members from injuries . “ Falls in the bathroom and shower are some of the more common claims that end up in larger claim payouts , probably because you don ’ t have the benefit of camera footage to help defend against claims . Keeping non-slip surfaces in place and floors dry at all times is extremely important ,” said Hal Soden Jr ., principal and risk management advisor with Oliver LE Soden Agency .
The bigger a franchisee is , the bigger the risk for unfortunate instances to occur . This is mainly due to the increased number of people involved in a bigger organization .
“ As you grow larger , you definitely become susceptible to more litigation . Also , the chances of accidents happening seem to increase as you add more locations ,” said DeCoux .
Another reason why risks increase for larger franchisees is because of the additional work required to run operations . “ Compliance risks grow as we must keep track of changes to the laws and regulations made to every state , county and local municipality we operate in ,” said Glenn Norris , CFO at Ohana Growth Partners .
The size of a franchise group may determine how much insurance coverage a franchisee needs to acquire .
“ For a smaller operation with one owner or family-operated franchise group , standard FDD requirements would certainly give you the protections you need to sleep at night . Generally ,
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GearedUp | 2023 Issue 3
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