LEISURE & HOSPITALITY
Hand hygiene in the gym
A recent press report revealed that many gyms are riddled with germs because they offer a warm, damp environment that provides an excellent breeding ground for pathogens. Lee Radzki from Tork manufacturer Essity looks at the importance of good hand hygiene in the gym, and considers ways of promoting better practices in the leisure centre washroom.
The number of people who belong to a gym in this country is at an all-time high. According to the 2025 UKactive Health and Fitness market report, there are now 11.5m gym members in the UK, representing nearly 17% of the population.
This figure has been steadily rising over the past few years to a point where the market penetration in the UK is now one of the highest in Europe.
It appears that people in Generation Z – those aged 13 to 28 – are at the forefront of this trend. Gen Z has already earned the reputation of being one of the healthiest generations ever, with many youngsters now choosing to visit a gym rather than a pub or club to improve their physical and mental health.
As gym attendance becomes more common, an increasing number of hotels are also offering fitness rooms to allow guests to keep up their exercise regimes when on holiday or on a business trip. Many offices now also comprise a small gym where staff can go for out-of-hours workouts.
So, as a nation we are becoming healthier. It is therefore ironic to discover that a visit to the gym can actually pose some health risks.
Typical gym equipment includes treadmills, exercise bikes, cross-trainers and weights. All these items will be used by large numbers of people during the course of an average
50 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
day. Since many gym-goers will have sweaty hands – and will probably have postponed their shower until after their workout – there is a real risk of cross-contamination between gym users.
One study by FitRated revealed that free weights can carry more than 362 times as many bacteria as a toilet seat, for example. It also reported that more than 70% of the bacteria strains found on gym equipment are considered harmful to humans.
In another study carried out this year it emerged that shower blocks were among the germiest areas of the gym because the warm environment and running water create a perfect environment for microbes to grow. Bacteria along with elevated levels of yeast, mould and staph were also found on exercise mats, yoga balls, dumbbells and barbells.
Gyms pose other hygiene risks as well. For example, people store their outdoor clothes in lockers and these are unlikely to be cleaned on a regular basis, if at all. Since changing rooms are humid places, these lockers create an ideal environment for germs to flourish.
Some gyms offer baskets of clean towels for use by customers, but has the same basket been used for taking away dirty towels for laundering? What germs are likely to have been left behind by the previous user on the mat one borrows for a yoga or pilates class?
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