Checklist template

Equipment safety inspection for fitness centers

A ready-to-use checklist with 114 items in 6 sections, covering Cables and belts, Pins and guards, Anchoring, Spacing, Signage, Defect tagging. Use it as-is in Bindy, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 114 Items
  • 97 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 127 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Cables and belts 20 items

  1. Cable-driven machines inspected during the visit Number
  2. Machines found with a damaged cable or belt Number
  3. A cloth drawn along each cable inspected caught on no broken strand Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Cable end fittings are fully seated, with no sign of the cable slipping out Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Cables run in the pulley grooves at every pulley Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Pulley housings and cable guards keep fingers away from the point where the cable enters the pulley Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Cables have no slack when the weight stack is at rest Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Each handle or bar hangs from a single snap link, with no chain of clips added to lengthen the cable Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Snap links are load-rated steel, not key-ring or hardware-store clips Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Webbing and stitching on straps, ankle cuffs and handles are intact Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Flat drive belts on strength machines show no fraying or separation of layers Yes / No 1 pt
  12. No cable rubs against the frame or a shroud at any point of its travel Yes / No 1 pt
  13. No cable has been shortened or joined with a knot or a cable clamp Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Treadmill side rails have their non-slip surface intact, so a user can step off a moving belt Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Drive belts and chains on bikes, ellipticals and stair climbers are fully enclosed Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Suspension trainer buckles hold under body weight without slipping Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Resistance bands fixed to a rack or wall use their own anchor strap, not a loop over a bare steel edge Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Battle rope anchors are closed and fixed to the floor or wall Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Date of the last documented cable inspection Date
  20. Condition of cables and belts Rating
    • No damage found 5 pts
    • Early wear found and already tagged 3 pts
    • Frayed or damaged part in use 1 pt

2. Pins and guards 22 items

  1. Each selectorized machine has its own selector pin of the correct length Yes / No 1 pt
  2. No bolt, screwdriver or other object is used in place of a selector pin Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Selector pins stay locked in the stack when the weight is lifted Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Weight stack shrouds are in place at the front and rear of each machine Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Fingers cannot reach a weight stack through a gap in its shroud Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Guards cover the pinch points at cams and lever arms Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Flywheels on indoor cycles and rowers are guarded where a foot or hand could reach them Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Rear roller guards are in place on each treadmill Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Each treadmill has its safety key with cord and clip Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Treadmills tested for emergency stop Number
  11. Pulling the safety key stopped the belt on every treadmill tested Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The stop button halted the steps on each stair climber tested Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Range-of-motion limiters lock in the position set on the machines that have them Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Smith machine hooks catch at each height Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Smith machine safety stops are present on both sides Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Each power rack has a matched pair of safety bars or spotter arms Yes / No 1 pt
  17. J-hooks seat fully in the rack uprights Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Bar collars are available at each barbell station Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Leg press and hack squat safety stops engage and hold the carriage Yes / No 1 pt
  20. No bolt ends or sharp edges are exposed where the body touches a machine Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Foot plates and pedals have their non-slip surface intact Yes / No 1 pt
  22. Condition of pins, stops and guards Rating
    • All present and working 5 pts
    • Minor item missing and machine tagged 3 pts
    • Safety device missing or defeated on a machine in use 1 pt

3. Anchoring 19 items

  1. Racks and rigs are bolted to the floor as specified by the manufacturer Yes / No 1 pt
  2. No anchor bolt on a rack or rig is missing or loose Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Wall-mounted pull-up bars and suspension anchors do not move when loaded with body weight Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Heavy bag hangers, chains and swivels show no wear or opening links Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Cable crossovers and tall multi-stations do not rock when pushed at shoulder height Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Selectorized machines sit level, with every foot on the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Wall-mounted storage for bars, mats and balls does not pull away from the wall when loaded Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Dumbbell racks are stable, with intact saddles Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Squat stands and benches used for heavy lifts do not slide on the floor when pushed Yes / No 1 pt
  10. No wall mirror panel is loose in its clips or channel Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Televisions and screens mounted above equipment are secure on their brackets Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Plyometric boxes do not wobble or slide when stepped on Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Kettlebell and medicine ball racks stand firm when pushed Yes / No 1 pt
  14. A record on file shows that ceiling-hung items (heavy bags, rings, ropes) hang from points approved for the load Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Rubber floor tiles in the free weight area lie flat, with no lifted edges Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Storage hooks and band pegs on racks are capped, with no bare steel ends at head height Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Floor outlet covers are in place and flush Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Pieces of equipment found loose or rocking Number
  19. Stability of equipment and fixtures Rating
    • Everything firm 5 pts
    • Minor movement on one piece 3 pts
    • Unstable equipment in use 1 pt

4. Spacing 19 items

  1. Shortest clear distance measured behind a treadmill (ft or m) Number
  2. The clear zone behind each treadmill meets the manufacturer's stated distance (commonly 6.5 ft / 2 m) Yes / No 1 pt
  3. No treadmill backs onto a wall, column, window or other machine Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Side clearance between cardio machines meets the manufacturer's stated distance (commonly 20 in / 50 cm) Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Main walkways through the gym floor are at the width set by the company layout standard Yes / No 1 pt
  6. No equipment, bench or bag stands in a walkway Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Moving arms of machines do not swing into a walkway or a neighboring machine at full range Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Free weight benches are far enough apart that two users with arms extended do not touch Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Lifting platforms have a clear zone on all sides, with no walkway crossing them Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Each rack has room to load plates on both ends of the bar Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The turf or sled lane is clear of stored equipment Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The stretching area is separated from free weight traffic Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Routes to emergency exits are not blocked by equipment Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Fire extinguishers and the defibrillator cabinet are not blocked by equipment Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The floor layout matches the approved floor plan, with no machines added since Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Dumbbell racks are set back from mirrors so that weights cannot strike the glass Yes / No 1 pt
  17. No loose plates, dumbbells or bars were lying in a walkway during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Light fixtures and sprinkler heads above overhead lifting and box jump areas are out of reach of a bar or a jumping user Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Spacing on the gym floor Rating
    • Clearances met throughout 5 pts
    • Tight in one area 3 pts
    • Treadmill run-off or exit route obstructed 1 pt

5. Signage 13 items

  1. The manufacturer's warning label is present and legible on each machine inspected Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Instruction placards showing start and finish positions are legible on selectorized machines Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Maximum user weight labels are legible on treadmills and benches Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Maximum load labels are legible on racks and plate-loaded machines Yes / No 1 pt
  5. A sign in the free weight area tells users to fit collars Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A sign in the free weight area recommends a spotter for heavy lifts Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A sign on or near the treadmills tells users to attach the safety clip Yes / No 1 pt
  8. A sign tells members to report damaged equipment to staff Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The minimum age for using the gym floor is posted at its entrance Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Keep-clear signs or floor markings identify lifting platforms and the sled lane Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Out-of-order signs in use are the company-standard version Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Safety signs are in the languages set by company policy for this club Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Condition of warning labels and safety signs Rating
    • Complete and legible 5 pts
    • A few worn or missing 3 pts
    • Missing on many machines 1 pt

6. Defect tagging 21 items

  1. Staff complete a documented safety check of the gym floor every day Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The daily checklist lists equipment by area or asset number Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Out-of-order tags are in stock at the front desk Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A defective machine is tagged when found, with the date, the defect and initials Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Tagged machines are made unusable (pin removed, unplugged, safety key taken or cable detached) Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Defective free weights, bars and bands are removed from the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Defects found during this inspection that had not been tagged Number
  8. Pieces of equipment tagged out of service at the time of the visit Number
  9. Tagged machines found still usable (not disabled) Number
  10. The tag is fixed where the user starts the exercise (console, handle or seat), not on the frame Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Floor staff asked could explain how to take a machine out of service Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Equipment defects reported by members are written in the defect log Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Tags are removed only by the technician or the manager Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The test of a repaired machine is recorded with date and initials before its tag is removed Yes / No 1 pt
  15. No makeshift repair (tape, zip ties, mismatched bolts) was found on any equipment Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Equipment involved in an injury in the last 12 months was taken out of service until inspected Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Manufacturer recall and safety notices are on file with the action taken Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Corrective actions from the previous equipment safety inspection have been completed Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Name of the manager on duty Short text
  20. Overall safety of equipment on the gym floor Rating
    • No hazard found 5 pts
    • Hazards found, all tagged out and disabled or corrected 3 pts
    • Equipment with a hazard still in use 1 pt
  21. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the Bindy template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In Bindy you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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