X Shadyside is Ready to Open — Here’s What You Need to Know
Starting June 15th, X Shadyside will finally re-open to members of the Pittsburgh community. As you walk in, you might notice that some things about your favorite gym are a little different. In order to minimize the risk of human to human infection, we have implemented some new guidelines. As you prepare your return to our fitness center, read up on our newest cleaning and disinfecting guidelines for members and staff.
Starting on June 5th, the city of Pittsburgh will enter the “Green Phase.” This means that restaurants, hair salons, and fitness centers can re-open — but only with a few adjustments. Gyms and health facilities are required to operate at 50% capacity in order to properly follow spatial distancing guidelines. Pittsburghers are strongly encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing whenever they are out and about.
On June 8th, X Shadyside will re-open for personal training only. We will then open the facility to all members starting June 15th. X Shadyside will also re-start billing for members on July 5th. In order to ensure your safety, we have instituted a number of new guidelines for members and staff. Prepare for a fun, but safe, return to X Shadyside by reviewing our new policies and procedures now.
Based on the information we have collected from the CDC, WHO, and the state health department, we have compiled a comprehensive set of guidelines on cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting equipment. Some of these guidelines may take a little longer to get used to, so you should familiarize yourself with them now.
X Shadyside is dedicated to minimizing the risk of health club associated infections related to
improperly cleaned and disinfected equipment, spaces, and surfaces. Soiled equipment, spaces, and environmental surfaces can be a source of contamination to hand and other objects which may be transmitted to members and associates of the club. Additionally, we are committed to reducing the risk of human to human infection. Therefore, we must follow the following procedures to prevent contamination.
Starting on June 8th, we will screen and evaluate all employees before they enter the facility. If anyone presents signs of illness such as a cough or shortness of breath, we will turn them away and ask that they seek medical treatment. Members can enter the facility via a personal scan card for touchless access.
Employees are required to wear face coverings at all times, and disposable gloves while cleaning. They are also prohibited from making a handshake or any other person-to-person contact. We will provide a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for all of them. We have also built a plexiglass window to our front desk area to allow us to complete a non-contact check-in and retail for members.
Members are also required to wear face coverings at all times, apart from when they are exercising. While members should wear a mask while entering the gym and walking around, we do not recommend wearing one while working out. Masks can restrict your airflow, making it harder for you to breathe. As a result, people who wear masks while exercising often grow fatigued faster than normal. Because masks inevitably grow wet from sweat when you exercise, they can also lead to discomfort and nasal secretions.
To allow for proper social distancing practices, we have shut off every other piece of cardio equipment. This ensures that members are not in close proximity to each other when using our cardio machines. We will have employees stationed near other pieces of equipment to ensure all members are properly distancing themselves from each other. For example, if another member is using a piece of equipment adjacent to the one you wish you use, you will have to wait until they are finished to start your exercise or use another piece of equipment that is farther away.
We have also lowered the maximum allotted number of attendees for all workout classes. At the end of each class, the instructor will clean the floor, door handles, and music displays with an EPA-registered disinfectant. We will also provide hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol outside the studio.
After each use, equipment must be cleaned by either a member or an employee. Employees will be staffed at all times to enforce these guidelines. If a member refuses to comply with these procedures, employees may request that they leave the facility and return only when they choose to adhere to the new guidelines.
Both personal trainers and members are required to wash their hands before and after each training session. All personal training sessions will be scheduled in one specific location to reduce contact with other members.
Until we are able to allow for social distancing, the locker rooms will remain closed.
All employees will be re-trained on proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures. We will also review proper hand hygiene and mask and glove application and removal techniques.
Any new protocols and expectations will be sent to all member accounts. We will also add any new capacity, cleaning, and PPE requirements on the club website.
X Shadyside is committed to the safety of our patrons. That’s why we have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to build a new set of guidelines designed to effectively reduce the risk of infection among our members. For more information on our re-opening schedule or guidelines, contact one of our team members today.
