First aid and emergencies: what to check at a gym

Many gym mishaps are small: a dropped plate, a rolled ankle, someone who feels faint after a hard session in summer. Now and then something serious happens, such as a collapse on a treadmill. You cannot see a gym's readiness on a tour, but you can ask about it, and the way staff answer tells you almost as much as what they say.

RPM's facilities page shows its training areas. For the rest of a visit, from changing rooms to the cardio row, use the gym tour checklist.

An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is a portable device for someone in cardiac arrest. The NHLBI (the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute) says AEDs are found in many public spaces, that they can save the lives of people in cardiac arrest, and that even untrained people can use one in an emergency, because the unit tells the operator what to do.

1. Who on each shift has first-aid training, including early mornings, late evenings and Fridays?
2. Is there an AED? Where is it kept, is it signed, and how often is it checked?
3. Where is the first-aid kit, and does it include cold packs for sprains?
4. If someone collapses, who calls the ambulance, and who goes down to meet the crew?

That last question matters in Abu Dhabi, where many gyms sit on an upper floor of a complex or tower. An ambulance crew that knows the right entrance, lift and floor reaches the patient sooner.

A gym can be well staffed at the evening peak and nearly empty of staff at the early-morning opening. Ask who is on the training floor, not only at reception, at the times you would train.

• Squat racks with safety arms or spotter bars that adjust to your height.
• Collars kept by every bar, so plates do not slide off mid-set.
• Treadmills with an emergency stop clip, and a sign showing how to use it.
• Plates and dumbbells racked, with walkways kept clear.
• Broken machines taped off with a dated sign, not left for someone to try.
• The sled lane and functional area clear of loose kit between sessions.

A full condition check, machine by machine, is in how to check equipment quality.

Every gym should have an emergency plan, and staff should be able to describe it in a few sentences. Ask about these:

• Fire exits that are signed, open whenever the gym is, and kept clear of kit.
• How people leave an upper floor if the lifts cannot be used.
• Where everyone gathers outside, and who checks the changing rooms and studios.
• How incidents are recorded, and whether anything changes afterwards.
• What happens if the air conditioning fails in summer, which the cooling and air-quality guide covers in detail.

Readiness runs both ways. A few habits make any gym better prepared for you:

• Answer the health questionnaire honestly if the gym gives you one, and tell your coach about anything relevant.
• Find the AED, the first-aid kit and the nearest exit on your first visit.
• Use the safety arms and collars, and ask for a spotter before heavy bench presses.
• Keep an emergency contact on your phone's lock screen.
• Tell staff straight away if you feel unwell, especially after training in the heat.

If you have a heart condition or another health concern, speak to your doctor before starting a new training programme. Chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting during exercise needs urgent medical help: stop and alert staff at once.

RPM operates a single club on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. It has a Mixed section and a women-only Ladies section, and it opens early in the morning and stays open late into the evening, with shorter Friday hours. Its first-aid cover, defibrillator arrangements and emergency plan are not described on this site, so put the questions above to the team, including how staff cover each section across the whole day.

On a free guided tour, a walk-through with a member of the team rather than a workout, ask to be shown where the first-aid kit and exits are.