chapter
Facility
21
Organization and Risk
Management
Facility Organization
and Risk
Management
Michael Greenwood, PhD; CSCS,*D; FACSM; FISSN;
FNSCA
Lori Greenwood, PhD, ATC, LAT
Chapter Objectives
• Identify phases and specific components
of planning and designing a strength and
conditioning facility.
• Identify specific program needs of athletic
groups that use the strength and conditioning facility.
• Identify key elements for assessing space
requirements and equipment needs.
(continued)
Chapter Objectives (continued)
• Explain various strategies for effectively
scheduling the strength and conditioning
facility.
• Identify key aspects of facility and equipment maintenance and cleaning.
• Identify tools and supplies necessary for
maintaining the strength and conditioning
facility and equipment.
• Identify common areas of potential litigation
in the strength and conditioning facility.
Section Outline
• General Aspects of New Facility Design
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Predesign Phase
Design Phase
Construction Phase
Preoperation Phase
General Aspects
of New Facility Design
• Forming a committee of professionals is the
first step in planning and designing a new
strength and conditioning facility.
General Aspects
of New Facility Design
• Predesign Phase
– This phase usually requires 25% of the total project
time (about six months).
– There is no greater priority when designing a facility
than completing a needs analysis or assessment.
General Aspects
of New Facility Design
• Design Phase
– May require about 10% of the total project time
(approximately three months)
General Aspects
of New Facility Design
• Construction Phase
– Normally 50% of the total project time (about
12 months)
General Aspects
of New Facility Design
• Preoperation Phase
– Also called the start-up phase
– Requires about 15% of the total project time
(approximately three to four months)
Section Outline
• Existing Strength and Conditioning
Facilities
Existing Strength
and Conditioning Facilities
• The strength and conditioning professional
should assess existing equipment based on
the needs of all athletes and teams that use
the facility.
Section Outline
• Assessing Athletic Program Needs
Assessing Athletic Program Needs
• The following questions need to be answered:
– How many athletes will use the facility?
– What types of specific strength and conditioning training does
each athletic group require?
– What are the age groups of the athletes using the strength and
conditioning facility?
– What is the training experience of the athletes using the
facility?
– When will resistance training fit into each athletic team’s
schedule?
– What repairs and adaptations to equipment must be made to
meet the athletes’ needs?
Section Outline
• Designing the Strength and Conditioning
Facility
Designing the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
• Decisions must be made about the
following issues:
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Location
Supervision location
Access
Ceiling height
Flooring
Environmental factors
Electrical service
Mirrors
Section Outline
• Arranging Equipment in the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
Arranging Equipment in the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
• There are two generally accepted methods
for organizing the facility:
– Creating resistance training areas that emphasize
different body parts
– Creating training areas according to types of
equipment
Arranging Equipment in the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
• Decisions must be made about the
following issues:
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Equipment placement
Traffic flow
Stretching and warm-up area
Circuit training area
Free weights
Olympic lifting area
Aerobic area
Table 21.1
(continued)
(continued)
Table 21.1 (continued)
Floor Plan: Secondary School
• Figure 21.3 (next slide)
– Example of a secondary school strength and
conditioning facility floor plan
– 3 feet (ft) ≈ 1 m
Figure 21.3
Floor Plan: University
• Figure 21.4 (next slide)
– Example of a university strength and conditioning
facility floor plan
– 3 feet (ft) ≈ 1 m
Figure 21.4
Section Outline
• Maintaining and Cleaning Surfaces
Key Point
• Scheduling frequent maintenance and
cleaning ensures safe training, protects
investments, and maintains the strength
and conditioning facility’s appearance.
Section Outline
• Maintaining and Cleaning Equipment
Key Point
• The strength and conditioning professional
should clean and maintain equipment on a
regular basis.
Figure 21.6
Section Outline
• Scheduling the Strength and Conditioning
Facility
– Seasonal Priority and Peak Hours
– Staff-to-Athlete Ratio
Scheduling the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
• Seasonal Priority and Peak Hours
– Athletic teams that are in-season normally have
priority over off-season teams in the facility
schedule.
– 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. is usually peak time in the strength
and conditioning facility, especially for in-season
teams.
– Another popular time block for facility usage at
universities is 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. before athletes
attend morning classes.
Scheduling the Strength
and Conditioning Facility
• Staff-to-Athlete Ratio
– Middle school strength and conditioning facilities
should not exceed a 1:10 staff-to-athlete ratio.
– Secondary school facilities should not exceed a
1:15 ratio.
– Facilities that serve athletes older than secondary
school should not exceed a 1:20 ratio.
– Another recommendation is that facilities not exceed
a 1:50 staff-to-athlete ratio.
Key Point
• Before scheduling the facility, the strength
and conditioning professional should
consider seasonal athletic priorities, group
size, equipment availability, and staff-toathlete ratios.
Section Outline
• Litigation Issues
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Common Legal Terminology
Supervision
Instruction
Medical Clearance
Emergency Care Plan
Record Keeping
Liability Insurance
Product Liability
Litigation Issues
• Common Legal Terminology
– To understand the potential legal ramifications of
running a strength and conditioning facility, the
strength and conditioning professional must first
understand some common legal terms.
Key Terms
• liability: A legal responsibility, duty, or obligation.
• standard of care: What a reasonable and prudent
person would do under similar circumstances.
• negligence: Failure to act as a reasonable and prudent
person would under similar circumstances.
• assumption of risk: Knowing that an inherent risk
exists with participation in an activity and voluntarily
deciding to participate anyway.
Litigation Issues
• Supervision
– An estimated 80% of athletic injury court cases deal
with some aspect of supervision.
– All athletes should be constantly supervised.
• Instruction
– Emphasizing safety and proper technique helps to
reduce injuries and therefore liability exposure.
Litigation Issues
• Medical Clearance
– Athletes must have a preparticipation physical
examination.
– Only sports medicine staff can provide medical
clearance and proof of medical clearance.
• Emergency Care Plan
– This is a posted document that details proper
procedures in case of injury. All personnel must
know the plan.
Litigation Issues
• Emergency Care Plan
– Following are typical items included or described in
an emergency plan:
• EMS (emergency medical services) activation procedures
• Names and telephone numbers of primary, secondary, and
tertiary individuals to contact
• Specific address of the strength and conditioning facility (to
give directions to EMS)
• Location of the telephones
(continued)
Litigation Issues
• Emergency Care Plan
– Following are typical items included or described in
an emergency plan (continued):
• Location of nearest exits
• Designated personnel qualified to care for injuries (i.e.,
sports medicine staff)
• Ambulance access
• Location of emergency supplies and first aid kit
• Plan of action in case of fire, tornado, life-threatening injury,
crime, terrorism, and so forth
Litigation Issues
• Record Keeping
– Keep records of cleaning and maintenance, safety
procedures, manufacturer’s warranties and guidelines, assumption-of-risk forms, medical waivers and
clearance forms, personnel credentials, professional
guidelines, and injury report forms.
• Liability Insurance
– It is a good idea for strength and conditioning staff
members to purchase professional liability insurance, especially if they are not covered under the
facility policy.
Key Point
• The risk of injury cannot be totally eliminated, but it can be effectively managed by
the strength and conditioning professional.
Litigation Issues
• Product Liability
– Product liability refers to the legal responsibilities of
those who manufacture or sell products if a person
sustains injury or damage as a result of using the
product.
– Some behaviors can void the liability of the manufacturer or seller and place responsibility on the
strength and conditioning professional:
• Changing the product or allowing it to deteriorate from the
condition in which it was originally sold
• Using the product in a way other than that intended by the
manufacturer
Litigation Issues
• Product Liability
– Take the following steps to avoid injury to athletes
caused by strength and conditioning equipment:
• Use equipment only for the purpose intended by the
manufacturer.
• Be certain that equipment meets existing professional
standards and guidelines.
• Do not modify equipment unless such adaptations are
clearly designated and instructions for doing so are
included in the product information.
• Buy only from reputable manufacturers.
(continued)
Litigation Issues
• Product Liability
– Take the following steps to avoid injury to athletes
caused by strength and conditioning equipment
(continued):
• Apply all warning labels that accompany a new equipment
purchase.
• Continually inspect equipment for damage and wear that
may place an athlete at risk for injury.
• Do not allow unsupervised athletes to use equipment.
Key Point
• Strength and conditioning professionals
should understand the concept of product
liability and the actions that could place
them at risk for litigation.