We are looking into buying some gym equipment to have onsite for employees to use after their shift. I appreciate we will have to do the following: Inductions before first use Implement a reporting mechanism for damage Regular inspections + corrective action (if any) to ensure fit for purpose Signing in and out structure Does anyone know if I am missing something obvious that would make us responsible as a company if someone was injured while 'working out'. Thanks for any support given!

Don't forget to consider your first aid cover too....our gym opens at 6am before the main office workers arrive. So we've ensured that the 24/7 security guard team are FA trained. Pete

In the light of Ian's observation, the guide to sports ergonomics by Tom O'Reilly, of Liverpool University, provides a good framework for pinpointing sources of hazards in gyms and other sporting settings. He gets across the vital point, for example, that levels of fitness and readiness vary enormously with the result that foreseeable musculo-skeletal injuries can be avoided where gym-users are provided with appropriate information, instruction and warnings.

Have you considered what controls will be necessary if only one person is using the gym (lone working!), how would they raise the alarm if they needed to? or will security check in on a regular basis to see if the person is ok? I work on a RAF site and many sections have small gyms/fitness rooms to encourage personnel to maintain their fitness, however some smaller sections will not allow a single person to use the gym for the reasons that I have mentioned above.

I know that this is a pretty generic comment...but surely lone working could come into it - using company equipment, provided on company property....therefore at a place of work. Even if not a legal requirement, surely a simple piece of 'best' practice for a reasonably foreseeable injury. Its not unheard of for people to fall over on a treadmill - its quite funny to watch, but can result in serious injuries.