As we all know, the safety of our participants, staff members and spectators is always priority number one with facility managers and operators. With so many moving parts, different pieces of equipment and a variety of users, there is a great deal of monitoring and maintenance that goes into the smooth operation of any athletic facility.

In addition to routine maintenance there are a number of products on the market today that are designed and manufactured to add another level of safety to the already well-designed equipment found in most gymnasiums. Here are a few products we have handpicked as recommendations for your gymnasium moving forward:

Basketball Safety Straps

These simple and relatively inexpensive safety mechanisms are designed to stop the free-fall of the support structure in the event of a winch or lifting cable failure. Many manufacturers in the athletic industry highly recommend these products on every ceiling-suspended system sold. It can be compared to buying a car without any seat belts to protect the occupants if the vehicle was ever in a collision.

The problem here is regulation, as there are currently no regulatory standards covering basketball backstops. While accidents are few and far between, they do take place and they often result in a number of injuries to more than one individual.

Gymnasium Wall Padding

Much the same as the basketball safety straps above, there are no regulations regarding the safe placement of wall padding inside gymnasiums. This allows for a lot of guesswork for facility operators who are unsure of where exactly the padding should be placed inside their gymnasium. Our custom padding department is thoroughly knowledgeable about which areas of your gymnasium require wall padding and we proudly give recommendations based on our experiences with every potential customer.

High-speed sports such as basketball require a minimum amount of padding underneath each backstop and that padding should be no higher than 4’ off the ground. For more information or recommendations based on your facility’s unique needs, contact our padding department today.

Routine Maintenance and Inspections

While not technically a product, this service is invaluable. While many gymnasiums implement their own maintenance schedules with great success, we often recommend annual inspections by trained and certified individuals or organizations. We offer our Orange Zone program, which is a comprehensive, manufacturer-certified service program that provides operators with a detailed report, service recommendations and peace of mind.

Written by Ryan Wilby, Sports Systems Canada