Is the gym doing enough to keep its users safe?

Imagine this: you’re in the middle of a workout at the campus gym when a TRX strap snaps, sending a fellow gym-goer to the floor. Fortunately, she avoids serious injury, but upon inspecting the equipment, you notice the issue – a faulty screw. When you try to report the problem to the nearby trainer, he is unconcerned and dismisses you.

This was an experience shared by a student on Reddit, u/anonymouswombat26, sparking a larger conversation about the condition of equipment at the university gyms, including PAC and CIF. Several commenters chimed in, sharing similar frustrations about broken machines and apathetic responses from gym staff.

Another Redditor, u/Thirstman_Babies, claimed that “equipment upkeep has been going down the drain recently,” mentioning that a machine had been broken since June. Another commenter, u/epicboy75, claimed that “there’s just no funding for athletics,” and that even varsity teams were reusing old equipment. These concerns highlight a broader issue with the budget allocated for sports and fitness facilities at UW.

“I’ve heard people talk about this, but I personally think the gym equipment was reasonably fixed,” says Sophia Tsan, a third year planning student. “Reasonably fixed, [but] yeah it definitely could be faster. I guess I understand that it’s difficult with budget cuts and all that so I know they’re trying their best. Overall, it hasn’t affected my workouts too much but I know some of my friends get frustrated when some things aren’t fixed for a while.”

With complaints piling up, the university’s strength and conditioning coordinator, Stacey Majaury, provided some insight into how the gym handles equipment maintenance. According to her, the gym has an allocated budget specifically for equipment upkeep, which includes a preventative maintenance program. Gym equipment is inspected regularly each term, and any issues are addressed as soon as possible. “Within 48 hours, the equipment is assessed and fixed if possible,” Stacey says. “In cases where parts need to be ordered, that is done immediately.”

Despite claims of strong maintenance procedures, some students doubt how quickly issues are resolved. Multiple users shared concerns about trainers’ dismissive attitudes when safety concerns were reported. “I noticed a loose screw on one of the benches at the Warrior Zone,” wrote one user, u/Check3sum. “When I reported it to a trainer nearby, he acted like it wasn’t his job and told me to report it to someone else. I’m not doing your job while you’re on duty.”

When asked about her experience with trainers, Tsan says: “I haven’t had any negative interactions with them per se, I think they’re lovely. It’s sad to hear that other people are having these experiences though and I hope those get addressed as soon as possible.” 

Majaury also assured that all staff are trained to handle reports of faulty equipment. Trainers conduct an initial assessment and, if necessary, place an “out of order” sign on the malfunctioning item before reporting it for repairs. “We hire responsible, dependable, and passionate personal trainers,” she said. Staff members are expected to report issues in a timely manner. 

Mai Nguyen, a third year global business and digital arts student and personal trainer, echoes this sentiment and states that most “PTs [keep themselves] accountable for shift duties and fulfill basic equipment duties to some degree, such as looking out for equipment safety [and] making sure that misuse of equipment wouldn’t lead to members being injured.” It should be noted, however, that there are no formal accountability measures in place beyond trusting the staff to take action. 

For this reason, Nguyen does believe that the upkeep protocol “could always be better.” She continues, “Fortunately, our… protocols, especially at PAC, [are] in better condition than… CIF since I think most members are self aware about others using it and… I still think it is in good condition. So I think our protocols right now are quite valid except for some occasions where the equipment gets broken [and stays broken]… due to mishandling.”

It’s clear that the gym does take the necessary steps to maintain safety, but with stories of broken machines and indifferent staff continuing to circulate, it’s understandable that some students remain concerned. These complaints raised serious questions about how well the gym maintains its equipment and ensures the safety of its users.