The fitness industry is growing steadily and more and more people are signing up for gyms. More than ten million Germans now work out in more than 8,000 studios nationwide. For laypeople, the market is confusing and it is almost impossible for them to get an overview of the complete range, because the selection of studios is huge. It is therefore important for operators to stand out from the crowd in order to attract members. Since 2013, there has been a uniform standard by which fitness studios make their quality visible and thus make it easier for potential customers to decide in favor of their studio. Find out everything about the DIN standard 33961 here!
DIN standard 33961 - the only democratically legitimized standard
With the introduction of DIN standard 33961, Germany is the first country in the world to have a democratically legitimized standard for fitness studios. The DIN standard makes it possible for the fitness industry to neutrally present the professionalism and quality of their offer to prospective customers, customers and cooperation partners. Studio operators with demands on their own quality should set themselves apart and find the courage to have it neutrally verified by an independent third party.
What does DIN standard 33961 regulate?
DIN standard 33961 regulates the minimum requirements for quality and safety with regard to studio equipment and management. The following four areas are affected:
→ Basic requirements for operation
e.g. service, emergency management, support concept
→ Requirements for equipment-based cardiovascular training.
e.g. equipment, personnel requirements
→ Requirements for group training
E.g., areas for offerings, lighting, staffing requirements.
→ Requirements for equipment-based strength training
e.g. equipment, visibility, staffing requirements.
The basic requirements form the basis of certification - these must be met by all studios seeking certification. These include requirements for hygiene, supervision, general staffing requirements, prevention of drug abuse and emergency management. The hygiene section, for example, includes that floors, sanitary and barefoot areas must be cleaned once a day. The item on emergency management states that a first aider as well as a fire safety assistant must be present in the studio at all times. The first aider must be able to provide first aid in emergencies within the shortest possible time.
The other three requirement areas of the DIN standard can be selected at will. Even if a studio offers all areas, i.e. equipment-supported cardiovascular training, strength training and group training, it does not have to have all of them certified, but can also select only certain parts. For example, if a studio specializes in strength training training, for example, it makes sense to certify only this area. All areas of the DIN standard can be freely combined.
Why studios should be certified
The DIN 33961 standard is voluntary for studios - no operator is required to have his facility certified. However, certification provides credible and visible confirmation of a studio's quality and is therefore highly recommended. For you as a studio owner, the DIN standard is also a great marketing and sales argument that helps you stand out from the competition.
The advantages of the DIN standard 33961 at a glance:
- Confirmation of your own quality by a neutral testing body
- Optimized safety standards in your studio
- legal certainty in cases of liability
- Image improvement
- Gain of trust and credibility towards customers
Accreditation by DAkkS
You have decided to have your studio certified? Now the question arises where you can do this. Here, the quality feature "accreditation" is of importance, which the inspection body must demonstrate, because the inspector must also be inspected and provide proof that he is qualified to certify studios. Such accreditation may only be carried out by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS). It is a state organization that verifies that the certification body is neutral, independent and suitable for testing.
At the moment, the only testing house accredited by the DAkks for the certification of DIN standard 33961 is BSA-Zert, which issues the so-called "ZertFit" certificate. If the certification of your studio according to the DIN standard was successful, you will receive the "ZertFit" logo, which you can use for your marketing. So you can make your quality visible on signs, your website or in advertisements. This is what the logo looks like:
What are you waiting for? Show (potential) customers that you are a quality provider and gain their trust! Detailed information about the DIN standard 33961 is also provided by the DSSV and the BSA-Zert on their homepages.
Editors fitnessmarkt.de (SIS)
Picture sources: BSA-Zert
Published on: 31 July 2017