Statistics, such as those provided by insurance underwriters, indicate that treadmills are, by far, the most dangerous apparatus in the gym. Treadmills alone cause more accidents then the next three most dangerous items combined. Even an experienced user can slip, trip, or lose balance on a treadmill. And falls from treadmills can cause serious physical damage, including broken limbs, concussions, and other serious trauma. Accidents are not the only safety risk.
Equipment can easily transmit bacteria and other germs from member to member.
Legal Liability Your club's legal liability for a fitness center, specifically the liability for accidents, varies from state to state and even from year to year. The area of legal liability, especially in fitness facilities, has been such a gray one that even attorneys profess to be confused. The preponderance of case law in the last 10 years, however, points to the need for facility supervision to minimize your club's legal risk. Once instructed in proper equipment use, the participant must be adequately supervised while using the equipment. As Herbert notes in his text, in the event that equipment misuse or potential danger is noticed, the participant's exercise should be stopped, the errors corrected, and verbal reinforcement given.