Prevent Accidents Now with Bleacher Inspection and Maintenance
Each year, thousands of people are injured while on bleachers at a variety of different kinds of facilities. In some cases, it’s purely negligence on the part of the individual. In many other cases, though, the problem could have been prevented through solid bleacher inspection and maintenance. Most states have gone so far as to require yearly inspection for bleachers. Wondering what that entails?
Here’s a quick overview:
- You should make certain that the bleachers aren’t unstable in any possible way. For example, they shouldn’t be leaning to one side, and they should be placed on level ground. Moreover, while walking on them, they should feel completely stable.
- You should also make sure the structural support of the bleachers is solid. There shouldn’t be any signs of corrosion or rotting. All of the cross braces should be in good working order. None of them should come out past the bench seat edges. None of the welds should be cracked either.
- Bleachers should have handrails in place, and if there aren’t any, warnings should be posted.
There are often other guidelines from state to state, and understanding those is your responsibility. For example, in many states, a simple safety inspection by your staff isn’t enough. In most cases, you’ll need a certified technician to look things over and file a report. Depending on the company from whom you bought the bleachers, some yearly inspections are required to keep your warranty in check, too.
Preventative Maintenance
Whether your annual check reveals a problem or not, you may still have a bit of work to do. Proper upkeep of your floorboards, stairs and walkways is a must. It can help reduce any falls from patrons. They need to be cleaned regularly as well. Handrails, if present, need to be tightened, and supports should be lubricated with all other moving parts.
Keep in mind that if you allow food onto the bleachers, it can get into the mechanisms and create real issues, so keep a close eye out for potential problems with food. There are ways to clean them well, but it’s a bit harder, so custodial staff should be part of the maintenance plan. The real key with preventative maintenance is not only to make certain issues are addressed as soon as they’re realized, but also to follow the manufacturer’s instructions with regard to the right maintenance procedures.
Bleachers are one of the biggest problems for many facilities because, while they do provide useful seating, they can also be hard to maintain. Contact a certified bleacher technician to make sure your bleachers are safe from year to year.
