We came away from the show with an abundance of prospective Celare and Digilock clients. The show was also a success as we able to shake hands with clients from projects that are now turnkey since the previous Athletic business Conference 2010 in San Diego, CA. Those customers were Health Zone in Tulsa, Ok, Mizzou Rec Center in Columbia, MO and Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA.

We are looking to build upon the past year’s success and continue to the build the Celare and Digilock brands through the Athletic Business Conference Portal. We’re counting down the days to the Athletic Business Conference 2012 in New Orleans, LA along with some good old’ Cajun food!

Athletic business conference.

U.C.Berkeley's Memorial Stadium, home of its Golden Bears Football Team, in the midst of a massive renovation.(Photo from www.calbears.com)

U.C. Berkeley is in the thick of renovating it’s Cal Bear’s Memorial Stadium. Open since 1923, this historic building and stadium is undergoing a massive facelift to become modernized & seismically retrofitted, while still maintaining its historic architecture and character.

The $321-million project is expected to be completed for the 2012 football season. Digilock/Security People Inc. is honored to be a part of the historic makeover, as the chosen lock provider for U.C. Berkeley’s Cal Bears football team, pairing with lockers from Club Resource Group

“This project is a monster and will change the amenities for student athletes within the PAC 12 as U.C. Berkley set the bar very high,” said Digilock national sales manager & sports aficionado Brian Lovrin. “The 11 remaining schools in the PAC 12, [a college athletic conference made up of well-regarded universities] will need to follow suit in their bid to keep prospective student athletes away from U.C. Berkeley.

Photo from www.calbears.com website.

U.C. Berkeley Memorial Stadium currently under renovation. Photo from www.calbears.com.

Digilock /Security People Inc. is proud to be the provider of 119 athletic state of the art locker locks for the Cal Bears Football team at U.C. Berkeley's under-renovation Memorial Stadium.

The Cal Bears' Memorial Stadium football locker room undergoing renovation, including Digilock locks & CRG lockers. Photo courtesy of Digilock/Security People Inc.

Brian Lovrin with Jessica Shutters from HealthFitness in Kingsport, TN.

Spent the weekend at 2011 Club Industry, a regional based health and fitness show drawing some of the biggest players in the Midwest region and the greater Chicago athletic market.

When not holed up at booth #1021, I had fun meeting new people, like Jessica Shutters from Health Fitness in Kingsport, TN. Congrats Jessica on your award for personal training expertise!

Of course, loads of networking at the show.  I visited client/customer Lincoln Park Athletic Club, a member of the Chicago Athletic Clubs– one of the most established, reputable fitness chains in the Midwest.  Lincoln Park Athletic Club is remodeling their locker room using Hollman lockers and Digilock cam locks. Check out photos I took of their new set up. Sorry for the poor quality …will soon be making the switch to iphone 4.

Brian Lovrin at the Club Industry Show next to Digilock's latest ad for the Celare Locker Brand, lockers with style and aesthetic appeal, in addition to functionality.

Back at Club Industry, we showcased our Celare locker line for the first time in the Midwest Region….to lots of interest!  Celare lockers emphasize style & aesthetic, in addition to functionality. What did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments!

Security People Inc. is made up of the four leading brands in lock and locker technology, Digilock, Celare, Lockup and Numeris.

At the pool at the Lincoln Park Athletic Club.

A Digilock lock in the recently remodeled locker room at Lincoln Park Athletic Club in Chicago.

A shot of Lincoln Park Athletic Club's new Hollman lockers with Digilock locks!

Last shot of the lockers at Lincoln Park Athletic Club.

Participating fitness clubs partner with the Silver Sneakers fitness program, and offer senior specific classes. Marketing to seniors makes it extra imperative that fitness clubs become fully ADA-compliant by the upcoming March 15, 2012 deadline. Wouldn’t want to woo a population into your club, and have it inaccessible to them.

Please comment about your experience marketing to seniors? (Security People Inc. is an int’l supplier of ADA-accessible locks and lockers.)

A "Silver Sneakers" senior class at a 24-hour fitness club in Northern California.

A senior specific fitness class.

Seniors stretch their backs during a Silver Sneakers class at a 24-Hour Fitness club in Northern California.

LAUREL-CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL in LAUREL NEBRASKA. Photo courtesy of Marty Nelson. Says Marty: The boys locker room at Laurel-Concord High School in Laurel Nebraska, where I graduated in 1984. The picture was taken in 2009. I remember it being a very noisy room!

COLTS LOCKER ROOM AT LUCAS OIL STADIUM: Photo courtesy of Eric McCutchan. Says Eric: I took the photo on a visitors' tour during a blood drive at by Lucas Oil Stadium. The reason it looks so pristine is that it's used only one day per week during the season, since the Colts practice at a different facility on the northwest side of town.

INDIANOLA MIDDLE SCHOOL, COLUMBUS OHIO: Photo courtesy of Eric Lipschutz. Says Eric: As a tax payer in the Columbus City Schools district I was appalled at the condition of the boys and girls locker rooms in this building. If I were a student I wouldn't want to take gym class the conditions are so horrendous! I am glad my tax dollars are going to renovate this fine old structure and bring it into the 21st century. I have always admired this fine old school (built in 1929) and attended the community walk through prior to the renovation and addition. A subsequent addition was added in 1962. This addition will be demolished to make way for a new entrance, cafeteria, gymnasium and media center. The building will become a K-8 Language Immersion School for Columbus City Schools.

CLIPPERS LOCKER ROOM at STAPLES CENTER: Photo courtesy of Steve Neimand. Says Steve: The photo was taken during the last seat upgrade event for season ticket holders, when season seat holders are invited to Staples Center to see what seats are available in case they want to move or add to theirs. They had the locker room open for people to tour. As for perspective, I found it very nice, which I would expect for a pro team in a fairly new arena, and remarkably odor free, also expected, as it was the off season and not in use.

CHICAGO CUBS LOCKER ROOM: Photo courtesy of Kenneth Watson. Says Kenneth, On a trip to Chicago, I was lucky enough to be there on a day they were giving tours of Wrigley Field. The Cubs were playing on the road, so their clubhouse was open on the tour.

SEATTLE, WA, break room for staff members of the inpatient pharmacy in downtown Seattle, WA hospital. Photo courtesy of Kim. Says Kim: Our break room is small, dirty, windowless and crowded. It's awful, but there really are no good alternatives when the weather is bad--and since we're in Seattle, the weather is usually bad.

CHATTERLY WHITEFILED COLLIERY COAL MINE LOCKER ROOM, UNITED KINGDOM: Photograph courtesy of Mick Pyatt. Says Mick: I worked here in the1960s and it closed in 1976. I took this photo during an annual open day in Sept. 2008. It represents fond memories of my time there. These are the lockers where coal miners changed out of their clean clothes, took out a towel and soap, then went to a second locker in what was known as the dirty end to put on work clothes to go down the coal mine. At the end of the shift on the coalface you reversed the procedure which included a shower. Mick worked here starting at age 15.

SLS HOTEL, BEVERLY HILLS CA-—Ciel Spa Womens Locker Room. Keep in mind that this is a marketing photo, not from a regular person. But sure looks nice.

FORREST HILLS, NEW YORK. Photograph courtesty of Joe Shlabotnik. Writes Joe: Delighfully old school lockers.

SHORE LANES BOWLING ALLEY, MERRITT ISLAND, FL: Photo courtesy of Linda McKinney. Says Linda: My Mom and Aunt Eliza were down for a week. We picked up my brother and went bowling. This locker room caught my attention and my stomach. The visceral reaction to this locker room -- IMHO -- would be to get out of there as soon as possible.

Security People Inc. is an int’l supplier of locks and lockers. Soon we will begin begins accepting applications forlocker/lock donations for 2011/2012! All schools and youth facilities may apply. “Like” us on Facebook, or sign up for our enewsletter to be notified when the online application is ready.

Mexican vacations provide rest & relaxation. Pool and beachside lockers help prevent worrying about stolen belongings.

Island-themed lockers, with Digilock locks, at an all-inclusive Mexican resort.

Security People Inc.  is made up of the four leading brands in lock and locker technology, Digilock, Celare, Lockup and Numeris.

Pharmaceutical drawers locked with Digilock locks are displayed at a trade show int he Netherlands.

Just this past summer, prescription opiates including oxycodone and morphine went missing from Hunter Hospital in Hunter New England. According to reports, 13 types of drugs were lost or stolen in 40 incidents between January 1, 2009, and April 11, 2011.

Hospitals are becoming increasingly aware of the potential for people to use medication inappropriately, and illegally obtain desirable pharmaceuticals for themselves or for sale on the black market.

Many medical establishments are responding by increasing their security. Kaiser Permanente, for example, has employed Digilock locks to secure medicine drawers and cabinets. Four-digit passwords are revealed only to authorized staff, and are changed regularly and easily by managing physicians or administrators.

Digilock locks are used by pharmacies and medical facilities worldwide to secure pharmaceutical medication against theft and abuse.

Recreation facilities–including fitness centers, swimming pools and sports centers– have been targeted as a new area of compliance, not previously covered in the 1991 regulations. Specifically, the 2010 regulations require ADA-accessible lockers & locks, swimming pools, exercise equipment and stadium seating…to name a few.

Other changes in the 2010 regulations require increased handicapped van parking & accessible entrances, expanded vehicles for mobility assistance (golf carts are allowed!) and updated guidelines for ADA-accessible hospital rooms.

INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM

Inside locker rooms, at least five percent of lockers must be accessible, according to 2010 compliance regulations.  This means a wheelchair must be able to approach the locker, where benches typically block access. Specifically clubs must allow 48 inches of space around the accessible lockers, and ensure that the bottom of lockers is no more than 15 inches off the floor.

However, just making the lockers accessible is not enough,” says Julie Advocate, chief financial officer for Digilock, a Petaluma, CA, manufacturer of Celare lockers and Digilock locks. Traditional locking options, such as padlocks, dial combination locks and key locks are not ADA compliant, she says.

“But they have to decide throughout,” said Stephenson. “For example, they can’t choose to have their parking comply with 1991 regulations, and then something else goes with 2010 standards.”

She adds, “The thing to think about is the extent that there might be future alterations, If they’re going to be constructing now, they might just want to comply with 2010 so they don’t have to revisit and do things twice.”

While renovating facilities have a few months left to choose whether their reconstruction complies with 1991 or 2010 regulations, after the March date this choice vanishes. All will comply, at that point, with 2010 regs.

Another critical piece is the “Readily Achievable” statute. 1991-compliant spaces must bring their recreation facilities (which had no requirements in the 1991 regulations) to 2010 compliance, if it is “readily achievable.” According to the ADA’s regulation guidelines readily achievable means “easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense.”

According to the published guidelines:

Readily achievable barrier removal may include providing an accessible route from a parking lot to the business’s entrance, installing an entrance ramp, widening a doorway, installing accessible door hardware, repositioning shelves, or moving tables, chairs, display racks, vending machines, or other furniture. When removing barriers, businesses are required to comply with the Standards to the extent possible. For example, where there is not enough space to install a ramp with a slope that complies with the Standards, a business may install a ramp with a slightly steeper slope. However, any deviation from the Standards must not pose a significant safety risk.
The statute does take into consideration a business or facility’s financial capabilities:

Economic downturns may force many public accommodations to postpone removing some barriers. The barrier removal obligation is a continuing one and it is expected that a business will move forward with its barrier removal efforts when it rebounds from such downturns. For example, if a restaurant identified barriers under the 1991 Standards but did not remove them because it could not afford the cost, the restaurant has a continuing obligation to remove these barriers when it has the financial resources to do so.

“This is something facilities will have to consult their counsel about, to see if they comply with this statute,” said Stephenson.

PENALTY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

Out-of-compliance facilities risk penalties from the Department of Justice, and lawsuits from the DOJ, patrons or disability groups–not to mention risking their reputation in the community.

A first non-compliance violation is $55,000, and a second is $110,000, according to Stephenson, however this may be the least of a non-compliant facilities worries.
“The DOJ does have the ability to bring class action law suits on behalf of individuals with disabilities, and if there’s a finding of liability in an issue like that, that could be a significant monetary burden on a facility, “ said Stephenson. “The DOJ can also get damages for people who are aggrieved and injunctive relief to force facilities to make required changes.”

Stephenson adds that there are a number of plaintiff attorneys across the country that specialize in this area of the law, and seek out these lawsuits, including group claims.
In summary, Stephenson advises businesses to speak with their legal counsel to see if they are currently in compliance with existing standards, and if not, what changes must be made to come into compliance. Much of the specifics can also be found in the DOJ’s published guidelines.

SPI will soon be making locker & lock grants for schools and youth athletic facilities in need of updated locker rooms. Please join our mailing list and “like” us on FB (on the upper right hand side of this blog) to be notified when the application process begins.

Written by Cecily Ruttenberg, a member of SPI‘s marketing & public relations team.