As the football season charges on, Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS), a leader in first-aid and safety products, has announced five tactics for improving safety that businesses can learn from America’s favorite sport. Businesses can be exposed to many emergencies such as fires, excessive noise and slip and fall hazards, so they need to be proactive and prepare their teams for any occupational risk.

“Just as coaches need to prepare teams for the next opponent, safety directors must train and equip employees with a strong defense against potential safety risks,” said John Amann, Vice President, First Aid & Safety, Cintas. “With these winning tactics, safety directors can protect their employees and limit the impact of a safety-related incident in their business.”

Consider the following strategies in order to create a winning safety program: 

1. Work with seasoned referees and coaches. Trusting replacement refs or inexperienced coaches with an important game may lead to disappointment. Similarly, putting safety in the hands of an unqualified service provider can have disastrous results. Partner with a seasoned first aid and safety team that offers an array of solutions for all compliance and safety needs.

2. Practice, practice, practice. Just as players need to continually practice and train, employees need to regularly update their safety skills. One way to do so is through regular training sessions using a combination of online, DVD and instructor-led formats. Training should address specific industry hazards and occur when new members join the team, if regulations change and to act as a refresher for seasoned veterans

3. Wear protective gear. To prevent injuries, players wear a variety of protective gear, including helmets and padding. In some situations, employees need to suit up in order to reduce risks. Encourage workers to put on personal protective equipment (PPE) before performing potentially dangerous job tasks. This includes flame-resistant clothing for electrical work, hearing protection for noisy environments and gloves and safety glasses for handling chemicals or equipment.

4. Develop a strong defense. Injuries and illnesses don’t have to put players or employees on the sidelines for long. Workplace first-aid cabinets help reduce the impact of common ailments by providing quick treatment. Stock these cabinets with a variety of bandages, individually-sealed aspirin, antibiotic ointment and a solution for diabetic reactions. This can limit the need for additional treatment and missed days from work.

5. Keep a medic on the sidelines. Serious injuries, like sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), can affect a star player at any moment. An estimated 95 percent of SCA victims die before they reach a hospital or another source of emergency help. Thus, it’s crucial to place functioning automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout a facility. Partner with a service provider to ensure units are regularly inspected and tested. Coworkers should be also trained so that they can act as a first responder during a SCA emergency.