SAFETY INTERNSHIP
SED 490/SED 650
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Allan Stern
212
Communications Bldg.
(304) 696-3069
stern@marshall.edu
TEXT: None
Prerequisite(s): Permission of Instructor CREDIT: 3 hours
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Supervised experience on the job
site.
PURPOSE OF THE
COURSE:
The purpose of this course is to provide the student with supervised work site experiences for those planning to pursue the field of safety as a professional career. Through working with a practicing safety professional in the field, the student will apply classroom learning to workplace realities. Students will be required to maintain contact with the instructor during the internship and apply critical thought and reasoning to workplace safety tasks as may be assigned.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Although students in internships do not meet a class schedule as such, they are expected to diligently meet the work schedule in the internship as agreed upon by the sponsoring organization. Failure to do so may result in a failing grade for the course.
GRADING POLICY: The grading policy for SED 490 is credit/no credit. To receive a grade of credit the student must receive at least 70% from the following areas:
Preparations/contacts by student 15%
Completion of field work 55%
Continuing contact with instructor 15%
Reports filed on time 15%
Computer Requirements: Ability to use and understand basic computer programs like MS Word, and other similar software used by businesses/industry to track OSHA recordkeeping.
SED 490 & SED 650
The purpose of our internship
courses are to provide the student with supervised practice at the work site in
the work of a safety professional. We
expect the students to get involved in record
keeping, safety audits, fire prevention, training, program development and
implementation and other areas. SED 490
is given a “Credit/Non-Credit” grade.
SED 650 is given a letter
grade upon successful completion.
How to get started: Permission of
the professor listed for the course is required! Graduate students enrolled in SED 650 must
have completed at least 24 hours of
safety courses. Undergraduate
students, the SED 490 is your “capstone”
experience which is generally enrolled in during your senior year.
What is involved:
1. The student must intern for the whole
semester. This may be done on a
flexible schedule
which will accommodate the student and
sponsoring organization. During the
Summer,
students
enroll for both sessions C & D which provides the students with ten weeks
in which to complete the
internship. The minimum time required for the internship is 150 hours.
2.
The student must submit
a brief outline to the professor of what he/she is going to try and
accomplish
during the internship. This outline
must be turned in within the first week
of
work.
3.
During the course of the
internship, the student will keep a daily log of the activities covered
during
that particular day. Daily Log
information sheet is attached.
4.
Prior to the last
scheduled class day of the semester, the Internship instructor will send an
evaluation form to the Intern Supervisor.
This form will be used to help evaluate the students performance at the
site and will also be used for grading purposes.
5.
Each student is required
to meet periodically with the Intern Supervisor. You are required to meet with the Internship Supervisor once a
month during your internship. The
meetings will be on Fridays at 2:00 pm in the afternoon. Dates for the meetings are as follows:
1st
meeting ______________ 2nd
meeting ___________________ 3rd
meeting____________
6.
The internship can be
repeated by enrolling in the course as an Audit student and not receiving a
grade.
.
NOTE: Students taking the internship who already work in a
safety program should arrange for their internship experience to accomplish
work at a “higher level” than they are currently practicing in their work. Such might include:
A. Work risk management
B. Writing or revising a part of an existing safety
program
C. Conducting litigation research as appropriate
D. Safety coordination duties in such areas as safety
committees, labor management groups,
insurance
matters, sitting in on an OSHA hearing
A letter of appreciation will
be sent to the internship supervisor upon receipt of the finishing letter.
Reporting Format
At the end of your internship, you are required to submit to your instructor, two items. The first item is a report covering your internship company. The second is your daily log. The log will be returned to the student after the professor checks it. Additionally, students may be required to make an oral presentation to either the ASSE Student Chapter or the Safety Technology Department faculty.
Internship Report
I. History of the agency or organization
a. origin-purpose
b. current operations
II. Organization & Administration of safety department/agency
a. organization chart
b. location of safety & health component
c. other
III. Laws, Regulations & Codes under which the safety department operates
a. Federal
b. State
c. Local
IV. Nature of Operations in terms of safety
a. Innate dangers
b. Programs
V. Training and Education programs of the safety department
a. New Employees
b. On the job
c. Older Employees
d. Upgrading
e. Other
(most important aspect)
Your daily log is kept to remind you of things accomplished each day of your internship. This will help you also write a resume as you can explain your accomplishments and projects worked on during your internship.
Based on all previous training – level & daily log reflects:
Laws
Operation for safety & health
Training
Observations
Supervision
Problem areas
MISCELLANEOUS
Each student is required to complete the internship in a professional manner. Students must, at all times, be conscious of the fact that his/her performance is not only an indication of future professional capability but, in fact, representative of Marshall University, The Safety Technology Program and future interns.
One objective of this program is to help the student learn more about industrial and business hazards; however, it is not intended that the student ever be placed in a position where he/she is likely to be involved in an accident. Safety managers are concerned with reducing accidents and each student is directed to utilize his/her training to avoid situations where accident-causing factors (hazards) can lead to unnecessary accident exposures. Students must wear all protective equipment specified by the internship On-Site Supervisor.
Allow sufficient time for your transportation to and from the internship site so you do not put yourself in jeopardy by having to drive too fast or drive when you are fatigued. Remember, probably the most hazardous thing that we do in our profession is to drive our cars.
No text is required for this course; however, each student should have access to the OSHA standards and other hazard identification, evaluation and control references from his/her previous course work. Up-to-date materials are generally available in our office.
Miscellaneous materials may be helpful for your collecting information and data. Clipboards and paper for taking notes and recording information upon which to base your reports may be helpful.
A week before the last day of class, your supervisor will be sent an evaluation form to assess your professional qualifications while on the job. The supervisor should return this form along with the required letter of completion to this office by the last class day. Failure to return these forms on time may delay your grade.