Internship Workplace Safety Assessment

Overview

The Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité au travail (CNESST) is requiring that Quebec Educational Institutions perform safety assessments for their students that are performing paid or unpaid internships. To comply with this requirement Concordia has developed an Internship Safety Assessment Process to identify potential hazards present in the workplace along with their associated mitigation methods.

Internship site (Host organization)

Before hosting a Concordia student:

Ensure you have sent EHS a completed Internship Safety Assessment form.

During the internship:

Inform the interns about the risks related to their tasks and responsibilities.
Ensure the intern has the appropriate training to perform their tasks in a safe manner.
Be available and offer site visits to the Internship coordinator and/or EHS.
Ensure the intern follows all health and safety guidelines within your organization.
Offer trainings to the intern regarding: Proper use of personal protective equipment and safe handling of equipment.
Encourage a positive safety culture by inviting the intern to ask questions, share concerns and participate in the reduction of risks.

Should a Concordia Intern sustain an injury or near-miss during the course of their internship ensure that the incident is reported to the university by using Concordia's Injury/Near-Miss report.

Intern

Before beginning your internship

Be aware of your rights and obligations when it comes to Health and Safety droits et obligations en matière de santé et de sécurité du travail.
Review and sign your Internship Workplace Hazards report with your internship coordinator.

Review the Protection-Stagiaires webpage provided by the CNESST (in french only).
Review the hazard identification resources.

During your Internship

Ask questions.
Participate in risk-reduction exercises.
Ensure you know how to properly utilize your personal protective equipment.
Follow all health and safety guidelines.
In the event that you sustain an injury or near-miss you must report the incident to the university via Concordia's Injury/Near-Miss report.
Inform your Internship coordinator or EHS of any unsafe work practices.

Additional resources:

For questions related to health and safety, include Personal protective equipment, injuries, or near-misses, please contact EHS@concordia.ca.
If you are experiencing sexual or psychological harassment or should you wish to obtain additional information regarding Concordia’s resources or internal complaint process, please contact your internship coordinator or visit Concordia's Sexual Assault Resource Centre or the Office of Rights and Responsibilities for help, support, and resources.

Internship coordinator

Before sending a student to an internship site

Ensure they are on the list of approved sites.

For approved sites:

When required perform a site visit.
Review the interns’ tasks and the Internship Workplace Hazards Report with the intern.
Ensure they have reviewed the appropriate policies and have access to the necessary resources.

For sites not on the approval list:

Ensure they complete the Internship Safety Assessment form.
When required perform a site visit.
Review the interns' tasks and the Internship Workplace Hazards report with the intern.

Every employee and intern has the right to work in a safe and secure environment. The employer must have mechanisms in place to prevent and control risks associated with the specific hazard. Since safety is a shared responsibility, you have the obligation to identify and inform both the host organization and the university of any uncontrolled hazards.

Hazards generally fit into 6 categories:

Chemical hazards
All raw materials and by-products of a process or product resulting from mechanical action, evaporation, combustion, decomposition or chemical reaction.

Biological hazards
Living organisms such as plants, animals and biological agents (viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi) that can have a toxic effect.

Physical hazards
Forms of energy or forces such as noise, vibration, electricity, temperature, pressure and radiation.

Ergonomic hazards
Repetitive tasks, use of inappropriately designed equipment excessive effort, uncomfortable or static postures.

Psychosocial risks
Factors linked to the nature or organization of work, such as harassment, violence and aggression, role ambiguity, lack of respect, work overload pace of work, task complexity and inadequate training.

Safety risks
Moving parts on machines and equipment, sharp angles, shapes of parts and materials tools and equipment, working at heights or in confined spaces, floors or confined spaces, slippery or uneven floors, vehicles, aggressive clientele, projecting.

Hazards can be controlled in a number of ways including but not limited to training, personal protective equipment, procedures, barriers or other mechanisms. You have the right to ask questions and if you feel like a hazard is not controlled, please inform your internship coordinator.