Safety Intern

Description

Position Summary

The Safety Internship is designed to integrate the intern into the day-to-day safety culture, to identify opportunities and success of Metro Waste Authority (MWA) safety program. The intern will work directly with front-line staff, the operations management team, and the leadership team to better understand workplace safety from multiple perspectives. The main goal is to leverage information collected and to recommend improvements to strengthen MWA’s safety culture and program. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conduct structured focus groups and informal discussions with all MWA staff across all facilities.
• Identify opportunities and successes, concerns, and risks (examples of good practices employees are proud of). 
• Shadow employees in daily operations.
• Observe and note both safe practices and areas for potential improvement. 
• Assess existing training programs, safety meetings, and incident reporting systems. 
• Align written policies and field practices across MWA. 
• Capstone Project – develop safety recommendations highlighting challenges and opportunities, recognition of strong practices already in place, practical recommendations for leadership to improve safety culture and engagement. 

MWA Values

Demonstrates an understanding of Metro Waste Authority’s values and applies them to the position, and assigned responsibilities, as well as to all interactions with customers and co-workers.

• Leadership – Set the example because everyone is a leader!
• Integrity – Always do what is right!
• Positivity – Bring our best to every task, every day and bring out the best in your colleagues!
• Teamwork – Collaborate because we know that together we will address opportunities and challenges!
• Innovation – Forge a new path and evolve!

Behavioral Competencies

• Displaying Creativity – Produces a wide range of ideas and suggestions when presented with a problem or challenge; comes up with creative, new ways of doing things
• Learning Quickly – Quickly comprehends new problems and situations; needs very little time to learn and master new processes or tools; able to figure things out as he/she goes along
• Safety – Demonstrates “Safety First” in every activity; reports hazards and incidents promptly; fosters a culture of Safety, Service, Schedule with team interactions
• Sharing Information – Readily shares knowledge and experience with others; actively participates in discussions and exchanges of ideas

Travel

This position requires frequent travel in and around the Des Moines metro area to support all Metro Waste Authority facilities.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Enrolled in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Public Health, or related degree program. 
• Strong Communication Skills
• Comfortable engaging with diverse employee groups in field environments
• Organization and detail oriented

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers; handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; crouch; kneel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. 

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.