The primary task as an intern with LNI is shadowing the industrial hygienists (CSHOs) and observing the compliance inspection process. I learned the responsibilities of a CSHO and how to evaluate whether a business is compliant with Washington DOSH regulations. In order to get the most out of inspections, advocate for yourself! CSHOs are busy and still learning themselves, so they might not remember to ask if you want to come. It never hurts to review employees’ calendars and check in with some people who might be going into the field that week. It’s important to be attentive and alert on the job You take a lot of notes on inspections, so make sure to keep up with what is being said and write down the important information throughout the inspection. When walking through the business workplace, pay attention as there could be hazards if you’re not careful. Next, be inquisitive! My coworkers appreciated when I asked a lot of questions about the process or certain aspects of the inspection. It makes you look good as an intern, and you learn so much by talking to the hygienist about their job. The CSHOs are great outlets for support, as they’re the ones who know the details of the case. f you’re asked a question by the other business on an inspection and don’t know the answer, the CSHO is there to help.

Another quality that I found necessary during my internship was being eager to learn and explore. I had a lot of down time in the office when I wasn’t tagging along in the field, so I had to make use of my time in the cubicle. Reviewing past inspections or reading WAC chapters on codes you find interesting was a good way to continue the learning process and pass the time. It can get boring sometimes when you’re stuck in the office, but by digging deeper, chatting up a coworker, checking out the equipment room or walking around the office, you can make it more fun.

One big assignment of this internship is phone faxes. This is like an internship-level assigned inspection, totally up to the intern’s responsibility. I had to contact business owners and discuss the complaints we received against them, then send them official documents for their review. Attention to detail and being able to act in a professional matter was crucial, as you are representing the state agency when working with other employers. Ensuring documents are free of typos and contained accurate information is necessary to do a good job on phone faxes. It can be intimidating talking on the phone with owners who feel the complaint isn’t valid, so it was important to know I had the support of the agency and my supervisor if things ever got difficult. Supervisors are there to support you for anything, and make it clear you can always ask questions, so feel free to use that resource.