Externship Orientation, Site Agreements, and Safety Protocols

Why Orientation Comes Before Work

Your externship is the bridge between classroom learning and professional practice. Before you touch a single piece of equipment or enter a greenhouse bay, you must complete a structured orientation. This is not a formality — it is a legal and ethical requirement that protects you, your employer, and the school. Many workplace injuries happen in the first days on a new site because workers did not know where hazards were located or what the emergency procedures were. Completing orientation before your first production shift eliminates that dangerous gap.

The Three-Party Externship Agreement

The externship operates under a formal written agreement signed by three parties: you (the student), the school (represented by your program coordinator), and the employer (represented by the site supervisor). Each party has defined responsibilities.

• You agree to follow the employer's rules, maintain professional conduct, meet the required attendance schedule, and submit all journal entries on time.
• The school agrees to place you in a site that meets program standards, provide your training records, and evaluate your performance fairly.
• The employer agrees to provide meaningful work experience, assign a qualified supervisor, maintain a safe worksite, and complete evaluation forms.

Read the agreement carefully before signing. If anything is unclear, ask your program coordinator before you put your name on it. Once signed, all three copies go on file — the employer keeps one, the school keeps one, and you keep one. All paperwork must be signed and on file with the program coordinator before you begin your second shift.

Conducting the Site Walkthrough

Your first task at the site is a supervised walkthrough with your employer-assigned supervisor. Bring your hazard-identification checklist. This checklist organizes hazards into four main categories:

Equipment hazards — Identify powered machinery (mowers, chippers, irrigation controllers, tractors). Note which machines require an operator sign-off before use. Record where lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures are posted. Under LOTO principles, any machine that can unexpectedly start or release stored energy must be de-energized and locked before service or clearing jams. Never bypass this step.

Chemical hazards — Locate the pesticide storage area. Note whether it is locked (required by most state pesticide laws). Identify where Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are kept — they must be accessible to all workers at all times. Note the location of any emergency eyewash or wash station near chemical handling areas. Your State Pesticide Applicator credential training has already taught you label compliance; on this site, you apply those rules in a real setting.

Traffic and movement hazards — Mark vehicle traffic lanes, pedestrian paths, blind corners, and loading dock areas. Note whether high-visibility vests are required in certain zones.

Environmental conditions — Identify slip hazards (wet greenhouse floors, gravel slopes), shade and sun exposure areas (heat illness risk in summer), and any confined spaces such as storage vaults or chemical rooms with limited ventilation.

After the walkthrough, your supervisor reviews and signs the completed checklist. This signature confirms that the hazard information you recorded is accurate for this specific site.

Employer Safety Orientation Requirements

Most employers conduct their own safety orientation independent of your OSHA 10 training. Bring your OSHA 10 wallet card — it demonstrates baseline safety knowledge and may shorten certain portions of the employer's required training. However, it does not replace site-specific instruction. During the employer orientation you will typically:

• Sign equipment authorization sheets for each machine you are approved to operate
• Locate all emergency exits and the primary evacuation assembly point
• Identify the nearest first-aid kit and confirm its contents
• Learn the emergency contact chain (who to call first if someone is injured)
• Confirm the location of fire extinguishers and understand what class of fire each type covers

Record every piece of this information in your worksite journal the same day you receive it. Your journal entry for Day 1 must be complete before your second shift begins — this is a program requirement and a pass/fail checkpoint.

PPE Issued by the Employer

The employer will issue any PPE required for site operations. This may include gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toed footwear, or chemical-resistant aprons. Inspect each item before use. PPE that is cracked, torn, or expired must be reported and replaced before you work in the hazard area it is meant to protect. You are responsible for wearing the correct PPE every time the task requires it — not just when a supervisor is watching.

Your Worksite Journal

The worksite journal is your professional record of the externship. It is also evidence of learning for your NALP Landscape Industry Certified portfolio. Each entry should include the date, the tasks performed, skills practiced, questions that arose, and any safety observations. Write clearly and factually. Avoid vague entries like "helped with plants." Instead write: "Transplanted 4-inch perennial plugs into one-gallon containers, approximately 120 units, using soilless potting mix; supervisor demonstrated proper spacing and root-ball positioning."

Checklist Before Shift 2

Program policy requires all three of the following before you begin your second production shift:

1. All placement paperwork signed and on file with the program coordinator

2. Hazard-identification checklist completed and signed by the site supervisor

3. First worksite journal entry present and readable

If any item is missing, contact your program coordinator immediately. Do not wait — a missing document on Day 2 can delay your placement and affect your credential timeline.