Risk prevention: EU-OSHA launches second pan-European photo competition on safe and healthy workplaces

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has launched its second photo competition to raise awareness of safety and health at work. The 2009 competition was a big success, which received over 1600 entries,

The competition calls for entries on the theme of 'safety and health in the workplace', with a special focus on risk prevention, to show how employers and employees can work together to prevent occupational accidents and illnesses. All photographers - professional or amateur - are invited to submit their entries before 31 August 2011, via the website: www.osha-photocompetition.eu

An international jury of professional photographers and health and safety experts will select the best entries, with a first prize of €3,000 to be awarded to the winner. Second and third placed entries will win €2,000 and €1,000 respectively. This year, for the first time, a youth prize of €1,000 will also be awarded to the best entrant aged under-21.

"Over recent years, there has been an increased awareness of occupational safety and health in the EU," says Dr Jukka Takala, Director of EU-OSHA. "Nonetheless, there is still more to be done to ensure that workers across Europe are protected against workplace risks. In launching the second edition of the competition this year, we are looking to get a true picture of how occupational safety and health is seen across Europe. The addition of a youth prize is intended to spread the message of workplace safety to the next generation of Europe's employees to help keep them safe from occupational risks in years to come."

The competition is open to entrants from across the 27 EU countries, plus the EFTA (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and six candidate and potential candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, FYROM and Albania). Winners will be selected in September 2011 and announced at the Healthy Workplaces Campaign closing event to be held in Bilbao in November 2011.

 The competition calls for entries on the theme of ‘safety and health in the workplace', with a special focus on risk prevention, to show how employers and employees can work together to prevent occupational accidents and illnesses. All photographers - professional or amateur - are invited to submit their entries before 31 August 2011, via the website: www.osha-photocompetition.eu