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.