High school students across Oregon are invited to participate in a creative contest aimed at enhancing workplace safety for young workers. The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) is organizing this initiative, encouraging participants to create compelling advertisements through graphic design or video formats. The goal is to promote awareness of heat illness prevention, especially relevant as many youth begin summer jobs.
Entries for the 2026 media contest must effectively capture the attention of teen workers and persuade them to engage with the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division’s (Oregon OSHA) heat-illness prevention online course. This initiative highlights the importance of the course as a vital resource for young workers to safeguard themselves from heat-related hazards while on the job.
Participants are given the freedom to select a key message, theme, or tagline that resonates with their audience. The contest is currently open for submissions, and entries can be either a graphic design or a video that does not exceed 90 seconds in length. Emphasis is placed on creating positive and constructive messages that effectively communicate the importance of safety in the workplace.
The top three entries in each media category will be awarded cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. Furthermore, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization will receive a matching award, thereby promoting collective involvement in workplace safety initiatives. O[yes] plans to utilize the best submissions as advertisements to further its mission of enhancing safety and health protections for young workers.
Safety is paramount throughout the contest process. Participants must ensure that their projects do not endanger any team members while creating their video or graphic design entries.
The submission deadline is set for 5 p.m. on January 30, 2026. Interested individuals can submit their entries online. More information regarding entry forms, contest rules, and resources, including previous winners, can be found on the O[yes] contest page.
This contest is supported by several local organizations, including the American Society of Safety Professionals, Construction Safety Summit, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, Hoffman Construction Company, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon OSHA, SafeBuild Alliance, SAIF Corporation, and the SHARP Alliance.
Oregon OSHA plays a crucial role in enforcing workplace safety and health rules, working to enhance safety for all workers in the state. As part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, it contributes to Oregon’s larger consumer protection and business regulatory framework. For more information, visit osha.oregon.gov and dcbs.oregon.gov.
The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and fatalities among young workers. Its membership comprises safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. For further details, visit youngemployeesafety.org.
