High school students across the state created videos that are full of drama, music, humor, and captivating characters to boost awareness about workplace safety – all with the central message, “Speak up. Work safe.” The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) sponsors the annual video contest to engage teen workers, who are twice as likely to be injured on the job, according to federal studies. The top five finalists are now posted on YouTube for viewing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5_HsiPb_rc&list=PLM75uPd4sBhx05JwZDmjYieJiG49qjsDx The finalists are: “Safety Joe: Pizza Time” – Crescent Valley High School, Corvallis; “Touch & Go” – South Salem High School; “70 & Counting” – South Salem High School; “Anytime, Anyplace” – Summit High School, Bend; “The Safety Bros” – Parkrose High School, Portland. The top three entries will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500 and will earn a matching amount for their school. O[yes] organizes the contest, which is sponsored by Oregon OSHA, SAIF Corporation, local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU, Hoffman Construction, Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, the SHARP Alliance, the Construction Safety Summit, Northern Lights Theatre and Pub, and SafeBuild Alliance. The contest, open to all high school students in Oregon, tasked students with creating a 90-second or less video based on the concept of speaking up about hazards at work. Participants were encouraged to get creative while emphasizing ways to protect themselves – and their co-workers – from getting hurt on the job. The videos were judged on originality, youth appeal, overall production quality, and effective use of the “Speak up. Work safe” message. Contest winners will be announced during a video-viewing and awards event to be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Northern Lights Theatre and Pub in Salem. For contest information, go to http://youngemployeesafety.org/contest.
