Full Contest Rules

Contest Rules 

1. The National Institutes of Health "In Focus! Safe Workplaces For All!" photo contest is on hold until further notice.

2. Contest open only to legal residents of the United States, the District of Columbia, and other locales under United States jurisdiction including Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, American Virgin Islands, and other protected territories. Participants must also be at least eighteen (18) years of age.  If you do not meet any of these requirements, or any other eligibility requirements in these official rules, then you are not eligible to participate in this contest (see paragraph 22 below).
3. All photographs must be submitted digitally through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Research Services (ORS), Division of Occupational Health and Safety’s (DOHS).          
   
4. By entering this contest, you warrant and represent that all photographs you submit are your own original work, do not infringe upon any copyright, invade any right of privacy, contain any defamatory, libelous or slanderous material, or violate any other right of any person or entity, and are not otherwise contrary to law.
5. Photographs must not depict a violation of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and/or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, ORS, DOHS standard, uncontrolled hazard, or any unsafe procedure or practice.  
6. No photographs of any NIH buildings will be accepted (e.g. Bldgs. 1, 10, 12, 13, 31, 33, 41A, 45, 50, etc.).
7. No photographs of any NIH restricted areas will be accepted (if unsure, check with your supervisor).
8. Photographs must not endorse or be perceived to endorse a commercial product or service.  This includes but is not limited to the display of brand names or trademarks on any people, equipment or other objects visible in the photograph. 
9. For any photograph submitted in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject's parent or guardian and, upon request, provide it to the DOHS.  A sample release for your use is available here:Consent Form.
10. The DOHS has no obligation to publish or use or retain any photographs you submit or to return any photographs to you. 
11. Each participant may submit a maximum of three (3) photographs.  Any photograph received after the limit is reached will be disqualified. 
12. Disclaimer.  The DOHS will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled, distorted, or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer or communications related malfunctions or failures; (c) any contest disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of DOHS or by non-authorized human intervention; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the contest.
13. Odds of winning a prize depend on the number and quality of eligible entries received. 
14. The photo submission period is now closed.
15. Photographs previously produced for compensation and photographs already posted on the ORS, DOHS’s website are not eligible. 
16. Photographs must be taken in the United States or its territories. 
17. By entering the contest, entrants grant the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, ORS, DOHS, a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to reproduce, display, distribute, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or subsequently developed, for any educational, promotional, publicity, exhibition, archival, scholarly and all other governmental purposes. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, ORS, DOHS, will not be required to seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. 
18. You agree that it is your sole responsibility to obtain all permissions necessary for the grant of the rights contained in paragraph 16.  You also agree, as a condition of being awarded any prize in the contest, to take, at DOHS's request, any further action (including, without limitation, execution of assignments, transfers, affidavits and other documents) reasonably necessary, as requested by DOHS, to effect, perfect, or confirm DOHS's rights in and to your photograph or other rights granted in these rules.
19. You further grant the DOHS the right to use information that you provide as part of your submission, including your name, city, state/territory and contact information for the following purposes: 1) Contact information will only be used to notify you in the event that you are selected a winner and/or finalist for this contest; and 2) Name, city, and state/territory may be announced to the public in connection with winning and/or finalist photographs. 
20. No Confidentiality.  Photographs submitted to the DOHS will not be treated as confidential, and by entering this contest and submitting photographs, you represent and warrant that the photographs do not include or disclose any trade secrets, proprietary information or other confidential information. 
21. General Release.  By entering the contest, you release and hold harmless the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, ORS, DOHS, from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, cost, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the contest or delivery, miss-delivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory. 
22. Miscellaneous.  The contest and these Full Contest Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under federal laws. Entrants agree to be bound by these Full Contest Rules and by the decisions of the DOHS, which are final and binding in all respects. The DOHS reserves the right to change these Full Contest Rules at any time, in its sole discretion, and to suspend, cancel, postpone or extend the contest or any entrant's participation in the contest should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond the DOHS's control affect the administration, security or proper play of the contest or the DOHS otherwise becomes (as determined in its sole discretion) incapable of running the contest as planned.  Entrants who violate or fail to comply with these Full Contest Rules, violate any law, rule or regulation in connection with participation in the contest, tamper with the operation of the contest, or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to the DOHS, the contest or any other entrant (in each case as determined in DOHS sole discretion), are subject to disqualification from entry into the contest.  If you have any questions about these Full Contest Rules or the contest, please e-mail them to infocus@mail.nih.gov or send written questions to: NIH, OD, ORS, DOHS (Attn: DOHS Photo Contest Questions), Bldg. 13, Room 3K04, 13 South Drive, MSC 5760, Bethesda, MD 20892-5760.
23. This contest is open ONLY to NIH employees; NIH contractors; and NIH special government employees.  DOHS on-site personnel are not eligible to participate in this contest.