Final answer:
The method used to emphasize the importance of occupational safety in the contest is team-based competition, which motivates departments to achieve the highest percentage of safety-trained employees.
Step-by-step explanation:
The contest described in the question uses team-based competition as a method to sensitize employees to the importance of occupational safety. In this context, occupational safety training is employed as a vital tool for improving workplace health and safety. By rewarding the department with the highest percentage of trained employees, the organization is applying positive reinforcement principles in a competitive environment to encourage participation in safety programs. This approach is an example of making training both engaging and relevant to employees, thereby encouraging them to adhere more closely to safety protocols, a key measure of training effectiveness as indicated by Arthur et al. (2003).