CHANTILLY, Va. - More than 280 firms participated in the 2005 SMACNA Safety Excellence Award Program (SSEAP). The SSEAP evaluates safety data, identifies trends, and recognizes SMACNA members with the lowest incidence rates in the prior calendar year.

Continuing the trend from previous years, nearly one-third of responding SMACNA contractors reported zero lost workdays during the 2004 calendar year. The average incidence rate for responding firms was 5.06, a notable improvement from the previous year's 5.52. For participating contractors in general, incidence rates decreased as hours worked increased.