A record low accident rate and a command-wide emphasis on safety helped the USACE earn the 1998 Chief of Staff of Army's Major Army Command (MACOM) Safety Award. USACE, one of only two commands to earn the 1998 award, has earned it three of the past four years. The award recognizes the continued improvement of the USACE safety record in FY 98. In FY 98, there were no accidental federal employee fatalities during normal duty hours, and only 470 lost-time injuries and illnesses, compared to one fatality and 527 lost-time claims in FY 97. The USACE rate for lost time accidents is 42 percent lower than the Army average. USACE also showed improvement in contractor safety. There were two contractor fatalities and 217 contractor injuries, compared to eight fatalities and 227 injuries in FY 97.