DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS (July 10, 2001) -- Lower back pain among demanding occupations and studying ergonomic interaction in the meat packing industry are the research topics two new fellowship recipients will be studying this summer at the Hopkinton, MA Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health (LMRC) through the American Society of Safety Engineers Foundation (ASSEF) and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group's research fellowship program.

The Liberty Mutual Group recently contributed $30,000 to the ASSE Foundation for this Safety Research Fellowship Program. The goals of the program are to provide funding for safety research and to encourage research activity in safety; expand and stimulate participants' understanding of safety research; and to provide a forum for linking safety professionals, industry needs and quality research programs. The two safety fellowships for 2001offered through this program have been awarded to Andrew E. Lincoln, M.S., Sc.D., assistant research professor in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, MD, and Jeff S. Casey a graduate student in the Work Environment Program at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell in Lowell, MA.

The primary objectives of Lincoln's research in low back pain are to: investigate the narrative component of safety reports to discern common mechanisms, circumstances, or equipment resulting in acute low back injury; and to investigate whether the mechanisms, circumstances, and equipment causing acute low back injury are reflected in the ergonomic exposure profile and disability experience of specific occupations.

Casey's research will focus on a worker's ability to estimate their grip force at various force levels. Field evaluations in meatpacking and other hand-intensive industries often rely on these workers' estimates as indicators of forces being exerted. The objective of Casey's biomechanical research project is to determine the accuracy of these estimates in several simulated industrial tasks while simultaneously measuring the actual levels of force.

The LMRC is an occupational health and safety research facility that houses two entities. The Center for Disability Research studies the causes, consequences and prevention of worker disability and strives to help injured or ill workers return safely to the workforce after rehabilitation, retraining or complete recovery. The Center for Safety Research investigates accidents and the causes of injuries and their associated costs in almost all industries. It also researches ways of enhancing on-the-job safety.

Through its programs the ASSEF is committed to ensuring the future of occupational safety and health by providing financial resources to individuals and organizations. Each year the Foundation awards funds for applied safety research, scholarships, fellowships, internships and professional development. The ASSEF was established in 1990 to provide professional development and financial resources to qualified individuals and non-profit organizations.

Founded in 1911and with 32,000 members, the Des Plaines, IL- based ASSE is the world's largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. For more information on the Foundation programs check the ASSEF web site at www.asse.org/foundat.htm or www.asse.org.

Boston- based Liberty Mutual Group ranks 121st among the Fortune 500 largest corporations in the U.S. A diversified financial services company and one of the largest multi-line insurers in the property and casualty industry, Liberty Mutual has $54 billion in consolidated assets and $67 billion in assets under management. Liberty Mutual is rated 'A+' (Superior) by the A.M. Best Company.

Liberty Mutual has been the leading provider of workers compensation insurance, programs and services in the U.S. for nearly 65 years. Liberty Mutual also provides a wide range of products and services, including general liability, commercial auto and business property; group life and disability; private passenger auto and homeowner insurance; individual life and annuities; international programs, and financial services.

The company employs 37,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world. Liberty Mutual's web site address is www.libertymutual.com.