DES PLAINES, IL (April 18, 2000) - A grant of $30,000 dedicated to safety research was recently awarded to the American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) Foundation by the Massachusetts-based Liberty Mutual Research Center (LMRC).

     The funding will go to provide safety research fellowships to selected candidates which will be conducted at the Liberty Mutual Research Center located in Hopkinton, MA. The ASSE Foundation and Liberty Mutual fellowship program is designed to encourage research activity in safety; expand and stimulate participants' understanding of safety research; and provide a forum for linking safety professionals, industry needs and quality research programs.

     A sampling of the research completed and being worked on by ASSE Foundation research grant recipients include studies on "Female Commercial Drivers in the Transportation Industry - Stress Factors Experienced by Women in Non-Traditional Occupations;" the "Impact Performance of Polycarbonate Lenses for Industry and Sport;" "How to Cope with Terrorism in the Schools;" "Critical Characteristics for Successful Construction Safety: A Study of the Culture within the Outstanding Construction Companies;" and the "Relationship Between Employees' Perceptions of Safety and OSHA Lost Time Injury Rates."

     The safety fellowships will be awarded this May by a committee composed of five members of the ASSE Foundation's Research Committee and two trustees from the Foundation's Board. To be eligible to apply for these grants one must possess a Ph.D. degree, or be working towards a masters or Ph.D; be a U.S. citizen or legally registered alien residing in the U.S.; and be enrolled or teaching at an accredited American college or university in a safety or safety-related field. The application deadline is May 12, 2000. Applications are available from the ASSE Foundation web site at www.asse.org/foundat.htm or by calling the ASSE Customer Service Department at 847-699-2929.

     "Since the ASSE Foundation was formed, funding from safety-focused corporations such as Liberty Mutual has helped considerably in developing cutting edge safety research and allowed for many researchers to continue their academic studies in this extremely important area," ASSE Foundation Chairman Edwin P. Granberry, Jr., FAIC, CES, said today.

     The 89-year-old ASSE is a global association which provides professional development and representation on several issues for safety, health, and environmental professionals. With 33,000 members, ASSE's goal is to work to protect people, property and the environment. In 1990 the ASSE recognized a major growth in the safety and health profession and chartered the ASSE Foundation which is designed to provide professional development and financial resources to qualified individuals and non-profit organizations in an effort to advance safety and health development, research and education.

     "Safety touches upon all of us every minute of our lives and wherever we are, so it is imperative that we continue to educate and provide safety professionals with the tools and information they need in an effort to maintain a safe environment for all," Granberry added.