The purposes o f this study were to apply ergonomic principles and techniques to identify
risks o f Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD) in the bakery operation o f a Midwest
university food service and to recommend an ergonomic prevention program for selected
jobs. Employees working in food production and service reported “high frequency” o f the
following motions: twisting/bending wrists, grasping small objects, reaching above
shoulder height, looking down with the neck, and lifting heavy objects from the ground.
Aching or stiffness in the employees’ shoulder was the complaint identified by most o f
the employees (88.33%). The agreement between employees’ classification o f job
exertion using Rating of Perceived Exertion and the measurement o f the degree o f force
(effort) and repetitiveness (movement) required to perform 24 jobs was analyzed.