As cumulative trauma disorders of the upper extremities have gained increasing attention, methods to quantify the associated workplace risk factors have been developed. This paper reviews some of the current workplace analysis techniques, and highlights the current need for better field measurement systems. This need has led to the development of a field measurement tool: the manual task evaluator (MTE). Results of a laboratory experiment and a field experiment using the MTE are presented. In the laboratory experiment, subjects performed a cutting task using a knife. Average peak torque levels, as measured by the system, were found to vary significantly as a function of the material being cut and the technique used to perform the cut. In the field experiment (at two poultry processing plants) similar cutting tasks were evaluated. Task- and person-related factors were found to influence the power required to perform the task. These studies demonstrate the utility of the MTE. Relevance to industry The results of this study have implications regarding field evaluation of forces required to perform repetitive tasks as well as identification of areas for task redesign.