Hazard to Service Matrix

Explore common workplace hazards, what they may require, and how TES support assessment, monitoring, and control decisions.

Select a hazard to learn more

Heat Stress/ Heat Strain

Heat stress can occur when employees perform physical work in hot environments, wear PPE that limits cooling, or have limited recovery time between work periods.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Outdoor summer work
  • Turnarounds and shutdowns
  • Confined spaces and tank cleaning
  • High-temperature processes or heavy PPE use

What Needs to Occur

  • Measure conditions using WBGT
  • Evaluate workload and clothing factors
  • Review work-rest schedules
  • Assess hydration, recovery areas, and acclimatization
  • Adjust controls as conditions change

TES Support

TES provides heat-exposure assessments, WBGT monitoring, work-rest evaluation, acclimatization support, and practical heat-stress program recommendations. Our field personnel evaluate actual working conditions so facilities can adjust protective measures as temperatures, workloads, and PPE requirements change.

Typical Deliverables

  • Exposure monitoring summary
  • Task and operating condition documentation
  • comparison with exposure criteria
  • Control and PPE recommendations and next steps

Benzene, VOCs, & Solvents

Benzene, VOCs, and solvents can create inhalation risks during chemical handling, maintenance, cleaning, and process work.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Product sampling and tank gauging
  • Line breaking and equipment opening
  • Chemical transfers and loading
  • Solvent cleaning and confined-space work

What Needs to Occur

  • Review chemicals, tasks, and SDS information
  • Identify representative employees and exposure groups
  • Select task-based or full-shift sampling
  • Document ventilation, PPE, and operating conditions
  • Compare results with applicable exposure limits

TES Support

TES provides personal air sampling, direct-reading monitoring, exposure interpretation, and practical control recommendations.

Typical Deliverables

  • Monitoring results
  • Task and condition summary
  • Exposure-limit comparison
  • Control and follow-up recommendations

Welding Fumes & Metals

Welding and hot work can generate metal fumes and gases that vary by process, material, ventilation, and work location.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Structural and pipe welding
  • Stainless steel welding
  • Cutting, brazing, and grinding
  • Confined-space or turnaround hot work

What Needs to Occur

  • Identify processes, metals, coatings, and consumables
  • Select representative welders and tasks
  • Perform personal air sampling
  • Review ventilation and respiratory protection
  • Compare results with applicable exposure limits

TES Support

TES evaluates welding-fume exposure and helps determine whether ventilation, PPE, and work practices are adequate.

Typical Deliverables

  • Air-monitoring results
  • Work-condition summary
  • Ventilation observations
  • Control recommendations

Respirable Crystalline Silica

Silica exposure can occur when concrete, masonry, refractory, stone, or sand-containing materials are disturbed.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Concrete cutting and grinding
  • Drilling and demolition
  • Refractory work
  • Abrasive blasting and surface preparation

What Needs to Occur

  • Identify silica-containing materials and tasks
  • Review tools and control methods
  • Select representative employees for sampling
  • Document water suppression, ventilation, and PPE
  • Compare results with applicable limits and action levels

TES Support

TES provides silica exposure monitoring, task assessments, and recommendations for dust control and respiratory protection.

Typical Deliverables

  • Personal sampling results
  • Task documentation
  • Control evaluation
  • Follow-up recommendations

Occupational Noise

Employees may receive significant noise exposure from equipment, tools, vehicles, and production activities over a work shift.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Compressors, pumps, and rotating equipment
  • Manufacturing and fabrication
  • Powered tools and impact work
  • Mobile equipment and utility operations

What Needs to Occur

  • Identify representative employees and tasks
  • Perform personal noise dosimetry
  • Measure sound levels in key work areas
  • Review hearing protection and exposure duration
  • Determine whether hearing-conservation requirements apply

TES Support

TES provides noise dosimetry, sound-level surveys, and hearing-conservation program support.

Typical Deliverables

  • Dosimetry results
  • Sound-level findings
  • High-noise task identification
  • Control and program recommendations

Lead & Asbestos

Lead and asbestos may be encountered when older coatings, insulation, fireproofing, or building materials are disturbed.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Renovation and demolition
  • Maintenance in older facilities
  • Abatement projects
  • Disturbance of coatings or insulation

What Needs to Occur

  • Identify suspect materials
  • Review the work scope before disturbance
  • Perform inspections or material sampling as needed
  • Establish controls and air monitoring requirements
  • Document project conditions and final results

TES Support

TES provides inspections, air monitoring, exposure evaluations, and technical support for lead- and asbestos-related work.

Typical Deliverables

  • Inspection findings
  • Sampling results
  • Air-monitoring documentation
  • Next-step recommendations

Ventilation Concerns

A ventilation system may be installed but still fail to capture dust, fumes, vapors, or heat effectively.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Welding and fabrication areas
  • Chemical mixing or transfer
  • Laboratories and production rooms
  • Paint, coating, or dust-generating work

What Needs to Occur

  • Define what the system is intended to control
  • Observe the process during normal operation
  • Measure airflow or capture conditions
  • Review hood placement and employee positioning
  • Compare ventilation performance with exposure data

TES Support

TES evaluates airflow, capture performance, and ventilation effectiveness under actual operating conditions.

Typical Deliverables

  • Airflow measurements
  • System observations
  • Performance limitations
  • Improvement recommendations

NORM and Radiation

Naturally occurring radioactive material may accumulate in equipment, piping, scale, sludge, or industrial residues.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Oil and gas equipment
  • Scale inside piping and vessels
  • Sludge and residue handling
  • Maintenance, cleaning, or disposal work

What Needs to Occur

  • Identify equipment and materials of concern
  • Review process and survey history
  • Select appropriate survey instruments
  • Perform and document field measurements
  • Determine whether controls or further evaluation are needed

TES Support

TES performs NORM surveys, field screening, documentation, and technical support for maintenance and material-management decisions.

Typical Deliverables

  • Survey summary
  • Field readings
  • Location documentation
  • Management recommendations

Ergonomic Stressors

Repetition, force, awkward posture, lifting, and poor workstation design can contribute to fatigue and musculoskeletal strain.

Common Exposure Scenarios

  • Repetitive production work
  • Manual material handling
  • Lifting, pushing, and pulling
  • Office, laboratory, or maintenance tasks

What Needs to Occur

  • Observe how the task is actually performed
  • Evaluate posture, force, repetition, and duration
  • Review tools and workstation layout
  • Identify practical task improvements
  • Reassess conditions after changes are made

TES Support

TES evaluates job tasks and workstations and recommends practical improvements to reduce ergonomic stress.

Typical Deliverables

  • Task assessment
  • Risk-factor summary
  • Improvement priorities
  • Training recommendations