Job risk guidelines — which roles Ascen can place

Last updated: August 25, 2026

Summary: Ascen can place most low- and moderate-risk roles (office, IT, sales, most healthcare, retail/hospitality, light industrial, warehouse). Some high-risk roles — heavy construction and skilled trades, heavy or chemical manufacturing, transportation/driving, waste and utility work, emergency services, and a few others — generally can't be placed. The lists below are high-level examples, not a complete list. If a role isn't clearly low-risk, ask us before you start recruiting and we'll confirm.

Generally accepted

These roles are usually fine to place. They tend to involve limited physical hazard:

  • Office, clerical, and administrative — customer service, admin, back-office work

  • Information technology — software, network, help desk, and similar

  • Sales and marketing — including outside sales that involves travel

  • Most healthcare — e.g. nurses and medical assistants in typical care settings (some specialized clinical roles are handled case by case — see Screening requirements for clinical healthcare assignments)

  • Retail and hospitality — store, hotel, and restaurant staff

  • Light industrial and assembly — controlled-environment assembly and packaging

  • Warehouse (no heavy machinery) — picking, packing, sorting, and light equipment

Generally not accepted

These higher-risk roles usually can't be placed, because of the safety exposure involved:

  • Construction and skilled trades — e.g. electricians, plumbers/pipefitters, carpenters, welders, HVAC, roofers, and general construction and repair

  • Heavy or chemical manufacturing — foundries, metalworking, and chemical, paint, or battery production

  • Transportation and driving-centered roles — trucking and delivery driving (driving exposure is the key factor)

  • Waste, utility, and heavy outdoor work — sanitation, pipeline, power-line, quarry, and similar

  • Emergency services and law enforcement — police, EMS, and emergency-response driving

  • Work on or around water — ship crew and dock work

This is not exhaustive — it's the shape of what tends to be excluded. When in doubt, ask.

Roles that may be OK with limits

Some roles sit in between and can often be placed if the day-to-day work is low-risk, even when the industry sounds high-risk. Examples:

  • A construction or manufacturing role that is primarily office-based (project manager, designer, planner) with only occasional site visits

  • Administrative or support staff at a higher-risk company who rarely enter the operational area

  • A generally safe role that includes an occasional higher-risk task

For these, what matters is how much time is actually spent in the hazardous environment and how directly the person is involved in the risky work. Tell us the real duties and we'll help you place it correctly.

What to do when you're unsure

  1. If a role isn't clearly low-risk, contact us before recruiting — it's much faster than sourcing a candidate for a role we can't place.

  2. Share the client's name and address, a description of what they do, and a detailed job description. We may follow up with a few questions to confirm the risk level.

  3. For higher-risk roles, you'll be asked to complete a short questionnaire as part of creating the job.

  4. Describe the actual duties, not just the title — how a role is classified (and whether we can place it) depends on the real work, not the job name.

Questions about a specific role? Email your Customer Success Manager or support@ascen.com with the client and job details and we'll confirm before you recruit.

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  • Creating clients, jobs, and assignments — what's required and what can delay going live

  • Screening requirements for clinical healthcare assignments