A system for reducing processing defects during processing of a semiconductor wafer prior to back-grinding the wafer includes a table having one or more holes formed therein, wherein the table comprises at least one of a chuck table or a support table, wherein the holes are perpendicular to the surface upon which a pre-back-grinding (PBG) process occurs. The system further includes one or more sensors disposed in said holes for monitoring a parameter during the PBG process. The system further includes a computer-implemented process control tool coupled with the one or more sensors and configured to determine whether the PBG process will continue.