Keep a hold on safety in always-on data centers when you can’t power down

By Shawn Gregg and Evan Hardin

Prioritizing worker safety
    Electrical safety is the top safety concern in modern hyperscale and AI data centers, with risks associated with high-voltage substations, medium-voltage distribution and low-voltage equipment all needing to be addressed. Energized panels and issues like overloaded circuits can trigger catastrophic arc flashes or dangerous electric shock.
    Conducting a baseline assessment and routine OSHA- and NFPA-aligned inspections can identify electrical safety hazards and clarify expectations for employees who work with or near energized equipment. Training employees on NFPA 70E requirements, energized work controls and proper safety procedures is essential.
    Personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial, but it’s the last line of defense. Other equipment can also help protect employees from electrical safety risks, such as absence-of-voltage testers that verify a panel is truly deenergized before work begins.
    While electrical safety risks dominate, data centers also present other unique hazards. For example, the constant low-frequency hum created by servers and other systems can damage hearing over time. A noise assessment should be conducted to determine whether a hearing conservation program is needed. If it is, solutions like hearing protection PPE can reduce noise levels for employees.

Protecting critical assets
    Electrical incidents don’t just threaten worker safety; they can also damage critical data center assets and trigger costly outages. For this reason, safety should be considered not only an EHS priority but also fundamental to protecting data center uptime. An example of this is electrostatic discharge (ESD). While it’s not typically a severe injury hazard for employees, ESD can pose a significant risk for servers and cause unplanned downtime. ESD can be mitigated in data centers with ESD grounding shoes, floor mats and insulated tools.

Managing risks in new ways with connected safety
    Connected technologies enable EHS teams to more proactively mitigate data center hazards by giving them visibility into leading indicators, not just logging incidents. This can help enhance employee safety and operational uptime. Key opportunities include:
    • Video analytics: Today’s security cameras can do far more than surveillance. They can be used as sensors to monitor different aspects of facility operations, including safety risks and compliance.

Using video analytics, security cameras can monitor data centers to identify trip hazards and activities that pose ergonomics risks. They can alert on-site personnel if an authorized person enters a hazard area and they can confirm if employees are complying with regulations.
    • Wearables: Connected devices provide active education to data center employees about improper movements and activities that affect their safety. For instance, the devices vibrate or beep to alert workers if they improperly lift material or bend or twist their bodies. Wearable devices can also be used to keep track of employee locations and identify health risks, like dangerous heart rates or temperature levels.
    • Digitalized procedures: Safety procedures can be better monitored and adhered to when digitalized. Connected lockout tagout (LOTO) solutions make the guidance that employees need for this procedure readily available. The compliance of active LOTO procedures can be confirmed in real time from anywhere and can be documented and reportable.

Protecting people and performance
    In always-on data centers, employee safety and operational continuity go hand in hand. As AI expansion increases electrical density and uptime pressure, safety leaders must focus on engineered controls, disciplined procedures and proactive monitoring to reduce exposure.
    The facilities may appear quiet, but the risks are significant. Protecting the workforce is fundamental to keeping critical infrastructure running safely and reliably.