A guide to providing the minimum requirements for electrical worker safety training in data center environments.
The data center industry, as the backbone of the digital age, is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by surging demand for data storage, processing power, and connectivity throughout the world. This rapid expansion involves the operation of high-voltage systems and complex infrastructures, both of which pose significant electrical hazards. However, to-date there is still a lack of standardized electrical safety training across owner-operators, tenants, and vendors, leading to inconsistencies in safety practices and communication for data center operations.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, between 2011-2022, 6% of all OSHA-reported workplace fatalities were caused by contact with electricity (Workplace Injury & Fatality Statistics, 2024). The largest gap in training is identified for workers in the United States (U.S.) data centers that are authorized to work on anything greater than 50 Volts and who typically do not have any formal qualifications or data center experience.
To address this, the Data Center Safety Council (DCSC) is developing a standardized baseline training curriculum, focusing initially on arc flash and electric shock National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70E) specifications in the U.S. only in the following discussion (Collective Action to Establish Data Center Electrical Safety Baseline Training, n.d.). By building capacity around electrical risks specific to data centers, the industry can foster a safety culture that protects workers, and enhances the overall efficiency and resilience of data center operations.
Download the full whitepaper Electrical Safety Training in Data Centers.
About the Data Center Safety Council
Established by founding members Edgecore Digital Infrastructure, Salesforce, STACK Infrastructure, Vantage Data Centers, Yondr, and new member Digital Realty, the Data Center Safety Council was created to establish a unified approach towards ensuring safety and wellbeing of personnel in data center operations. The vision is to create a forum where health and safety professionals work collaboratively as an industry group to improve data center worker safety wholistically. Together, member companies will address common issues and seek long-term solutions with vendors and suppliers for the benefit and safety of data center workers.