By Contributor Brooke Chaplan
The size of data centers continues to increase, and the operations become more complex for team members and managers. The additional power and equipment within the buildings can benefit business, but they raise the risk of accidents and injuries in the workplace. Your data center must recognize the potential threats and develop a plan to keep your team members safe at all times. Continue reading to learn more about the most common employee injuries in a data center and how to handle each situation.
Slips and Falls
Sitting for long periods could cause mobility problems and make it difficult when employees get up for lunch or bathroom breaks. You could prevent this by encouraging your staff to move around each hour, as opposed to sitting at their desks working non-stop. The frequent movement could lower the risk of muscle stiffness and other problems that make it challenging for workers to stand and navigate the building without falling.
Cuts and Lacerations
Using office equipment and mishandling various supplies could increase an employee’s risk of cuts and other injuries. You should conduct proper training to help your staff handle all equipment and supplies correctly. A minor cut could turn into a more serious situation and prevent employees from typing and processing orders. In addition, as equipment becomes more compact, often the systems and modules become heavier and more difficult to move. Some of the most common injuries sustained by data center workers are injuries caused by lifting and dropping heavy equipment.
HVAC Systems
The temperatures within your building should be comfortable, especially during the summer months, when people are more likely to faint. Data center server rooms often reach extremely hot temperatures, which can increase risks of falls and other accidents caused by excess heat. When a worker loses consciousness, she could hit her head on office furniture or the floor and cause head trauma, leading to legal problems for your business. If your heating system does not work correctly during the colder months, your team members could develop the flu and common cold, which could turn into more severe illnesses, such as pneumonia. Therefore, you should keep your heating and air condition systems well-maintained throughout the year, and replace them as often as necessary.
Exposure to Loud Noises
Many data centers have noise control problems that can lead to hearing issues among employees, including temporary or permanent deafness for team members. Deafness caused in the workplace could result in significant payout compensations for data centers, but having workers’ compensation lawyers available could protect a company’s interests and an employee’s rights.
Talk to your health insurance company and a reputable workers’ compensation attorney office to learn more about how your data center can best meet the needs of your employees and avoid injury. They can help you learn more about workplace injuries that could occur at your data center and how to handle the potential problems.
About the Author
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
