Electrical safety isn’t something to take lightly. Data centers house hundreds, if not thousands, of high-voltage, complex electrical systems. So, if there’s one place where you want to take electrical safety seriously, it’s in your data center.
Given the high-energy nature of data centers, electrical accidents such as arc flash or electrocution are real dangers. 17% of occupational fatalities caused by exposure to harmful substances or environments in 2022 were due to electricity exposure.
Along with fatal and non-fatal injuries caused by electricity exposure, data center outages also have a significant business impact. According to Uptime Institute’s 2023 Global Data Center Survey, most data center outages cost more than $1 million in direct and indirect costs.
Given these statistics, it’s clear that electrical safety isn’t just a minor aspect of data center management. It’s a crucial component that impacts the overall reliability, safety, and performance of the facility.
Ensuring electrical safety within data centers involves developing a robust approach that includes proper design, regular maintenance, and personnel training and protection. In this article, we’ll delve into our recommended best practices for data center electrical safety. These recommendations aim to help data center managers and workers minimize accidents and ensure a safe, efficient working environment for all.
Incorporate safety into the electrical system design
Designing data center infrastructure is no easy feat. The design of the data center needs to align with both technology and business requirements. Large amounts of planning and resources go into creating a facility that can sustain the company for decades to come.
Purpose-built data centers will efficiently use the available physical space while considering the power, cooling, connectivity, security, and location requirements.
When designing the data center infrastructure, it is critical to incorporate safety into the electrical system design. From the outset, building a data center with a strong foundation in electrical safety minimizes the risks associated with such a complex, high-demand environment.
Data centers with legacy electrical distribution systems often face increased electrical risks due to outdated infrastructure that may not meet current safety standards. If your data center is built upon an outdated electrical system, it may be worth considering making updates that prioritize safety.
A robust electrical system design should consider proper circuit segregation to prevent power overloads and short circuits, ensuring an electrical fault in one area doesn’t cascade into others. Similarly, think about the power distribution throughout the data center’s electrical equipment, ensuring each part receives a stable and reliable power supply.
Installing backup systems, such as uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) and generators will help prevent power failures or downtime. However, this equipment poses a significant electrical risk of arc flash. When designing the data center infrastructure, consider the placement of UPS, ensuring employees can maintain a safe distance from the unit. Configuring the unit with a maintenance bypass will also allow the UPS to be maintained without disrupting the power supply.
When designing the electrical system for your data center, consider the power usage effectiveness (PUE) to measure the power efficiency of your data center. This is a useful metric for monitoring your energy usage and identifying areas to optimize energy consumption which could, in turn, increase the electrical safety of your facility.
Prioritizing these elements in the design phase will allow data center managers to significantly reduce the risk of electrical hazards, creating a safer work environment and ensuring uninterrupted operation.
Conduct a risk assessment
Conducting a risk assessment is the best way to understand the electrical safety of your data center. As part of your data center risk assessment, we recommend conducting an arc flash analysis to evaluate the risk of an arc flash incident.
Not only is conducting an arc flash analysis good working practice, but it is also an NFPA 70E requirement. As per section 110.5(H) of the NFPA 70E standard for electrical safety in the workplace, an arc flash risk assessment must be conducted every five years for equipment of 50 volts or more, for major facility upgrades, and numerous other cases.
This arc flash risk assessment will allow you to identify hazards, assess the risk level, and implement a hierarchy of risk controls.
Best practices for implementing an arc flash risk assessment include:
- Field survey to gather data on the electrical distribution system
- Electrical one-line diagrams
- Short circuit analysis of electrical equipment
- Protective device coordination analysis of circuit breakers, fuses, and relays
- Report and recommendations
- Label installation with hazard and PPE guidance
Regularly conducting arc flash risk assessments allows data center managers to identify and mitigate electrical risks.
Supply and use electrical safety personal protective equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is often overlooked for IT-related tasks. Yet, the electrical hazards involved in data centers aren’t worth the risk of not wearing protective clothing.
Supplying and ensuring workers wear the correct electrical safety PPE is critical for minimizing the risk of injuries in data centers. Make sure the PPE supplied is appropriate for the tasks being performed and the voltage and energy levels involved. OSHA guidance within the US states the necessity of ensuring employees are protected from exposure to electrical arcs.
Data center managers should mandate the use of appropriate PPE for all workers involved in equipment installation, maintenance, and decommissioning. Proper electrical safety and arc flash PPE appropriate for data center workers include gloves, eye protection, safety footwear, helmets, and arc flash-rated clothing. These garments and accessories aim to protect workers from hazards such as electrical shock, arc flash, and other hazards within the data center.
Choose PPE equipment that complies with standards such as ASTM F1506 in the US or IEC 61482 in Europe. These safety standards outline the specific requirements for arc flash protective clothing, ensuring the PPE meets rigorous safety criteria to provide maximum protection.
For more advice on choosing the correct arc flash PPE for your data center, read our comprehensive Electrical Safety Issues in Data Centers eBook.
Regular equipment maintenance and inspection
You can’t just leave data center equipment to gather dust and become outdated. Doing so puts your data center at a much greater risk of arc flash and other electrical hazards. Keeping your data center equipment in top shape means staying on top of regular maintenance and inspections.
Make it a habit to check key electrical equipment such as circuit breakers, transformers, and busways for any signs of wear, loose connections, or damage caused by overheating. Scheduling regular equipment inspections will allow you to catch and fix issues before they become a problem. You can then perform regular equipment maintenance to minimize electrical risks and keep everything running smoothly.
This proactive approach not only enhances the reliability of your electrical, equipment but also safeguards the overall safety of your data center.
Adhere to electrical safety standards
This should go without saying but we’ll say it anyway… Ensuring your data center adheres to electrical safety standards is essential. It’s more than a recommended best practice, it is a legal requirement.
The exact electrical safety standards your data center adheres to will vary depending on where you’re located. For those in the US, the relevant standards include NFPA 70E, which outlines requirements for electrical safety in the workplace, and ASTM F1506, which specifies performance requirements for arc-rated protective clothing.
In the UK and Europe, IEC 61482 is a safety standard by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that sets detailed guidelines for protective clothing that protects the wearer against the thermal hazards of an electric arc.
As well as following safety standards for arc-rated protective clothing, you should also follow other notable electrical safety standards.
In the US, this includes OSHA standards for electrical safety and the NEC, also known as NFPA 70, which standards for the National Electrical Code. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) also publishes numerous standards for electrical safety, including IEEE 1584 for arc flash hazard analysis.
The European Standards (EN for short) also outlines several electrical safety standards. Many of these are suitable for data centers including EN 50110 for the operation of electrical installations, EN 61439 for power switchgear and controlgear assemblies, and EN 60529 for the ingress protection (IP) ratings for electrical enclosures.
By following these standards, you can uphold a safe working environment within your data center, particularly regarding any risk associated with electrical work or being exposed to electrical equipment.
Invest in training
Ensuring your employees are well-trained is a good practice to follow, regardless of the industry or sector. Investing in training in data centers will ensure your team is well-prepared to handle electrical systems safely. Proper training equips data center engineers, technicians, and other workers with the skills and know-how to effectively manage electrical equipment and respond to risks promptly.
Only trained and qualified workers should handle electrical equipment to prevent accidents and ensure safety. The exact requirements will vary from State to State. In Colorado, for example, you must have at least 2,000 hours of experience to obtain a master electrician license.
As part of your training, we recommend upskilling your data center team in arc flash training. Arc flash training is made up of all the practical skills and knowledge one would need to navigate safely through various workplace electrical hazards, adhering to both OSHA and NFPA requirements for electrical safety training.
We recommend establishing internal training programs and procedures. Make sure these training programs are thorough and that qualifications are kept up to date. We recommend re-training employees at least every three years, ensuring they are well-versed in the latest OSHA and NFPA requirements.
Here at Skanwear, we don’t just supply arc-flash clothing and PPE. We also provide training workshops, documents, programs, and webinars to support engineer training. If you like, you can book a free session with one of our Arc Specialists to see how we can support you with your training needs.
Best practices for ensuring the electrical safety of your data center facilities and employees
Establish and follow tried-and-test best practices for electrical safety to keep your data center running smoothly and safely. This means designing with safety in mind, regularly assessing risks, using the right PPE, sticking to established safety standards, and continually training your team.
The key to electrical safety is to take swift (and safe) action. Be proactive, prepared, and protective. Tackle electrical risks in a hierarchical order: eliminate the risk where possible, use controls to manage risks, and use PPE when facing risks.
Make electrical safety best practices part of your routine to protect your equipment and create a safer environment for everyone in your data center.
For further electrical safety advice and guidance, read our Electrical Safety Issues in Data Centers eBook.
