Your data center’s server rack cabinets encase the most valuable part of your entire operation. Because of this, keeping these servers safe from damage and harm is crucial — as these servers are probably the largest investment you’ll ever make, costing tens of thousands of dollars to replace!

Not only this, but your data center’s personnel are also vulnerable to a number of safety hazards associated with these server racks, and the cost of lost productivity and worker injury claims is something you’ll always want to avoid.

Is your data center as safe as it should be? Here’s a short list of the three most common safety hazards associated with server rack cabinets and server rack enclosures, and how you can keep yourself and your personnel safe from them:

Server rack tip-over

When moving your server racks for any reason, the wrong handling practices can cause these racks to tip over onto their side. For the server rack, this is devastating, as a tip-over can result in the server breaking beyond the point of repair. For personnel, it’s equally hazardous — these are heavy structures, and having one land on top of you can be fatal. To prevent this from happening, only allow trained individuals to handle your server racks and server rack cabinets; in addition, enforce careful handling practices and discourage excessive speed.

Server rack overheating

Regulating the temperature of your server racks is incredibly crucial, as this machinery generates quite a bit of heat during everyday use. If the server rack cabinets are arranged too close together, the temperature of the server room could become too high for optimal operation, and could damage your servers. Always space out server enclosures far enough from each other to ensure adequate air circulation.

Circuit over-loading

Servers consume a significant amount of energy during operation — and if your data center’s electric circuits aren’t prepared for this amount of energy, it could result in circuit over-loading and failure. Be sure that your supply circuits are equipped to handle the amount of electricity used by your server racks on an everyday basis.

Have any other questions for us about keeping your data center’s server racks and your personnel safe? Ask us anything in the comments below. More info like this.