Data centers are at the centre of financial services and healthcare to cloud platforms and AI workloads, and almost every industry relies on uninterrupted data availability. When these facilities fail, the consequences ripple far and wide – lost revenue, reputational damage, and even threats to national infrastructure.

When people think about data center risk, the focus is often on cybersecurity, cooling, or supply chain challenges. But one of the most overlooked risks is electrical safety. Without strong controls, even minor electrical issues can trigger unplanned downtime, safety incidents, and costly delays. At ASafeGlobal, we believe electrical safety isn’t just a compliance requirement – it’s a fundamental part of protecting uptime, people, and long-term operational performance. Electrical systems are the lifeblood of a data center. A fault in a low-voltage system, a poorly executed connection, or an undetected hotspot can lead to cascading failures.

According to Uptime Institute, almost 40% of data center outages are power-related, and many trace back to preventable electrical faults. Beyond financial costs (outages can exceed 500,000 thousand per incident), there are legal and reputational risks when safety procedures fall short. The truth is simple: ignoring electrical safety is like gambling with resilience.

Through our work across commissioning and operations, we see recurring gaps that put facilities at risk:

1. Infrequent Testing and Outdated EICRs

Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) are essential for identifying hidden risks. Yet many facilities only perform them at extended intervals – or not at all. This creates blind spots where faults can develop undetected.

2. No Dedicated LV Authorised Person

Without an LV Authorised Person (LVAP) overseeing electrical operations, accountability becomes unclear. An LVAP ensures only competent people carry out electrical work, reducing risk and maintaining compliance.

3. Weak QA/QC During Commissioning

The commissioning phase is where safety foundations should be set. But without strong QA/QC management, installations may contain flaws that only surface once systems are live. Fixing these later is far more disruptive and expensive.

4. Lack of Preventive Maintenance

Too often, operators rely on reactive repairs. Proactive approaches such as thermal imaging and thermography surveys allow faults to be spotted before they cause failures, preventing costly downtime.

Electrical safety isn’t just a technical matter, it directly affects the bottom line.

• Downtime costs: For hyperscale operators, even a few minutes of downtime can result in six-figure losses.
• Compliance & insurance: Skipping inspections or failing to keep certification up to date can lead to regulatory penalties or invalidated insurance.
• Reputation & trust: In a competitive market, reliability is everything. A safety-related outage can damage client trust for years.

Looking Ahead: Safety in an Evolving Landscape

The data center industry is expanding rapidly, with increasing demands from AI, cloud adoption, and renewable integration. This growth makes electrical safety even more critical:

• Higher loads and denser deployments increase the risk of overheating and failure.
• Renewable energy connections introduce new complexity that requires specialist testing.
• Edge data centers often operate in locations with less redundancy, making robust safety procedures vital.

Operators who embed electrical safety into their culture will be better positioned to maintain uptime, meet compliance, and safeguard their reputations in this high-growth environment. Electrical safety in data centers is too important to be left as an afterthought. It is not just about meeting regulations — it’s about ensuring resilience, compliance, and protection for people and assets.

At ASafeGlobal, we work with data center owners/operators and commissioning teams to deliver:

• Comprehensive electrical inspection and testing
• EICRs and thermography surveys
• LV Authorised Person support
• QA/QC management and compliance documentation
• Specialist commissioning and risk management services

Because when it comes to critical infrastructure, safety and uptime go hand in hand. Talk to our team of experts today about your project needs here.