5 Ways to Enhance Data Center Construction Safety and Lower Risks with Access Control by Kwant

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Data centers are crucial to modern business and society. For those unaware, data centers store and hold massive amounts of data that power the internet, cloud computing, and other essential digital services. Data centers also play a vital role in the USA’s national security. In 2022, the data center market size value is expected to be 200 billion and anticipated to grow up to 7% from 2023-2032.

Five general phases of data center construction: 

• Plan
• Design
• Build
• Operate
• Assess

Due to the nature of data center construction, there are inherent risks that come with the creation of these massive facilities. Enhancing safety and reducing risk is a necessary part of construction, and it is crucial to uphold safety processes and standards for the sake of everyone. Companies like Mortenson, PCL Construction, and many others that work on data centers understand the importance of safety. 

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Reasons to enhance construction safety:

• Prevent injury or loss of life
• Protect equipment or building
• Enhance productivity rates
• Support business reputation
• Comply with safety regulations and standards
• Enhancing worker morale
• Reduce major costs and fines
• Attracting and retaining skilled workers

Why use access control?

Access control helps regulate and control worker entry/exit within a jobsite. The main purpose of access control solutions is to provide safety, security, and align the company with compliance requirements. Having an access control solution in place helps create an efficient work environment by streamlining processes and automating tasks.

Common types of access control technologies:

• Key card systems
• Fob systems
• Biometric scanners
• Facial recognition
• Mobile access

Common types of security solutions:

• Physical security guards
• Video and surveillance systems
• Turnstiles
• Sensors
• Visitor management systems
• Geofencing

How Kwant access control enhances safety and reduce risks

1. Restrict access to dangerous work zones  

Due to the nature of construction, project sites can be very dangerous for workers and people. It is important to proactively restrict people from entering when they should not. Understanding which zone is clear and which is dangerous is a proactive approach to safety and lowering risk. With Kwant, you gain heatmaps and other visualization tools that utilize real-time location for zone management. Data center construction often times as many hazardous areas like electrical rooms and equipment storage spaces that are too dangerous for the public and people in general. 

2. Visually flag unauthorized workers and expired certifications

It can be hard to keep track of every worker certification and license (OSHA/SST) that comes in and out of a jobsite. Access control solutions like Kwant aim to fix this headache by providing the ability to flag when worker certifications are close to expiring or expired. Having the ability to flag when certifications expire is a proactive approach to security because workers that are not certified are at higher risk of injury and create further disasters.

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3. Automate worker headcount

Automating headcount improves the accuracy and efficiency of your information. Knowing who is on your jobsite and syncing that information at a fast rate when workers enter is a game changer. View by employee or anonymize by trade for union or non-union based projects. Automating headcount also reduces administrative burden, allows for labor optimization, and supports payroll validation.

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4. Run safety audits and enhance lockout/tagout processes  

Even though construction sites are dangerous, making sure the right personnel is able to access the right location is important. It is essential to enhance safety processes during any specific construction site, maintenance, or work so others do not disrupt. 

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‍5. Real-time insights and alerts for proactive decision-making

Make proactive decisions on projects using insights and alerts from site data. The data received from access control solutions like Kwant provide insights, alerts, and analytics for data-driven decisions. Discover patterns and trends on your project, predict delays, and enhance your safety program, in one simple dashboard.

With insights and alerts, companies can find trends and patterns, detect anomalies, and unlock predictive analytics. Overall, better decisions are always made with real data. Having this data will definitely enhance safety and lower risks on data center construction sites. 

Next steps

If you are looking to lower the chances of incidents happening on your jobsite, try access control by Kwant. Start enhancing your construction experience today with real-time smart badges for your project.