Types of Hazards

Hazards for the data center can run the gamut from natural disasters to human-created accidents. Weather and seismic activity constitute some of the potential problems, and knowing the local histories of these phenomena is essential to protecting the data center, and people, against them.

Some natural hazards are:

• Fire from electrical storms

• Flooding from rain, overflows, runoff

• Earthquakes

• High winds

• Hurricanes

• Tornados

Some human-created hazards are:

• Fire from electrical short circuits

• Flooding from equipment failure, leaking plumbing, sprinkler systems

• Vibration caused by construction, large equipment, nearby industry

• Noise from data center computers, large machinery, nearby industry