Data Center Shut Down after Worker Killed

Safety at Work

Medina County, TX (WorkersCompensation.com) – Construction on a future data center in Medina County, Texas was stopped last week after an employee there died.

Officials with Rowan Digital Infrastructure, said an employee of subcontractor Turner Construction was killed on the construction site. Dan McNary, the chief data officer for Rowan Digital said safety was a high priority at the site.

“Our thoughts are with the worker’s family, friends, and colleagues, and we are offering support to all those affected by this tragedy. Safety is always our highest priority, and we are doing everything we can to support our general contractor, who is coordinating with the appropriate authorities on a full investigation,” he said in a statement.

Officials said the employee was hit by an articulating truck. Onsite medics and other staff members responded to the employee first until emergency officials could respond. However, the employee was pronounced dead at the scene.

“All work on site was suspended as we work with the authorities in a comprehensive investigation,” the statement from Turner Construction said.  “Our deepest sympathies go out to the individual’s family, loved ones, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. We are committed to understanding how this happened to ensure an incident like this never occurs again.”

Officials identified the worker at Maurice McGowan, 28.

It wasn’t the first workplace injury or fatality at a data center this year.

In late June, an employee in a Fayetteville, Ga., data center died on the job.

Officials said the Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services were called to the QTS Data Center in Fayetteville for a possible electrocution. When they arrived, on-site safety staff were performing CPR on a construction worker they believed was electrocuted. Advanced Life Support treatment was given to the patient, reports indicate, and the worker was transferred to Piedmont Fayette Hospital, but the worker passed away shortly after.

QTS said they were working with officials to determine the cause of the incident.

“On Saturday, June 28, an incident occurred at the QTS Data Center campus in Fayetteville, Georgia,” the company said in a statement. “While performing work, an individual sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital. We are deeply saddened that the individual has passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family, loved ones, and colleagues during this time. The safety and well-being of all personnel is our highest priority. An assessment is underway, and we are cooperating fully with the appropriate regulatory agencies, including OSHA.”

The construction worker was working on the construction of QTS’ facility, which will be the largest data center in the county.

Officials identified the worker as Anthony H. Riera Azuaje, 25.

A lawsuit has since been first against Allison-Smith Company, alleging negligence and sloppy electrical work. QTS was not named as a party in the lawsuit.

Riera Azuaje’s parents Perpetio Antonio Riera Graterol and Noris Maritza Azuaje Montilla filed the suit. They allege Allison-Smith violated National Electrical Code requirements by installing temporary power connections at the site, and that the company installed the wrong fittings and failed to properly ground cables which caused the energizing of a metal conduit.

According to the suit, Riera Azuaje was working for Andrew Electric on the site at the time of the accident, operating a scissor lift. The suit alleges he made “incidental” contact with the energized metal and was electrocuted.

An attorney representing the family, Tony Buzbee, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution workplaces can be dangerous.

“This case is a stark reminder that a workplace can be very dangerous, indeed fatal, when mistakes are made by those responsible for making sure things are safe,” he said.

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.

And an investigation by the Columbus Dispatch this year found that two Amazon data centers under construction in Jerome Township, Ohio, have made 84 calls to firefighters since 2021. The data centers reportedly made two calls per month, oftentimes for calls necessitating “lights and sirens.”

The report found that some of the emergency calls were related to fatal incidents. One of the sites, on Warren Road, called emergency responders for an employee who had been crushed to death during construction. Another call was for a worker who fell to his death.

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