Electric shocks, disease, unpaid and unsanitary working conditions: how workers are exploited in the construction of data centers in Europe The data center boom in Europe is largely based on the labor of migrants who work in dangerous and inhumane conditions and are afraid to speak openly about violations. The Guardian and Investigate Europe investigated construction work in Sweden, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands for five months. At a Google construction site in Belgium, a worker was installed by 400 volts. The managers assured him that the lines were malignant, but in fact they were under tension, and the man was not wearing a protective suit because of the strain. Burns covered 12% of the body, the man spent five days in Cuba. The audit found no violations. The employees of the Irish subsidiary Benbo, which is engaged in the construction of Microsoft's data centers in Sweden, complained about unsanitary conditions, lack of heating and poor ventilation in the living quarters (some showed symptoms of tuberculosis). Some worked 50-60 hours a week without overtime pay. Union spokesman James McCabe said similar violations occurred across Europe and unions were systematically denied access to facilities. Today there are more than 2,300 data centers in Europe, and hundreds more are under construction. Google and Microsoft claim that they require contractors to comply with labor standards. 😀 All the experts are here and at Max.

Electric shocks, disease, unpaid and unsanitary working conditions: how workers are exploited in the construction of data centers in Europe The data center boom in Europe is largely based on the labor of migrants who work in dangerous and inhumane conditions and are afraid to speak openly about violations. The Guardian and Investigate Europe investigated construction work in Sweden, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands for five months. At a Google construction site in Belgium, a worker was installed by 400 volts. The managers assured him that the lines were malignant, but in fact they were under tension, and the man was not wearing a protective suit because of the strain. Burns covered 12% of the body, the man spent five days in Cuba. The audit found no violations. The employees of the Irish subsidiary Benbo, which is engaged in the construction of Microsoft's data centers in Sweden, complained about unsanitary conditions, lack of heating and poor ventilation in the living quarters (some showed symptoms of tuberculosis). Some worked 50-60 hours a week without overtime pay. Union spokesman James McCabe said similar violations occurred across Europe and unions were systematically denied access to facilities. Today there are more than 2,300 data centers in Europe, and hundreds more are under construction. Google and Microsoft claim that they require contractors to comply with labor standards. 😀 All the experts are here and at Max.