While my goal this week is to help readers get a job in the Data Center Industry, I must be honest about the physicality of data center jobs. These roles require individuals who have the energy and stamina to perform manual labor consistently. As a long-time Data Center Technician myself, I’ll explain the type of physical movements a person must perform on a daily basis. Thus, anyone interested in applying for a job as a Data Center Technician or Facilities Technician knows what’s in store for them.
Physicality Of Data Center Jobs: Constant Movement
When it comes to the physicality of data center jobs one has to be able to do the following:
- Long bouts of walking
- Repeated squatting, bending, kneeling, and climbing
- Lifting heavy objects like servers, batteries, switches and/or routers
Data centers are large buildings so its employees will get their steps in during their daily shifts. I can easily hit 10,000 steps by the middle of the afternoon. If I’ve been walking back and forth doing certain tasks, I can hit that number just before or after lunch time. I’ve seen people not used to walking much suffer leg and foot soreness.
Now the soreness one can get from squatting, bending, kneeling, and climbing may not go away as easily. Especially if a person lifts or bends the wrong way. Practicing proper ergonomics is vital, but some people don’t either believe in it, or don’t want to spend the time to learn ergonomics. Again, if a person hasn’t kneeled much, or climbed up and down a ladder repeatedly, these actions lead to muscle soreness. In addition, if a person has joint problems this level of physical work can worsen those problems.
Finally, I find that individuals underestimate the amount of strength they have. They think they can lift a server weighing 40 pounds until they actually try. They soon realize computers aren’t like the weights in the gym. Especially since these computers can be unwieldy. That’s why companies invest in server lifts, and there’s no shame in using one. However, using a server lift can be an exercise in itself due to how large they are, and the power one needs to exert to push them around on the floor.
Data Center Jobs Usually Involve Extreme Heat And Cold
Another part of the physicality of data center jobs that interested individuals don’t know about is the extreme heat and cold present in data centers.
The hot aisle of the data center contains all the heat from the back of the racks into a confined area. Then it’s sucked through the building’s HVAC system. Unfortunately, employees have to work in the hot aisle on occasion to install hardware, troubleshoot a device, or run cabling. Thus, they may have to deal with temperatures greater than 100 degree Fahrenheit for an extended amount of time.
This heat isn’t just present on the data center floor. Electrical room and generators can be extremely hot, especially those inside buildings outside of the data center building. Especially those in hot climates.
Now the opposite is also true of these locations. Extreme cold weather can settle in pretty easily, making it difficult for individuals to work. Many employers usually limit how long one of their employees can work in either temperature as a safety precaution. They don’t want someone to collapse from the heat, or develop hypothermia from the cold. So if interested individuals aren’t ready to deal with short bouts of extreme temperatures, then these jobs may not be for them.