Holder Construction Group and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have established a partnership to encourage safe practices during the year-long construction of a major data center in Omaha, Nebraska. Holder Construction is managing the construction of the Oasis Project, a 183,000-square-foot data center owned by insurer The Travelers Companies.

The data center will house administrative offices as well as a complex electrical, mechanical and plumbing system, including a water chiller plant for cooling the servers. Construction is scheduled to run through September 2015, and up to 180 workers will be on-site at one time. Holder and OSHA are taking advantage of the project's magnitude to spread awareness of what OSHA says are the four main causes of construction fatalities: falls, workers being struck by moving vehicles or equipment, being caught in trenches or other tight spots, and electrocution.

The partners will promote accident prevention training and develop site-specific written programs in accordance with OSHA regulations. All contractors and sub-contractors involved in the data center's construction will have to adhere to said programs and attend safety meetings before each major round of work commences.

"Our focus is to forge a working relationship to prevent serious workplace construction hazards and establish a foundation for the development of an effective safety and health program at the site," said Bonita Winingham, OSHA's area director for Omaha.

Construction site safety training programs are available for contractors to ensure their compliance with federal standards. Professional consultants can also perform audits and inspections to identify any shortcomings, so that companies can take measures to keep their workers secure and prevent avoidable accidents.