Calculate ROI for lifting solutions in data centres

When considering an investment, the price factor often takes an outsized role, even though it is important. However, essential elements are sometimes minimised.

This is obvious, for example, when purchasing a lifter for the ergonomic handling of servers and racks in a data centre. So, what return on investment can be expected? While it is not easy to provide exact figures since each situation is unique, here are the various elements of ROI to consider.

1. Purchasing a lifter for a data centre ensures worker safety

Optimising worker safety in data centres must be an absolute priority, for several obvious reasons. It reflects a commitment to employee well-being, thereby contributing to creating a positive and motivating work environment, which indirectly maximises operator productivity. Providing data centre-specific lifters helps reduce human accidents and injury risks, which can incur significant costs for the employer: injured employees mean unexpected labour shortages, increased overtime pay to compensate, potential compensation claims, legal fees, etc. These are both direct and indirect financial costs that also impact the organisation's reputation.

It thus becomes clear and simple to maintain worker safety by ensuring they have the most appropriate equipment for lifting servers and moving racks, which are very heavy loads. Data centre managers can never know exactly how much money they will save by avoiding workplace accidents. But a single incident is enough to understand the cost of an injury on various levels.

2. Proper handling of servers and racks ensures their protection

Accidents in data centres are dangerous for people but can also cause thousands of dollars in material damage. The most severe accidents can even trigger a domino effect where one rack crashes into another. Using the appropriate handling solution in such a sensitive environment helps protect all its contents.

3. Using a lifter in data centres: optimising the workforce

With the help of a lifter specifically designed for servers and racks, fewer employees are required to handle their movement. Without such a device, at least two operators are needed to lift, transport, or install most IT equipment. It may take three or four people to install or remove a single loaded server chassis, and rearranging several pieces requires a significant team, which then neglects other critical tasks. This can disrupt the continuity of operations. Sometimes, some manipulations can only be done when the day and night teams overlap.

Purchasing a certified and specifically designed lifter for servers and racks can avoid this issue, as a single employee can then easily and safely remove, transport, and install the equipment. This frees up all other team members, even if they remain available to assist if needed.

4. Handling Servers and Racks with a Suitable Lifter: A Significant Time Saver

The use of a lifter for data centres greatly improves the efficiency of server and rack installations compared to manual handling. Movements are easy and precise, allowing significant time savings, which, combined with workforce optimisation, results in substantial financial savings for the data centre.

By reducing the need for labour and speeding up the server and rack installation process, data centres can not only save money but also reduce the risks of errors and damage, thus ensuring a smoother and more secure operation.

It always comes down to numbers, but not always directly to money, and the ROI of a lifter for data centres will quickly exceed the initial investment cost.