Key facts
- Migrant workers at European datacentre sites face exploitation, including dangerous conditions and unpaid wages.
- An electrical tester was severely electrocuted at a Google datacentre in Belgium after being asked to work on live wires without protective gear.
- Workers at a Microsoft datacentre construction site in Sweden reported overcrowded housing and a tuberculosis outbreak.
- Investigations found evidence of serious injuries, disease, unpaid wages, and exploitative practices across multiple datacentre projects.
- Companies involved state their commitment to worker safety and compliance with labor laws.
Migrant workers constructing datacentres across Europe are allegedly facing severe exploitation, including dangerous working conditions, unpaid wages, and squalid living environments. An investigation by Investigate Europe and The Guardian uncovered harrowing accounts from multiple sites.
In Belgium, an electrical tester named Sandu suffered a catastrophic electrocution at a Google datacentre in March, sustaining severe burns after being asked to work on live electrical lines without a protective suit. Hospital records confirmed the extent of his injuries.
At a Microsoft datacentre expansion in Gävle, Sweden, workers for subcontractor BenBau reported overcrowded housing, vermin infestations, and a tuberculosis outbreak. Some workers also claim they were not paid overtime or holiday pay for weeks of work.
Companies involved, including Google, Dornan Engineering, BenBau, and Collen Construction, have stated their commitment to worker safety and compliance with labor laws, while unions have begun brokering settlements and demanding better conditions.