Construction Health & Safety Manager – Data Centres

Cumming Group is an international project and cost management consultancy delivering innovative solutions in construction, real estate, and infrastructure. With a commitment to collaboration, transparency, and performance excellence, we support some of the world's most respected clients across diverse range of sectors.

The Construction Health & Safety Manager – Data Centres is responsible for ensuring that all Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) requirements are effectively implemented across the delivery of large‑scale, mission‑critical data centre projects. The role provides independent oversight, assurance, and coordination of H&S activities undertaken by the Principal Contractor and all supply‑chain partners.

The position is site‑based and highly visible, acting as a senior H&S leader across complex, high‑risk construction environments that include heavy MEP installation, high‑voltage electrical works, lifting operations, confined spaces, commissioning activities, and phased handovers within live or operationally sensitive environments.

The role is collaborative and advisory in nature. Responsibility for site safety remains with the contractor at all times.

Key Objectives

• Ensure all data centre construction activities comply fully with applicable national Health & Safety legislation and local regulatory requirements.
• Drive consistent implementation of best practice H&S standards across multiple data centre projects and campus environments.
• Actively improve construction safety management systems through strong on‑site leadership and engagement.
• Support the implementation of a structured data‑centre‑specific construction safety management framework.
• Assist, where required, in the development of specialist safety programs aligned to data centre construction risks.
• Provide independent review and assurance of contractor H&S arrangements, enabling cross‑project learning, lessons learned, and continuous improvement across the supply chain.

Key Responsibilities

Data Centre Safety Leadership

• Identify, assess, and manage high‑risk activities typical of data centre construction, including:
• High‑voltage electrical works and energisation
• Complex MEP installation and commissioning
• Heavy and critical lifting operations
• Confined spaces and restricted plant rooms
• Simultaneous operations (SIMOPS)
• Interface between construction activities and live/operational environments
• Engage with design teams to influence safe‑by‑design solutions, particularly for plant rooms, electrical infrastructure, and temporary works.
• Review and assess health and safety implications of design changes, sequencing changes, or programme acceleration.

Planning, Coordination & SIMOPS

• Attend and contribute to planning and coordination meetings, ensuring safe sequencing of works and effective SIMOPS controls.
• Support forward planning of enabling works, fit‑out, testing, commissioning, and phased handover activities.
• Review and challenge work packaging to ensure risks are reduced through appropriate planning and coordination.

Monitoring, Auditing & Assurance

• Monitor and report on agreed Health & Safety Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across all data centre projects.
• Conduct independent H&S audits and inspections covering:
• Alignment between safety plans and actual site implementation
• High‑Risk Activity (HRA) management and controls
• RAMS, Safe Systems of Work, lifting plans, and energisation procedures
• Electrical safety and permit‑to‑work systems
• Contractor and operative competence verification
• Training, induction, and toolbox talk quality
• Workforce engagement and safety leadership on site
• Review accident, incident, and near‑miss reporting, ensuring effective investigation, root‑cause analysis, and implementation of corrective and preventative actions.

Engagement & Communication

• Maintain a strong and visible on‑site presence, participating actively in:
• Project and contractor management meetings
• Daily activity briefings
• Safety workshops and training events
• Project and H&S performance reviews
• Develop and implement clear H&S reporting and communication structures suitable for multi‑contractor campus environments.
• Assess the effectiveness of safety communications across all levels of the workforce.

Continuous Improvement & Safety Culture

• Continually assess contractor H&S resourcing and capability to support safe delivery of data centre construction works.
• Promote positive safety behaviours, strong safety leadership, and a mature safety culture across all projects.
• Encourage contractor participation in recognised industry H&S initiatives and award schemes.
• Drive sharing of lessons learned and best practice across multiple data centre projects and contractors.

Reporting & Governance

• Report to, and take direction from, the Client Project Team or their nominated representatives.
• Act in a collaborative, advisory capacity alongside the Principal Contractor; overall responsibility for site safety remains with the contractor.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in a senior Health & Safety role, with demonstrable experience in:
• Recognised degree and/or professional qualification in Health & Safety (e.g. NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent).
• Strong experience working with contractors, designers, commissioning teams, and client project organisations.
• Proven capability managing complex, high‑risk construction environments with multiple interfaces and SIMOPS.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and influencing skills.
• Strong written and verbal reporting capability.
• Fluent German and English , with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organisation.