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From AI-driven demand to worker safety on the ground, the data center boom is reshaping construction risk in real time.

In this episode of Future of Risk, host Matt Wagner, Head of Construction Property at Zurich U.S., is joined by James Savage, U.S. Head of Construction Casualty and Chris Semlies, Project and Business Resilience Manager at Zurich Resilience Solutions, to explore the human side of data center construction. The discussion examines how labor shortages, compressed timelines and complex project environments are increasing safety risks across job sites. Key topics include video-based safety coaching, onsite medical clinics, worker fatigue and the critical role of safety culture in improving outcomes. The episode also highlights parametric insurance innovations, including heat index and air quality triggers, as tools for managing environmental risk and protecting workers. Ultimately, the conversation underscores that successful data center projects depend on proactive risk management, integrated safety planning and a consistent focus on workforce wellbeing.

In this miniseries, other episodes include:

5/20/26: Billion-dollar questions in the data center buildout

6/3/26: Lessons from data center claims

Record date: 4/10/26

Air date: 6/17/26