Electrical Emergencies Happen [7 Tips]

Electrical Emergencies Happen. Be Prepared with These 7 Tips.

Power outages and electrical mishaps are hard on everyone, but if you’re in the business or manufacturing sectors, an outage can be your worst nightmare. Computers go down (so do your phones, if you use VoIP). Assembly lines come to a screeching halt. And if you use freezers and cold storage, any food or temperature-sensitive items could be lost in a matter of hours. Every minute you’re down, you’re losing money. And if a fire starts from an electrical malfunction, things can devolve from simply inconvenient to life-threatening in minutes.

The thing is, electrical emergencies happen sometimes. The power could be cut by anything from bad weather to a serious traffic accident. You can’t stop outages from happening, but you can take steps to be prepared if and when they do. You can also reduce the risk to your facility and your people by keeping your electrical systems in good working order. Let’s talk about seven things you can do to safeguard your business and your profits in the event of an electrical emergency.

Tip 1: Have Emergency Power Available.

This can be in the form of emergency generators or battery backups. Make sure these are properly maintained and that you have enough fuel (or batteries) to last at least 72 hours. For extra protection for your workstations, set up uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) so your computers can continue running if the power goes out.

Tip 2: Invest in Surge Protectors.

A good surge protector will safeguard your computers and other electronic equipment from voltage spikes, which can seriously damage or destroy your machines. Make sure the surge protectors are plugged into a grounded outlet and are of the correct rating for the wattage of your electronics.

Tip 3: Backup Your Data.

If a power outage or surge damages your computers, the loss of essential data can absolutely cripple your business long past the outage itself. To prevent this problem, make sure you run regular backups for all your systems (ideally, daily) and that you store at least one copy of the backups off-site so they’re not vulnerable in the event of a power outage.

Tip 4: Keep Your Facility Well-Maintained.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” You should have regular inspections and preventative maintenance performed on your electrical infrastructure as well as all your electrical equipment, emergency lighting, etc. Doing so can reduce the risk of damage to your business because it can stop many electrical disasters before they start.

Tip 5: Train Your Staff in Emergency Procedures.

Make sure your employees know what to do in the event of an electrical emergency. They should know how to identify a hazard, where to find the nearest exits, how to operate the backup power systems, and how to properly extinguish a fire, among other things. Minutes may count in an emergency situation, and if your team knows how to respond, it could save your business–not to mention lives.

Tip 6: Have a Comprehensive Disaster Plan in Place.

Ask yourself a simple question: “What needs to happen for this business to stay functional in the event of an electrical disaster?” Then do all the things that would help answer that question. Components of a good disaster plan might include:

• Preparing a backup list of all your contacts (i.e., employees, vendors, clients, etc.)
• Having a contingency plan for working off-site or remotely if your facility has to shut down
• Setting aside reserve funds so you can continue to pay your bills and run business operations in the event of a halt in production

Tip 7: Partner with a Reliable Electrical Contractor

Minutes count in the event of an electrical outage. You need a contractor you can rely on day or night to respond to electrical problems quickly and come up with creative solutions to get your company back online. Don’t wait for an electrical emergency to figure out who to call. Having an established working relationship with a company you trust is key to getting your business up and running fast.

At Apollo Electric, we’ve been serving the commercial and residential needs of NYC and the surrounding areas for more than a quarter-century. We’re known for our fast response times and quality service, and we can perform regular maintenance on your systems to prevent most problems before they ever happen. To learn more about our services, contact us today.