Power cuts can occur due to a range of factors. Substations can be broken into, with machinery and equipment stolen by thieves. As well as this, fire can cause damage to gas and electricity stations, birds can interfere with cables and moisture may get into old, degrading cables. Although most power cuts are due to accidents and issues beyond the control of distribution companies and energy suppliers, if your office is experiencing extensive power cuts, you could be due some compensation. If your utility connections do not meet a certain standard of quality, then you are within your rights to complain to Ofgem.
However, although this provides you with a framework to ensure that power cuts do not extensively impact your business financially, it doesn’t help you during one! You must have a plan in place if you experience a power outage at your commercial property. You need a strategy to ensure the safety of all your staff as well as any customers or clients who may be in the building. If your office building often experiences surprise utility connection failures, we’ve created a guide about protecting yourself, your office and your business.
Have a Disaster Plan In Place To Back-up Your Utility Connections In Case of an Emergency
As mentioned already, having a plan in case a power outage occurs is critical. Knowing what to do, how to manage the situation and who to contact is essential. You should have a plan in place in the eventuality of a power outage lasting an hour, a few hours or even several days. The plan should consist of both the physical operation of the business and the continuation of communications online.
If your power is cut, have all of your client-facing staff leave out of office email notifications via their phones to ensure your customers aren’t left out of the loop. As well as this, ensure that all staff have their work email or work internal communication system hooked up to their phones so that the whole business can stay in touch. With these plans in place already, you can help ensure that work can continue as seamlessly as possible from one or more other locations.
Ensure Your Customers and Staff Are Safe
The first step for any disaster plan is to ensure that all of the members of staff and any clients are safe. When a power cut happens, ensure that any visitor or member of staff takes the steps rather than a lift and keep a keen eye out for any downed power lines in the local area. If there are any, avoid going near them and direct your staff and customers to do the same.
Turn Off All Appliances
One of the other first things that you should do when experiencing a power cut is to turn off all of your appliances. This helps to protect your equipment and machinery from any significant damage. When a power cut happens, there can be surges that increase the flow of electricity through the building. If your appliances are plugged in, this can be a fire safety risk. Disconnect everything that’s plugged in. If you’re a small business, it’s even more important that valuable equipment remains in working condition to protect your livelihood.
Talk To Neighbouring Offices In Your Block or Area
If your office is located in a block, or there are other offices nearby, then you should always talk to your neighbours to discover whether their power is also out. Depending on the situation of their power, you will be able to identify the issue easier and report it to the relevant authorities.
Call 105 For Further Information, or 999 For Emergencies
105 is the number to call if you experience a power outage. It’s completely free and an excellent resource to get further information about the power outage or report a power cut. However, if a power surge has caused a fire in your office or a neighbouring office, it’s essential to call the police.
Employ a Back-Up System For Power If The Energy From Your Utility Suppliers Fails
If the worst does happen and you find yourself completely without power, it’s a good idea to have a backup system. Especially if you work in manufacturing and the production process needs a constant supply of power, a backup is vital. Having a backup generator for these situations can help and they should fire up as soon as a power cut is registered. More important than keeping machines going, all of your safety equipment must have a battery-powered backup. For example, any emergency lights should still illuminate even when there’s a complete power cut.
Work With Energy Procurement Companies Which Can Offer Emergency Connections
When choosing utility providers from energy procurement companies, it’s wise to consider whether they offer emergency connections in case of a power cut or a natural disaster. If there have been many power outages in the area, or you operate from a location in which bad weather is a common occurrence, then you should always prepare for the worse. Working with utility suppliers which factor in emergencies can save you plenty of time, effort, money and stress later on down the road.
For Any Long-Term Issues, Ensure The Infrastructure Is In Place To Shift To Working From Home Temporarily
You never quite know how long a natural disaster or emergency is going to last for. Just take the COVID-19 pandemic for example. The virus has forced companies to rethink how they operate and made it essential to have the infrastructure in place which is conducive to working from home.
For example, switching to cloud computing has a wide range of benefits. As well as being a flexible, versatile and efficient way to work, it also allows for collaboration and communication seamlessly while working from home. Part of disaster preparation should include thinking about how work will continue, how you can still provide your services for clients and how staff can interact with one another during these crises. As well as this, it can be a great way to operate in general and always ensures that you’re prepared for the worst. No one saw COVID hitting us as it has, but the businesses which were agile and flexible enough to adapt have managed to change as necessary.
For Expert Energy Procurement Services Across The UK, Look No Further Than The Energy Desk
Here at The Energy Desk, we’re an award-winning energy procurement company for business across the UK. We can help you find the very best utility suppliers in the area for the cheapest and most-efficient utility connections. If you are concerned about your electricity usage and would like to speak to an energy procurement service about how you can save more and get a better service, look no further!
We specialise in gas, electricity and CHP connections for property developers and commercial properties alike. We can manage everything for you from your electricity meter to energy procurement and sourcing renewable energy for your property. If you want to find the very best energy contracts to reduce your bills and improve your service in the UK, get in touch. A friendly member of The Energy Desk team would be happy to help.
To find out more about our services, please feel free to contact us today. You can find us at 10 Venus House, Mercury Rise, Altham Industrial Estate, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 5BY. Alternatively, call us on 03330 151 221 or email us at askted@theenergydesk.co.uk.