Although a power outage is temporary, the negative impact on a business can last for a long time. Previously, we shared how a business can be affected by four main components – lost revenue, decreased employee productivity, lost computer data, and damaged equipment.
All these are inevitable when a power outage occurs – however, there are certain measures you can take in case of a power outage. It is important to do so in order for your business to suffer as little damage as possible.
Through this article, we will be showing you five different ways in which you can prevent the negative effects of a power outage.
Prepare a business continuity plan
Putting together a business continuity plan is always good for any unforeseen circumstances – such as a power outage in this case.
With a continuity plan, you’ll still be able to continue regular business operations; delivering services and products despite the internal operational issues that may happen due to a power outage. At the same time, it helps to ensure that any important documents, personal, and assets are well-protected.
You can choose to gather a new group of people to work together and come up with a plan – or volunteers in the organisation who are interested in helping can step in and form their own committee. Either way, the group will need to point out the potential risks and their impact. From there, they can then proceed to implement measures to help in mitigating those risks.
After you’ve finalised on a business continuity plan, you’ll need to test them out and practice them regularly to ensure they work and the staff are well-prepared. Similarly, you should also constantly check and review the plan to make sure it still works for your business.
Use cloud storage services
Cloud storage applications like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive will come in handy when a power outage occurs – you won’t risk any missing files or unsaved documents.
More importantly, employees can still work from home as the cloud-based file sync and share (FSS) services allow users to receive access to files no matter where they’re at, and on any device.
In other words, poor employee productivity, inability to conduct normal business operations, and the risk of lost files are minimised significantly with cloud storage services.
Set up a surge protector (UPS)
Another way to prevent any lost data is also to install an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device. A UPS helps computer systems to stay on temporarily even when there’s a power outage; this gives the system enough time to shut down properly and avoid any lost data in RAM.
They also come with surge protection so that voltage irregularities do not cause any harm to computer systems. While there are many benefits to using a UPS – you will still need to consider several factors before deciding on the right type. They include – types of devices, number of devices, and power requirements for each device.
Even functionality plays an important role in your selection as there are different features – such as power save mode, customisable shutdown commands, and battery life notification. The costs of UPS devices is dependent on the above-said factors, and you should choose carefully so as not to overspend or select an inadequate device.
Backup generator
When your main generator is affected by the power outage, a backup generator should be put in place to help prevent any unplanned downtime caused by power outages.
To make sure your generator is able to supply sufficient voltage power for your business – you will need to choose the correct generator size as well. You should approach an engineer to help identify the right generator.
If you don’t have one on your premises yet, the engineer will help you with that task as well. With his experience in handling a Cummins generator installation or of any other brand, he’ll be able to help install a backup generator easily as well.
Regular equipment maintenance
Emphasising on the previous point, just installing it alone will not be sufficient in ensuring its efficiency – especially during a power outage.
Over time, without continuous maintenance – a generator may experience failure due to various reasons – such as burned components, low coolant, contaminated or lack of fuel.
If both your main and backup generators were to breakdown during a power outage or even when regular business operations are going on – your business will suffer severe consequences. From compromising the safety of your staff to disrupting business operations – a generator failure can damage your business tremendously.
To prevent such an incident from happening, schedule regular maintenance such as a generator overhauling so your engineer can identify any problems. In that way, you can resolve these issues before it affects your business in any sort of manner.
Whether it’s an internal or external reason for a power outage – it’s best that you always come prepared in case it happens in the first place. Take note of these tips and ensure you follow them closely to keep the damage to a minimum.