Whether you’re smack-dab in the middle of hurricane season or well outside its range, power outages happen. For factory workers and operators, blackouts are more than inconvenient – without the right precautions taken, they can be dangerous. Luckily, it’s never the wrong time to learn the ways to prepare a factory for a power outage. Though no two factories are alike, there are several proactive measures that are universally helpful in keeping yours safe. By understanding what preparations you can take now, you’ll be well-equipped to keep your team safe, comfortable, and calm in the future.
Have an Emergency Kit
Though your factory’s emergency kit should absolutely include first-aid, it should extend to much more than that. Include plenty of flashlights, batteries, walkie-talkies, portable phone chargers, a list of phone numbers to call in an emergency, water, and blankets. You can have just one kit or several, depending on the number of personnel working at any given time. Whatever you choose, make sure that there are enough provisions for everyone who’s there and that your kit(s) are easily accessible during an outage.
Have Procedures in Place
You can’t expect your employees to assume you’ll have items ready at a given location in the face of a blackout. This information must be given to them clearly while they’re paying attention. You could outline blackout procedures in your employee handbook or another document. However, if possible, it’s better to deliver this information verbally as well as in writing. This is more likely to make your team remember the emergency procedures during an actual emergency. Make sure everyone is aware of where to gather, which numbers to call, and what procedures to undergo in the face of a power outage.
Be Proactive – Get Surge Protectors
It can be easy to focus on getting through the blackout itself without paying much mind to what could happen once the lights are back on. This is why we’re here to tell you: do not underestimate the importance of surge protectors. When the lights come back on after a blackout, surges in electricity are commonplace. These surges can cause irreparable damage to your factory’s electrical materials and appliances. This is why one of the best ways to prepare a factory for a power outage is to invest in quality surge protectors for your equipment.
Get a Powerful Industrial Generator
A factory’s energy expenditure is no joke – and having a generator that can keep up is non-negotiable. The easiest way to minimize the damage of a blackout is to have an excellent industrial generator in place for your factory. The first step to making sure your industrial generator is up to par is working with a provider whose integrity and quality you can trust.
5. Invest in the Right Equipment
Whatever industry your business operates in, it’s critical that you use the best possible equipment to get the job done. This also means protecting your equipment and the data that’s protected by your business. Use things like anti-virus software, two-factor authentication for email logins, and surge protectors that prevent your electronics and appliances from being fried following a blackout.
By familiarizing yourself with the ways to prepare a factory for a power outage, you’ll be set up for success during a blackout. Keep your team safe, your equipment unharmed, and your factory productive by following these simple tips. To learn about choosing the best industrial generator possible for your factory, click here.