Power failures

MANAGEMENT

Like any other part of the infrastructure, electrical power to the campus can fail, either as an isolated incident or as part of a larger emergency.  Planning for power failures and knowing what to do when they occur can keep the incident from creating a disaster for your research, business operations and possibly you.  This document provides tips you can use to be prepared and should be read in conjunction with your  department's "Critical Operations Operating Procedures - Resource Failure".

Preparing for a Power Outage

Designate an emergency contact person for your work area who can be reached 24 hours a day.  This person should be knowledgeable about all your work areas major operations.

• Put essential equipment on emergency power circuits.  Contact your Campus Property Services to find out what emergency power your building has available.  Some buildings may have provision for access to emergency back-up generators.  These units will usually serve critical functions such as emergency lighting and other essential services.  Property Services manages and maintains these generators, along with a small number of portable units that may be available to keep critical operations going during power interruptions.
• Make a list of equipment that must be reset or restarted.  Keep instructions for doing so in a nearby location.  Equipment that operates unattended should be shut down safely during power failure and not left to restart automatically when power returns.
• Provide emergency lights for interior work areas.  Outlet mounted and hand-held emergency flashlights are very useful in rooms without windows or areas where work is conducted at night or where there is insufficient natural lighting.
• Make sure that all fume hoods have a physical, non electrical indicator to show if they are running.  This could be as simple as a strip of hanging tissue paper that will flutter when the fume hood is running.
• Flammable materials must not be stored in domestic refrigerators because their vapours may cause an explosion.

Back up your computer files regularly so as not to lose data when the power goes off suddenly.  Use an uninterruptible power supply for critical machines such as servers.

• Shut down experiments that can be run again when power (and safety equipment) is available.
• Make sure that any experiments that must continue running are not creating uncontrolled hazards such as dangerous vapours in a non-functioning fume hood.
• Check and secure fume hoods.  Stop any operations that may be emitting hazardous vapours.  Cap all chemical containers that are safe to cap, then close the fume hood sashes.  Leave the room if you notice ant odours or physical symptoms.
• Check equipment on emergency power.  It may take 20-30 seconds for the emergency power to kick in.  Items not permanently connected to these outlets should not be connected during the power interruption.
• Disconnect equipment that runs unattended, and turn off unnecessary lights and equipment.  This will reduce the risk of power surges and other unforeseen damage or injury that could result when the power comes on unexpectedly.

Check items stored in cold rooms and refrigerators.  You may need to transfer vulnerable items to equipment served by emergency power.

Reset / restart / check equipment.  In particular, check that the air flow on your fume hood has been restored.  If your fume hood has not automatically re-started, notify Property Services.  Keep sashes closed, and do not use the hood until the ventilation system is working again.