News : July 2017

Making an Electrical Emergency Response Plan

If you run a business, having an electrical emergency response plan is essential. This can also be referred to as a BCP (business continuity plan) or DRP (disaster recovery plan).

Whether the threat is to safety or productivity, you should have an emergency electrician on standby and a detailed plan in place. There are a number of situations that may require a response plan. We’ve covered the most common electrical emergencies and how your business should prepare for each situation.

Electrical Breakdown

If you run a business that depends on functional electrical machinery, an electrical breakdown could be your worst nightmare. Any disruption to productivity is less than ideal, so you need to have a fast response plan in place. This means choosing an on-call electrician.

In order to choose the right electrician for your business, do some research. Find a team that you are comfortable with and that you know you can depend on in an emergency.

At Kerfoot, we have a 24-hour electrician service available to all local businesses. Our capable and efficient team members provide electrical services at all hours of the day to all types of organisations. Browse through our services and get in touch if you have any questions.

After you have decided on your on-call electrician, put the phone number in an easily accessible place and make sure your employees know who to contact during an electrical breakdown.

Exposed Wiring

As soon as you identify exposed wiring you need to call an urgent electrician to take care of the problem. Dangerous working conditions are not only negligent – they can also lead to electrical shock and/or fire. Damaged wiring might be frayed in appearance or it might be harder to identify.

If you suspect an issue with the circuitry in your building, contact our team here at Kerfoot today. We can repair any critical issues and assess the rest of your property for any dangerous electrical faults.

Electrical Shock

Your electrical emergency response plan should have a dedicated focus on the safety of your employees. If an injury does occur, you need to have a plan in place. If someone in your place of business comes into contact with a live electrical wire, you follow these steps to reduce and contain electrical risk.

• Call for emergency services by dialling 000.
• Do not touch the person who has been contacted by electricity.
• Turn the power off at the main switchboard or at the source of the current for the circuit in question.
• If you are unable to turn the power off, you need to end the person’s contact with the current to prevent further injury or fatality. Do this by using an insulated object to push the person clear of the electricity source. This might be an item made out of wood or rubber.
• In preparation, make sure a member of staff is trained in CPR. This person should provide first aid to the injured party.
• Call an electrician to provide emergency electrical assistance and repair any damaged circuitry.
• Report the incident to the energy safety department in your local government. For NSW based businesses, you can go to the following websites:

http://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/

Electrical Fire

Electrical faults can sometimes result in fire. In general, all businesses should have a fire evacuation plan in place. This means having regular fire drills and making sure all staff members are aware of the evacuation paths and meeting points.

You should also make sure you have equipment available to your team members that is designed to be used on electrical fires. Have a CO2 (black banded) fire extinguisher installed and maintained in your place of work.

When dealing with an electrical fire on your property, make sure your team members follow this electrical emergency response plan for fires:

• Call the emergency services on 000.
• Turn off the power or disconnect the appliance in question.
• Use a CO2 fire extinguisher that is designed to combat flames with an electrical source. It is important that you do not use an extinguisher that contains a conducting agent.
• Report the incident to your relevant local energy authority.
• Ask a licensed electrician to inspect and repair any faulty equipment/installations.

Having an electrical emergency response plan is a great way to be proactive about safety in your building. If you have any questions about our range of services, please get in touch. We are proud to help businesses with productivity and safety every day.