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Grainger has the products and services you need to help you prepare for, respond to, and recover from all hazards, including power outages.
A power outage can be caused by a wide variety of circumstances, and is one of the most common interruptions to business operations. While short interruptions may result in only a small inconvenience, any prolonged outages can have a significant impact on operations and revenue. You may be surprised to learn that weather only accounts for about one-third of all power outages.
What are the other common causes of a power outage?
- Miscellaneous mechanical damage, construction error and fire
- Human error, including digging, cranes, traffic and vandalism
- Animal contact
- Fallen trees or tree growth
- Heavy winds
- Utility equipment problems and grid overload
Building a Preparedness Plan
A comprehensive emergency plan that has been communicated and tested with your personnel will help minimize loss to your business during a power outage. FEMA, OSHA, and NIOSH have published recommendations on building preparedness plans.
If you are interested in more customized Business Continuity Planning assistance, contact your Grainger representative. One of our regional specialists work with you and your Account Manager.
Preparing for Power Outages
While you can take steps to prevent outages within your facility, you should always be prepared for those due to outside influences, which often require more time to repair. The best way to prepare for a power outage is to have a backup power source ready. Grainger offers a variety of products to help you manage your facility in the event of a power outage.
Preparedness Tips
- Identify equipment and systems critical to continuous operation, and have reliable backup power supplies for these systems.
- Back up files and operating systems regularly.
- Know the ratings of fuses critical to your machinery, and keep them in supply.
- Clearly mark your meter room and electric service entrances.
- Keep battery or crank-operated flashlights and radios available
- Keep sufficient heating fuel on hand, as regular sources may be cut off, especially if the outage is widespread or long-term.
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Responding to Power Outages
Immediate response is essential to limiting injuries and loss. Make sure that your plan has been clearly communicated to employees and tested. Activate your communication plan to ensure that all employees and visitors to your facility are accounted for, and make sure that First Responders have the critical information on the event and injured people.
Response Tips
- Check the fuse box(s) or circuit breakers to determine if a fuse has blown or a breaker has tripped. If the fuses are okay, check your neighbor to see if the outage is at your facility or area wide.
- Report a power outage to your local electrical utility company immediately
- Avoid back feed by using an appropriately sized portable generator
- If someone has been electrocuted, do not come in direct contact with that person and call 911 immediately
- Monitor battery-operated radio or television for emergency updates.
- Turn off heat pumps, large equipment and lights to decrease power demand when electricity is restored.
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Recovering from Power Outages
Data from past disasters has shown that 40% of businesses that close after a disaster never reopen, so getting back to normal quickly is essential to your business and your employees.
Recovery Tips
- Be cautious around all electrical wires and machinery - you may not know when the power has returned and these items are "hot."
- Check with local authorities to make sure drinking water is safe
- Do not try to help by removing trees from power lines. Live trees are excellent conductors of electricity, as are metal chain saw blades and bars.
- Do not repair any power lines without proper protective apparel and equipment.
- If power is out in your area, be aware that neighbors using electric generators incorrectly could be sending electricity into power lines. This could be deadly.
- Never run a generator, pressure washer, or any gasoline-powered engine inside an enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open.
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Grainger Services
Grainger provides special emergency services to our customers and their communities.
After-hours Emergencies
When an emergency occurs after business hours, call 1-800-CALL-WWG (1-800-225-5994) and we will open a branch for you. A $50.00 fee may apply.
Emergency Support Teams
When an emergency unfolds, we have a plan in place that quickly mobilizes internal and external resources to assist troubled communities.
Extended Hours and Personnel
During major emergencies, Grainger branches stay open 24 hours (unless curfews are imposed by local authorities). Additional personnel are brought in to take orders, assist customers at the counter, and load trucks. Our Call Centers are able to accept phone orders 24 hours a day.
Essential Product Availability
Within hours of an emergency, trailers containing critical products are dispatched to support the relief effort. Contingency plans with our suppliers allow us to provide additional equipment quickly
Additional Resources
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The Ready Rating Program provides an easy, actionable framework to help any organization assess their readiness and build and implement response plans.
Learn more
Ready When the Time Comes, a corporate volunteer program, taps the human resources of corporate America.
Learn more
The Preaction Alliance™ provides access to what you need to know, need to have, and need to do before, during and after a disaster, by offering services through a low monthly-fee membership-based network.
Learn more
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