Electricity is a luxury that we often only truly appreciate when we feel inconvenienced by the lack of it. Unfortunately, with the exception of scheduled outages, we are rarely able to anticipate when a disruption in power transmission may occur. The reality is, though, interruptions do happen. In these instances, it is important to have a power outage plan in place, both at the workplace and at home.

Utility companies do their best to ensure an uninterrupted flow of electricity, but sometimes events out of their control occur. For instance, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2016, utility customers nationwide experienced an average of 1.3 outages with an average duration of four hours without power. Whereas in 2017, the national average of hours without power almost doubled to 7.8 hours. This was primarily due to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Aside from weather events, other common causes of power outages include downed trees, wildlife, vehicle accidents, and planned maintenance.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides basic safety considerations for how to prepare for, survive, and recover from power outages. It is important that all businesses prepare a power outage plan specific to its line of work. When creating or reviewing your office power outage emergency plan, be thorough in addressing potential safety considerations. This includes:

Utility companies follow a predetermined system of restoring power to ensure safety and security throughout the community. Be sure that you and your teams understand how to stay safe in the event that electricity is compromised for an extended period of time.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCE:
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=35652
https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-power-outages-in-2017-doubled-in-duration-eia-faults-large-storms/543526/