Preparing for power outages is a necessary part of becoming a Dynamic Enterprise Resilient company. Power outages are becoming more and more frequent and this is a trend that will likely continue for at least the next several years.
So how do you mitigate the occurrence of power outages and develop your Dynamic Enterprise Resilience around this issue? There are many methods you can implement to reduce or even negate the impact of power outages. Some of these methods are technological while others revolve around processes and techniques.
Technology Solutions
There are a number of technologies that can be used to mitigate the occurrence of power outages to your business. Some of these technologies are in use by some companies today and may not be so obvious. One of the most commonly used methods of dealing with power outages is the use of generators.While generators are effective in many cases for the short term they tend to have their own issues over the long term. Some of these issues revolve around proper maintenance and fuel deliveries. Some companies also look at generators as a fool-proof method for beating power outages. They are not. In many instances they fail to start properly. They can also be the catalyst for an explosion in some large scale disasters. They can be useless when places in the basement and it becomes flooded. They are impractical when on a roof and you need fuel during a disaster.
Other new, cutting edge and green options are available such as the Energy Server from Bloom Energy. Another option in this same arena is the Indoor Power System by Power Ready along with a fully scalable system. The future also looks bright with small scale nuclear power solutions from companies such as Gen4 Energy.
Business Process Solutions
In addition to these new technologies being available it is also important to properly prepare your personnel and develop processes and proper protocols for power outages to develop Dynamic Enterprise Resilience.Consider incorporating the following into your Business Continuity Management program:
- Develop a pecking order to shut down non-essential systems.
- Set a time limitation for sending employees home.
- Set up protocols for situations where it may be too hot or cold.
- Consider if it is safe for employees to continue to work or stay.
- Is it safe for employees to leave?
- Do you need to call in generators?
- Should you activate alternate site or work from home solutions?
- Is the building secure without power?
- Are areas that have electronic locking systems accessible or inaccessible?
