It's a common situation in South Africa at the moment. One minute you're sitting "poking" someone on Facebook, the next you're plunged into darkness - wondering if the lights will be out long enough for you to go tan in the car park.
With electricity supply no longer something you can rely on, a "what to do in the dark" contingency plan has become a must for every South African business and household.
Christelle Larkins, area manager: South Africa, East Africa and Indian Ocean, MGE Office Protection Systems, says even though power outages can't be prevented, they can be planned for: "By putting a few simple things in place, South Africans can make power failures that much less painful."
Here are Larkins' top power-cut tips:
Before an outage:
1) Know what will work, and what won't
Double-check which of your systems will be affected by a power cut. Networks, phones, faxes and security systems for example, may go off. Knowing what will/won't work will help you make alternative arrangements for these systems. Decide which are crucial - which have to work no matter the power situation and consider your options. A generator might be a must. Alternatively a UPS might be sufficient for your needs.
2) Be prepared
Charge your cellphone whenever you can. There's nothing worse than having no power and no cellphone to tell clients you have no power. Make sure clients have both your landline and cellphone number so that if the switchboard does go down, clients can still get hold of you.
Read the local newspaper and listen to the radio for announcements about scheduled power cuts. Plan your day around these; maybe go visit a client in a different area during that time.
Have a supply of non-electricity needing work ready for times when the power is cut - something like filing for example. If yours is one of the PCs without a UPS or alternative power supply, make sure you can stay productive during a power failure.
Double-check systems in place with your IT department. They should have power-surge protection plugs connecting all infrastructure to wall sockets, but if they don't, ask for some.
Most importantly, create a safe place that everyone knows about, where you have a stash of candles, matches and a torch for emergencies. Keep a torch (with fresh batteries!) in your desk drawer, just in case!
3) Know your office
Know where the manual switches for your automatic doors and gates are - and how to use them. Make sure your staff does too, so that no-one gets stuck in/outside in the dark.
4) Save
Sadly, power failures usually come at the most inconvenient times with no warning. Make sure you have a UPS connected and develop the habit of saving your work regularly. This will save you endless time and trouble when the power comes back on.
During an outage:
1) Switch it off
Switch off and disconnect any electrical appliances such as printers and computers you were using. This will protect them from any power surges that may occur when the electricity comes back on. Keep one light on so you know when the power is switched on again.
2) Keep productive
Find a way to keep working. A power cut is often the perfect time for an ad hoc staff meeting or brainstorm.
3) Keep safe
If your alarm system doesn't have a back-up power supply, keep your offices secure by closing and locking all doors and windows.
4) Report the outage
Call the Eskom Customer Care line on 086 00 375 66 and make sure they are aware of the outage. They will also be able to tell you how long it is expected to last and give you a reference number that you can use when making further enquiries.
After the outage:
1) Switch on only what you need When the lights come back on, don't switch on everything all at once as the power supply might still be unstable. Only switch on those appliances you need immediately - and make sure they're connected to plug points via surge-resistors.
2) Test everything
It's a good idea to switch appliances on and off systematically to test that no damage was caused by the power interruption, and that the equipment is still in good working order. If you have a UPS connected to your PC, perform a sequential start-up and check everything. Alternatively, if your office has PDUs in place, wait for your outlet to start up after its predetermined time delay and get back to work!
3) Reset
Remember to reset electronic clocks and any other timers that have been disturbed. Re-open programmes you were working in on your computer and use the prompts to re-save the correct version of your work.
And, while Larkins is the first one to admit that these tips do not solve the problem of power shortages, they can definitely help in minimising the problems caused by these. The most effective solution suggested by Larkins though, is to prevent the loss of power in the first place by putting in preventative measures such as UPSes.
So visit www.eaton.com/mgeops to find the ideal UPS for your office's needs. Beyond that, Larkins would suggest keeping suntan lotion in your drawer for when the lights go off.
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