Today, we are faced with a health crisis that has changed the working environment. Whether this is a temporary change due to the COVID-19 outbreak, or a change that may become more permanent, electrical services are still a must. When it comes to keeping your warehouse operational, electrical services for distribution centers must remain accessible, especially if an emergency occurs. With the current health crisis, we understand that you may be hesitant to bring additional people into your warehouse. However, emergency electrical issues can destroy your entire operation if left unaddressed. Below, the professionals here at Action Services Group help to identify when you need to call for emergency electrical services.

 

When It’s an Emergency

It may sound cliché, but emergencies can happen in any place, at any time. When it comes to your electrical needs, a power outage or degradation in services can have serious consequences. When an emergency occurs, this can make those consequences even more intense. While any electrical issue that causes work stoppage or unsafe conditions within a distribution center is considered an emergency, there are four types of issues that are most commonly considered emergencies.

Failure to Trip

Distribution centers have massive amounts of equipment. This means that their circuit breaker is often larger and more complex than the one in your home. However, the principle is still the same. Commercial circuit breakers, as well as residential ones, are designed to “trip” and shut themselves off if a problem is detected. How? When an issue, such as overloading or a short, occurs, the circuit breaker detects the problem and a built-in mechanism will then cut off power to the entire unit. However, if the built-in mechanism fails, this safety feature may as well.

Overloaded Outlet

Overloading an outlet occurs when too much pressure is being placed on a single outlet. When this happens, the outlet overheats and can lead to electrical fires. Because of the large amounts of energy being consumed by warehouse devices, it can be easy to overload an outlet. However, when in a situation where workloads have increased due to higher demands, it can become even easier.

Continuous Problem

As a general rule of thumb, any issue that persists for an extended period of time should be inspected by a professional. Lights that continue to flicker or fail to come on, acrid or burning smells when power is supplied to fixtures, or other such issues can be caused by serious electrical problems that a professional can determine and correct. The longer these issues are ignored, the more severe they can become.

Power Outage

Power outages can occur for several reasons. For example, your power company may have planned outages while they work on infrastructure. However, storms, transformer failures, and other issues can lead to power outages as well. Electrical malfunctions, whether the cause of the outage or a result of one, can lead to serious electric shock hazards. If your distribution center loses power, your first call should be to your power company to determine if there is a known issue. However, if they are not the source or are not aware of any issues, it is important to contact a professional immediately.

Signs You Need Emergency Electrical Services

Maintenance services for distribution centers are important. This is especially true when it comes to your electrical systems. Not all electrical issues are easily detectable. However, there are several signs that can tell you that it is time to call in the experts.

Burning Smells

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) reported that electrical problems lead to an estimated 67,800 fires and over $868 million in damages in 2003 alone. One of the leading causes of this has often been cited as being due to damaged wires. If you detect a burning smell when your lighting fixtures are powered on, you may have a serious problem on your hands. This can indicate that wires are burning, which needs to be fixed immediately.

Buzzing or Humming Sounds

It is always a dangerous situation when built-in safety features fail. A buzzing or humming sound coming from your circuit breaker is often attributed to a failure to trip. As noted above, this occurs when the circuit breaker has detected a problem but is unable to cut off power. Buzzing or humming sounds are clear signs that something is failing within your circuit breaker and should be examined by a professional immediately.

Smoking Outlets

Smoking outlets, or those that are surrounded by black or brown discoloration, are a sign of overloading and potential wire damages. As the saying goes, where there is smoke – there is fire! If you should note any sign of fire, it is time to call for emergency electrical services.

Emergency Electrical Services with Action Services Group

We understand and value the safety of our employees, as well as yours. We also understand all current health requirements due to the COVID-19. However, when distribution centers are faced with higher demand signals, as they are now, the increased electrical load can have serious consequences if issues are not addressed. Action Services Group remains open and ready to assist with all your lighting and electrical needs. Contact Action Services Group today to learn more about our electrical services for distribution centers, call us at 610-558-9773, email [email protected] or schedule a call.