The best way to keep your commercial and industrial facilities operating smoothly is to conduct regular testing and preventative maintenance. That way, you can catch potential problems before they become significant - and expensive - issues.

Below, we’ll go over steps to help you prepare for planned electrical shutdowns. It’s not as simple as turning off the power. By planning, you can help minimize the disruption to your business while still completing the necessary testing and maintenance to keep your building operating efficiently.

Preparing for Planned Electrical Shutdowns

Planned electrical shutdowns disrupt regular business operations, so there is often pressure to complete them quickly. However, that can lead to costly errors and safety risks if you aren’t careful.

Having a plan in place for planned electrical shutdowns can help you complete them efficiently while minimizing the risk to employees. 

Identify Critical Equipment

The most important step is to identify exactly what will be part of the testing. Key factors to consider include the following.

• Identify the equipment being tested. Is it your facility’s machines? Are you testing the electrical sources? Is it a mixture of both? Be clear on the scope before you start testing. 
• Verify the electrical sources. Check the single-line diagrams to understand the electrical setup of each area. Make sure you know all electrical sources that will be included in the testing. This can include control circuits, outlets, backup power sources, and more. Ensure all power is removed from the area prior to beginning work to prevent injuries. 
• Understand temporary power needs. You may need to utilize temporary power to fuel critical operations depending on your facility. Connect with the operations team to understand if there are any special needs during the shutdown.

The critical equipment being tested during planned shutdowns will vary based on the type of facility, if you’re completing phased testing, and other mitigating factors. The plant leadership team, including operations, maintenance, and safety, should be consulted to understand the scope of the testing and align on a plan prior to shutdown. 

Coordinate with Operations Team

Once you have a clear plan that has been aligned on by leadership, it’s time to coordinate with operations to help bring it to life. 

• Review the documentation. Read any machine documentation that is available, as well as familiarize yourself with the single-line diagrams, prior maintenance reports, and other available materials now that testing is closer. 
• Confirm safety procedures. Ensure you have the right PPE available to conduct testing based on the equipment being tested. Additionally, follow the lockout/tagout procedures before any work is done to ensure machinery is properly shut down with no power available to reduce safety risk.
• Verify the power has been removed. Test to ensure that the power has been properly shut off. Check machines, but also outlets or power circuits. Do not start work until you test that there is no voltage detected in the work area. 

The work area should be clearly labeled to reduce risk, and document everything that you see while conducting maintenance. This could be signs of overheating, loose connections, equipment damage, and anything else that’s out of place. 

Be specific so that you can compare your notes to understand if the damage is getting worse over time.

Schedule Work During Low-Impact Periods

To minimize the financial impact on your business, you should schedule electrical testing and maintenance during downtime or low-impact periods. 

• Nights: Overnight shifts often have a reduced crew and lower production goals, which may make it easier to make up the gap if needed. 
• Weekends: Facilities that are typically closed on the weekends may be able to conduct testing during that time to reduce the impact on the business, though some overtime may be accrued during this time. 
• Phased: Many buildings opt for a phased approach, assessing the planned shutdown times based on department or area to minimize the impact. This is a great option for facilities with 24/7 operations.

Do not plan maintenance and testing without consulting with your team. You may be unaware of business-critical operations in a specific area that would significantly impact your business if testing is done during those times. 

Establish Backup Power Plans

Even during planned electrical downtime, there may be select areas of your facility that will require power, so be sure to create contingency plans.

• Identify what needs power. Refrigerators, WiFi devices, medical equipment, and even sprinkler systems may need power to operate during this time. 
• Understand how much power you need. A full refrigerated section of your building will need more power than a fridge in the breakroom. Calculate exactly the electrical power load you’ll need during this time - and add a little extra to account for the unexpected.
• Determine the backup power sources. If you need a lot of power, you may need a generator that can handle the capacity. If you don’t, portable power stations may be able to get the job done. You may also want to use a mix of the two. 

Test everything before you shut the power off to ensure it’s working properly. You don’t want to have your backup fail at a critical juncture. 

Plan for Power Restoration 

The work doesn’t stop once testing and maintenance are completed. You need to plan to safely turn the power back on to avoid damage to equipment, safety hazards, and injuries. 

• Inspect the work area. Make sure that all the tools and testing materials have been removed from the area, as well as that all covers and protective barriers have been restored. 
• Follow the start-up procedures. Select equipment may need to be re-engaged in order to properly power it up to prevent damage. 
• Verify operations. Confirm that all areas are working as expected. Test equipment, outlets, and anything else that has been worked on during this time.

If there are any hiccups, address them promptly to prevent equipment damage. 

Benefits of Proper Planning

Preventative maintenance and testing are often overlooked in many facilities, but it can actually save you time and money in the long run. 

Minimize Disruptions

When you are planning for a shutdown, you can control the circumstances. You know when it will happen, what will be impacted, and the intended time frame for when the testing will occur. 

Once you communicate the planned outage with your team, you can minimize disruptions. They can plan work around the planned outage to help you and your team focus on the important task at hand. You won’t be interrupted with unnecessary requests during the process. 

Improve Safety

The National Safety Council reports that some of the most common causes of workplace injuries are injuries related to equipment and exposure to electricity. When you plan your electrical shutdowns properly, you can reduce these risks significantly.

Additionally, it will prevent injuries from malfunctioning equipment, which could have been prevented with routine maintenance. During your testing, make sure to engage with your facility’s safety team and follow all necessary procedures. 

Promote Efficiency 

Planning can help testing and maintenance work proceed efficiently. You won’t disrupt the business at inopportune moments; instead, plan during low-impact times like overnight or on the weekend.

This will help reduce the amount of downtime you have and reduce the impact on your overall production. Time is money, so the less downtime you have, the better. 

Schedule Professional Electrical Testing Services

At MTA, our team of professional electrical engineers in San Diego are equipped to handle all your electrical testing needs in California and the West Coast. 

Our electrical services include medium and low-voltage electrical acceptance, maintenance, commissioning testing, and infrared scanning of all your building’s critical electrical components, including systems, control centers, transformers, relays, and more. 

Contact MTA to schedule your professional electrical testing services today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do I Need Electrical Testing?

Electrical testing can help identify potential issues before they become a significant one, saving you time, money and unplanned downtime. It can also help prevent avoidable injuries within your facility.

What Is the Best Time To Conduct Testing?

Typically, nights and weekends are best to conduct testing to reduce the impact on the business. However, be sure to connect with your operations, maintenance, and safety team to understand the full impact prior to scheduling electrical testing.

Do I Need a Back-up Power Source During Shutdown?

You may need a back-up power source during an electrical shutdown depending on the resources you have in your facility. If you have business critical elements like WiFi, fire suppression systems, or refrigeration that cannot go offline without significant impact to your business, you may want to invest in a generator or portable power supply.