Continuity of service in uncertain times

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges for the facilities management sector. Not only have managers been required to continuously adapt their working practices, but the past year has also seen the role change to become more prominent and even shift from an operational to a strategic level.

Pandemic or no pandemic, it is up to the managers and their teams to keep operations running smoothly, even when no one is permitted in the building – this includes specifying uninterruptible power protection.

When it comes to emergency-power systems, interruptions in power supply have the potential to cause operational chaos. To ensure this doesn’t occur, specifying a UPS is essential.

For a UPS to work properly and offer protection for a facility’s critical equipment from power outages and related problems, managers need to implement a two-pronged protection plan: proper UPS selection and system design depending on the power requirements, combined with a comprehensive maintenance programme.

Properly planned and implemented, preventative maintenance strategies can minimise the likelihood of unscheduled breakdowns and outages, effectively negating the potential risk of costly commercial, reputational and legal issues.

Now is a time when managers will be analysing the impact of the pandemic, the latest national lockdown measures and planning for post-lockdown. It is more important than ever for managers to be identifying and working with suppliers that can offer a flexible and pragmatic approach. Kohler Uninterruptible Power (KUP) has been working with its customers throughout the pandemic on a fully flexible basis, rescheduling installations and visits in accordance with the changing Government rules, and offering 24/7 engineer support.

Testing and Maintenance
Frequent testing of a UPS system helps to identify problems and minimise potentially devastating power interruptions, as we have mentioned above. During the pandemic, it is more critical than ever to keep a UPS system in the very best condition.

Several KUP UPS systems are modular, which allows engineers to test or replace certain components of the unit while the UPS is still in place and actively providing full back-up for the desired load.

During a crisis, when businesses are required to operate on skeleton staff, having the confidence that back-up power will work if required is even more important. Whilst some maintenance and inspection will undoubtedly be on hold for the time being, KUP expects to see an upsurge in testing post-pandemic and anticipates that regular preventive maintenance will become increasingly prevalent in the future. Facilities managers may opt to take advantage of the reduced footfall on site to carry out remedial work as there will be very little disruption.

KUP has developed a strategy to help organisations achieve continuity, covering both maintenance and project services. It’s remote monitoring services – PowerNSURE for batteries, PowerREPORTER for UPSs, and Remote Generator Monitoring System have formed part of maintenance packages for customers.

KUP prides itself on delivering industry-leading power protection solutions combined with service excellence to ensure UPS power supplies are ‘Always On’. Taking a ‘business as usual approach’, KUP has the flexibility to work with facilities managers to meet the requirements of the client both now, and post-COVID.

To find out more about KUP’s range of modular UPS systems and maintenance programmes, please get in touch by calling 01256 386700 or visiting www.kohler-ups.co.uk

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