Health and Safety A-Z
Topic: Power Outage (Unplanned)
Summary:
Disruptions to electrical services on campus can occur for a number of reasons, including planned power outages, seasonal weather events including electrical storms, heavy rains, and strong winds, trees touching power lines, motor vehicle accidents, and loss of power supply. If you are working on campus and a power outage occurs, remain calm. It is not an uncommon occurrence, and it is important to ensure that hazards are effectively controlled to make sure everyone remains safe until the power is back on.
To receive alerts related to unplanned power outages and other Campus Safety emergency notifications, it is highly recommended you download the TrentU Safety App.
What essential services will continue to function for a period of time?
- Emergency safety lighting
- Telephones
- Fire alarms systems
- Doors with card readers
Emergency lighting will be minimal and is designed to provide illuminated exits for approximately 30-60 minutes. Depending on the time of day, natural light from windows may be the best source of lighting. Building evacuation may also be required if there is insufficient lighting for building occupants to move about safely.
Trent office and departmental phones should have enough battery power to remain operational for about 20 minutes during an unplanned power outage service disruption.
Doors that are held open by magnetic door holders will typically release and fall closed. Doors with keycard swipe access will continue to work for a period of time on battery supply, but will eventually default to a locked position when the battery is drained.
If you are on campus and your work area experiences an unplanned power outage, please follow these guidelines:
Is it safe to remain in your workspace?
- Does the space have natural light or emergency lighting? If not, relocate to a safe space that has better lighting; emergency lighting will last for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Is it safer inside or outside? Only move between buildings or to your vehicle if it is safe to do so.
Do you have a method of sending or receiving communications with your supervisor or Campus Safety?
- Inform your supervisor of where you are and whether you are safe. If there is no immediate risk, stay in place and await further direction either via the Trent U Safety App or directly from your supervisor.
- If you or others around you are unsafe, contact Campus Safety at 705-748-1333 (Peterborough), 905-435-5111 (Durham), 905-435-5123 (ALC). If there is a life-threatening emergency call 911 and notify Campus Safety afterwards so they can escort emergency services to your location
If a power outage occurs at a time when there are very few people on campus (i.e. late evening, early morning, weekend), please follow these additional guidelines:
If the power outage lasts longer than 10 minutes, the staff muster locations are listed below. Please make your way to the closest muster location only when it is safe to do so:
- East Bank: Life Health Sciences (LHS) D Wing 2nd floor lounge
- West Bank: Blackburn Hall entrance lounge; Athletic Centre main floor atrium
- Traill College: Inside the Wallis Hall Bridge entrance door
On the Durham campus, it is not uncommon for one of the 2 main buildings to lose power while the other main building maintains power, so you can move to the other building if it is safe to do so, and notify your supervisor of your location.
Extended unplanned power outages
During unplanned power outages on campus due to unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters or extreme weather, employees are to remain at home and await a notification via the TrentU Safety App, an email, or direct contact from your supervisor that it is safe to return to campus.
The Emergency Operations Control Group will convene if available information suggests that power will be out for an extended period of time.
What Should Managers & Supervisors do during unplanned power outages?
- Ensure your staff are safe and informed of what is expected from them.
- The University will share information about what happened, what Trent is doing and what is expected of the staff. Share this information with your staff.
- If you have not received any information regarding the power outage after 15 minutes from the onset, please contact Facilities Management 705-748-1011 ext 1366. If you cannot reach them, call Campus Safety 705-748-1333 (Peterborough), 905-435-5111 (Durham), 905-435-5123 (ALC).
- If staff are directed to leave campus, ensure your staff have what they need to work remotely, if the can. You should be the last one to leave your work area, or delegate this responsibility to someone in your absence. Make sure the windows and doors are properly closed and locked.
- Have your staff’s preferred contact information (before an emergency). You may need to call your staff to update them on university operations during or after an emergency.
- Download the TrentU Safety App and recommend your staff also downloads the TrentU Safety App.
How is Trent University notified of unplanned power outages?
In Peterborough, if an unplanned power outage is due to an issue within the municipal power system, text and email communications will be sent by Hydro One to individuals within the Facilities Management team and Campus Safety departments, containing information related to the location of the outage and estimated time of restoration. If the unplanned power outage is not due to an issue within the municipal power system, and rather an issue within the infrastructure on campus, the Facilities Management team will require time to investigate the source of the unplanned power outage.
In the case of Durham, upon there being evidence of a power outage, Facilities and/or Campus Safety staff will start to investigate the cause of the disruption to unplanned power outage. This may include a call to Oshawa PUC (Power and Utilities Corporation), a search for local news reports, building/campus assessment.
Notes:
Some departments such as Facilities Management, Campus Safety, and Science Facilities have their own procedures to follow during unplanned power outages, and it is expected that all employees with duties outlined in these procedures will be aware of their responsibilities and will follow them as required. If you are unsure if your department has specific procedures to follow during an unplanned power outage, please check with your supervisor.
All employees should utilize VIP to maintain their Emergency Contact information. Instructions on how to update emergency contact info are on the VIP website. Supervisors should check their direct report’s VIP to ensure they have done this.
For more information see:
Additional Resources:
Unplanned Power Outage Guidelines Durham
Unplanned Power Outage Guidelines Peterborough