Electrical mistakes in a warehouse can raze the premises to the ground or, even worse, injure workers. Therefore, there are no two ways about it: you have to get all your electrical work done right from the beginning.
If you are setting up a warehouse, it helps to know some common electrical mistakes others have made before you so that you can work around them.
Here are five expensive electrical mistakes warehouses make.
1. Ignoring National Codes
Every country has set standards on how its electrical works are to be conducted. Australia is no exception. These have to be followed to the latter to ensure safety, and noncompliance can have some expensive repercussions for your business.
These can include fines, penalties and litigation, not to mention having to pay extra costs to have the work done to standard.
At M1 and Co Electrical, we advise our clients on the codes and complete each industrial electrical project with strict compliance.
2. Miscalculation of Your Power Loads
Power load is the amount of power your warehouse will use to run its operations at any given time.
Miscalculating this can lead to brownouts and power shortages. Brownouts are a sag or drop in voltage in an electrical power system. When these happen, you might not be able to run operations as you usually do, which will cost your business money.
3. Improper Grounding
The most common grounding problem in commercial buildings like warehouses is known as 'ground loops'. Ground loops happen when several electrical systems are connected to the ground in multiple ways.
Typically, this is often a result of interconnected electrical equipment resulting in several different lines leading to the ground wire.
Sound grounding ensures any excess energy is routed into the ground. If this is not done correctly, you risk damaging equipment, fires and electrocution.
4. Getting Unqualified Advice
You would assume this would never happen, but it does.
You might pick up some second-hand information from a non-professional and proceed with some electrical installations. Doing this can be disastrous and expensive. Sadly, there is too much so-called 'free advice from the internet and hardware stores.
The same goes for allowing an unqualified commercial electrician to handle your electrical projects. But, again, don't rely on verbal information; ask to see credentials, licensure, insurance and one with a history of satisfied customers.
5. Disorganised Electrical Panels
A well-organised electrical panel allows you to cut off power to specific appliances and appliances quickly. For example, if faulty wires in one wing of your warehouse cause a fire, being able to shut off power in that section is crucial.
A disorganised electrical panelling system lacks these benefits.
The Bottom-line
The safety of your employees should always be a matter of concern when it comes to all your electrical projects. Besides safety, proper electrical installations help reduce your average utility bills and compliance with building electrical codes.
We understand this perfectly at M1&Co Electrical and strive to get things right from the beginning. Do you have an electrical project coming up? Leave it to the professionals; call us today.