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airport terminal

Electrical maintenance contracts – airports

Making sure your electrics are in good working order is a routine part of maintaining a building, but for those that need uninterrupted power and lighting, it’s critical. Buildings and businesses, like airports, that rely on having a constant supply of energy could suffer disastrous consequences if any element of their systems malfunction. In this blog, we look at why having an electrical maintenance contract in place will help your business to operate smoothly.

What is an electrical maintenance contract?

At EMCAL-Systems, we design and install electrical systems, but we’re also passionate about offering electrical maintenance contracts. That could mean maintaining our own work or inheriting the work of a previous contractor – we are happy to do both.

Having a contract is a simple way of guaranteeing that your electrics are being well looked after, so small issues are caught early before they become big problems. It also means that you have access to a team who knows your system well, so should anything ever go wrong, they can diagnose and fix the problem with maximum efficiency.

For businesses that require emergency lighting by law, then regular testing should also form part of your maintenance contract. EMCAL-Systems can help look after your:

  • off-grid power supply
  • emergency lighting

Both of these areas are critical to the safe running of an airport.

Maintaining emergency lighting in airports

Airport emergency lighting

In the event of a power failure or reduced visibility, emergency lighting is there to help occupants find their way out of the building safely and efficiently.

For non-domestic UK buildings, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that: ’emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of normal lighting.’

A busy airport can see hundreds of thousands of passengers walk through its terminals and board flights everyday, and to keep them safe the emergency lighting needs to be regularly serviced and tested. There are two types of mandatory lighting test:

  • Monthly emergency lighting test

This should be a short functional test to ensure that all the lights are present, clean and working. If the test finds any shortfalls, then remedial work must be carried out.

  • Annual emergency lighting test    

This is a more comprehensive test that is designed to make sure the lights stay on for the full duration specified, whether that is 60 minutes or three hours.

To do this you need to stage a power cut to activate your emergency lighting. If it’s not handled correctly, this could cause huge disruption, so we recommend using a professional electrical contractor experienced in testing and electrical maintenance contracts.

Off-grid power supply maintenance contracts

Off-grid power is there to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of power in the case of a mains failure, which in an airport is crucial for the safety of staff and passengers.

At EMCAL-Systems, we specialise in installing and maintaining central battery systems.

These clever systems sense when the mains supply has dropped off and are ready and waiting to take overpowering the electrics. During normal, day-to-day operation, the powerful batteries re-charge and store energy ready for the next time they’re needed.

There are two main reasons for needing an off-grid power supply, such as a battery:

  • to power your emergency lighting in the event of a power cut
  • to act as a backup for buildings that use alternative energy, like solar or wind

We work closely with Lincolnshire-based business, Powerguard – an industry-expert in manufacturing a range of off-grid systems, including:

  • multi-generator control
  • combined heat and power (CHP)
  • renewable energy control
  • fully integrated off-grid power

Each of these systems is suitable for a different type of use, and while some may be low maintenance, they all still need regular servicing and testing by a professional.

Why have an electrical maintenance contract?

Maintenance and repair image
Catches issues before they become costly  

Having your electrical system checked is a great way of picking up on small issues before they become big problems that are costly and time-consuming to fix.  Prevention is always better than the cure!

Reduces the risk of an emergency call-out

An electrical maintenance contract also reduces the chance of you having to make an emergency-call out, which could cause significant disruption to the smooth running of your business.

Provides access to a familiar team of people

When you have an electrical maintenance contract in place, the same electricians who service your system are likely to be the ones that also come out if there’s a problem.

It’s quicker to diagnose an electrical fault if you’re already familiar with the system. In fact, your electrician may even be able to deal with the problem remotely, and if someone does need to come out, then you’re already classed as a priority customer. 

Taking the next steps with EMCAL-Systems

We specialise in system design and installation, and electrical maintenance contracts for businesses with complex requirements, like airports, supermarkets, and universities.

Our team of highly skilled electricians have worked with London Gatwick Airport and Birmingham to install and maintain their emergency lighting, to name just two. With over 35 years’ experience in the industry, we are confident that our service is unbeatable.

Far from taking a one-size fits all approach to our work, we take the time to listen to our customers before we start, so we can offer a bespoke solution that is fit-for-purpose.

We understand every business is different, which is why our maintenance contracts are customisable. Some businesses need to adhere to a testing regime to satisfy a legal requirement, while for others a periodic check that everything is still in working order is all that is needed. Whatever your requirements, we can put a plan in place to help.

We cover the entire country for airports and other large organisations, and for our smaller clients we’re often found on our home turf, so you’ll often find us helping businesses in Yorkshire.

To discuss setting up an electrical maintenance contract for your business, contact us via email or call our friendly team.

Taking the next steps with EMCAL-Systems

We specialise in system design and installation, and electrical maintenance contracts for businesses with complex requirements, like airports, supermarkets, and universities.

Our team of highly skilled electricians have worked with London Gatwick Airport and Birmingham to install and maintain their emergency lighting, to name just two. With over 35 years’ experience in the industry, we are confident that our service is unbeatable.

Far from taking a one-size fits all approach to our work, we take the time to listen to our customers before we start, so we can offer a bespoke solution that is fit-for-purpose.

We understand every business is different, which is why our maintenance contracts are customisable. Some businesses need to adhere to a testing regime to satisfy a legal requirement, while for others a periodic check that everything is still in working order is all that is needed. Whatever your requirements, we can put a plan in place to help.

We cover the entire country for airports and other large organisations, and for our smaller clients we’re often found on our home turf, so you’ll often find us helping businesses in Yorkshire.

To discuss setting up an electrical maintenance contract for your business, contact us via email or call our friendly team.