Mains failure alerts

Purpose

This procedure describes the actions to be taken by a Careline Officer in response to a mains failure alert sent by an alarm unit.

Responsibility

All staff

Process

Alarm units are designed to signal the disconnection of the main connection locally via a regular tone and blinking light and via an alert message to the contact centre. In most cases, Careline should have been able to diagnose and support the customer in correcting the fault.

Dispersed alarms

On arrival staff should ask the customer whether:

• There is power to the entire dwelling?
• Some rooms or appliances have lost power?

If there is no power to the dwelling, the staff should:

Ask to be shown the meter and main fuse box – then should check that all breakers are in the on position.

Check whether other dwellings are also experiencing power failure.

Ask whether the fault has been reported to the electricity company – if not, the contact centre should report the fault.

If there is power to the dwelling:

But certain parts of the dwelling are without power, staff should:

• Ask to be shown those rooms / appliances without power, then identify whether there is an obvious cause for electrical failure, e.g. exposed wires or a blackened appliance or socket.
• Where a single appliance is likely to have caused the power failure, staff may consider unplugging that appliance and resetting the fuse.
• Where there are exposed wires or a socket plate is blackened, staff should recommend that the customer calls an electrician to identify the wiring problem. (If a council property ask call centre to contact Camden Repairs.)

They should ask to be shown the meter and main fuse box – they should check that all breakers are in the on position.

Note: Staff may reset breaker type fuses but should not replace old fashioned wire fuses.

If the only appliance not working is the alarm unit, then they should inspect the unit to check that:

• The alarm unit is providing local indication of power failure – regular beep and flashing indicator lights.
• The transformer plug is not visibly damaged – cracked, broken or scorched.
• The transformer plug is properly plugged into the socket.
• Any switch on the socket used by the alarm unit is in the on position.
• The cable between the transformer plug and the alarm unit is not damaged.

If the above checks on the transformer and connection do not resolve the fault, staff should check any of the plugs or extension sockets forming the link between the mains socket and the alarm unit.

If there is an extension lead or multi-way adaptor fitted between the transformer plug and the wall socket, connect the transformer plug directly to the wall socket.

If the unit ceases to indicate mains failure, the fault lies with the extension lead or adapt. However if the unit does not cease to indicate mains failure try another socket.

If another unit known to work when connected to another socket does work when connected to that socket, the fault is with the alarm unit and its transformer plug. Staff should then return the unit to the control centre and send away to the manufacturers for repair.

If staff have been unable to resolve the fault but have identified a fault with the wiring in the dwelling, they should recommend that the customer calls an electrician. (If it is a Camden property ask the Contact Centre to coordinate repairs.)

A main company fuse or a general power failure in the area, they should ensure that the fault is reported to the electricity company.