Mains electricity failure
Unexpected total power failure is rare and unpredictable. Ability to safely deliver and maintain anaesthesia is immediately compromised.
Local coordinator should activate any local incident plan and urgently establish and brief teams on:
Extent of failure.
Likely duration of failure.
Interruption to other services (e.g. oxygen, water).
Open doors and blinds.
Hand torches, portable lights, mobile phones, laryngoscopes.
Standard power socket: not protected.
SPS: Secondary supply (red socket) for devices that can sustain brief periods of loss of power (e.g. those with internal battery back-up).
UPS: Uninterrupted supply (blue socket) for instantaneous and continuous protection. This supply is limited therefore avoid using UPS sockets unless absolutely necessary.
Devices' internal battery backup: this may not supply all functions of the device and duration may be variable.
Mains oxygen failure → 4-1
Emergency evacuation → 4-3