HOUSEHOLDS are facing blackouts if the energy crisis continues and there’s very cold weather this winter.
But how could that affect your working day?
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Blackouts could be introduced in the worst case due to a shortage of gas.
The National Grid has warned of power cuts at peak times – potentially in the evenings when it’s dark outside.
It said the number of people left without electricity would depend on how many gas power stations would be forced to shut down because there is not enough gas.
In order to avoid planned power cuts, households could be paid to turn down their heating and not use their washing machines at the busiest time to reduce demand on the energy networks.
If the power cuts do go ahead, it will be the first time there have been controlled blackouts since the 1970s.
But many are unsure about what this means for working patterns.
It’s important to know your rights as a worker – that includes the right to a safe working environment, so it’s up to your employer to respect these.
Every employer will act differently, but experts believe there are certain things they should consider.
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Kate Palmer, HR advice and consultancy director at Peninsula said: “If blackouts happen, they could cause significant disruption to both businesses and households, but the country cannot simply come to a halt.
“Employers should take steps now to minimise disruption and risk and ensure that employees know what is and isn’t expected from them in terms of work if blackouts do go ahead.”
Flexible working
Some appliances should be unplugged ahead of a blackout.
When the power comes back, the surge of electricity may cause the circuit to fry and the appliance can be damaged – including your laptop and mobile phone.
Kate said: “In the event of a power cut, employers will need to be flexible. A loss of electricity will affect staff in the workplace as well as anyone working from home. In some cases, employees might not be able to carry out their job at all.
“It’s likely that any blackouts would be rotated to help ensure that different areas are affected at different times, but this could make managing a remote workforce more difficult.”
Your employer will need your consent to swap hours in order to avoid peak blackout times, but do note your wages will be affected if they decide to shorten working days instead.
Paid leave
Paid leave should be a fair alternative if employers can’t offer flexible working.
Kate said: “We expect that there will be one day’s notice given ahead of any blackouts, which is not enough notice for businesses to enforce annual leave.
“The law requires employers to give staff double the amount of notice for the length of time off ie two days’ notice for one day off.
“This means that employees would need to either agree to take annual leave or be sent home on paid leave.”
Manage emergency leave requests
There could be a lot of requests for last minute leave coming through.
Blackouts may pose issues for those who have children if they’re called into the office work.
Kate said: “The power cuts could cause big issues for childcare, with nurseries and schools having to close last minute, or employees with caring responsibilities. So, staff may need to stay at home to look after children or dependants.
“Emergency time off for dependents is a legal right, and businesses should be prepared for an influx of last-minute requests during blackouts.”
Experts recommend employers look out for workers’ mental health as it may cause “significant stress for everyone.”
To help, employers should listen to and address concerns, and involve staff in planning for power outage
Other tips to prepare for a blackout
Before a power cut, there are a few things you can do to make sure you are equipped to deal with the dark times.
You should make sure you have at least one torch in your house and spare batteries.
Try to avoid candles if you can because they are a fire risk.
External battery packs are also handy for charging your phone without relying on electricity.
People are being encouraged to sign up with their electricity supplier for a scheme which will give them money back on their bills.
To get the money back, customers will be expected to shift their use of power away from times of high demand to help prevent blackouts.
That could mean putting on the dishwasher or washing machine overnight or charging an electric vehicle at off-peak times.
The “demand flexibility service” will run from November to March, and it is being introduced to help prevent blackouts.
Read more about that here.
