School Power & Lighting Checklist: Prep Your Facility For the Coming Year
- by Joe Weber - updated on 8/10/2020
School administrators and facilities managers face a host of new challenges as they work to protect the health and safety of both students and staff. With so much happening on top of the daily school duties, it's easy to get overwhelmed, but the good news is, you don't have to go it alone. As you prepare for the new school year, Batteries Plus can help provide you with solutions to many of the issues your school is facing, both old and new.
Battery Basics & Device Maintenance
Bathrooms & Kitchens
Handwashing and proper hygiene have become more important than ever before thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Be sure that you have an adequate supply of backup batteries for your automatic soap and paper towel dispensers, plus the sensors in your touchless faucets and toilets.
You'll also want to make sure to have batteries available for any hand sanitizer stations you may have around the school.
Classrooms
Teachers have heard every excuse you can think of when it comes to late homework. Don't let broken classroom laptops, Chromebooks and tablets add to that stress. If you have any damaged devices, we can repair them for you fast to get students back on track.
Emergency Power
Power can be lost for many reasons. Batteries Plus can help you be ready for anything. Check on UPS backup units frequently to ensure they function properly and that the SLA batteries powering them are still in good shape. Test the batteries in any generators or other backup systems you might have too.
Janitorial
Of course, cleanliness doesn't just extend to your staff and students. Make sure that you have batteries for the scrubbers or sweepers your facility uses and that they are charged up and ready to go.
Health & Safety
The nurses must be able to perform temperature checks and other diagnostic tests for sick students and staff. Remember to stock up on alkaline or coin cell batteries for your thermometers, blood pressure cuffs and other testing equipment.
What about carbon monoxide and smoke detectors? Be sure to test them regularly and make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand for the rest of the year.
Communication
Two-way radios are not uncommon in schools. Make sure that two-way radios, wireless microphones and other communication devices have fresh batteries and are functioning properly.
Take a Look at Your Lighting
Next, let's tackle lighting. As part of your pre-school year prep, it's a good idea to take a walk through all of the classrooms, walkways, gymnasiums and offices to make sure that all lights are working.
Indoor
Pay special attention to the purpose each room serves. Does it have the proper lighting levels for that use? Remember, biology labs will have different lighting needs than the English classroom. If the lighting seems off in any classroom, we can help!
Don't forget about exit and emergency lighting! be sure to pay attention to any exit or emergency lights in and out of the building. If you have malfunctioning lighting, we can provide you with any necessary replacement fixtures.
Outdoor
Outdoor lighting is especially important in creating a safe, secure environment for your students and staff. Make sure that you have enough exterior fixtures to light your parking lot adequately and that all lighting is bright and clear.
Virtual Learning
Many schools are implementing a virtual component of learning. Even if you're not planning on doing this immediately, be sure that your staff has the laptop batteries and chargers they need to teach from home if the need arises.
Consultation Options
A Batteries Plus Business account comes with a whole host of benefits, including on-site assessments, competitive pricing and more!
Do you need someone to train your team on the proper care and maintenance of your battery systems? We can handle that. Do you need help transitioning your facility to more energy-efficient lighting, or need advice on how to set up touchless temperature check stations? No matter what your needs are, our industry experts are available to help you solve them.
With so many great benefits, it's just smart to sign up! Oh did I mention that it's free? If you haven't already done so, sign up for your free business account today!
Download the checklist!
If you'd like an easy checklist to help walk you through what we've discussed, you can print one right here . Or, check out our touchless device page for tips on creating a hands-free environment in your school.
If you need any additional assistance preparing your school for the upcoming year, remember, your local Batteries Plus is just a phone call away.