Lights out! Cintas Poll Reveals Worker Concerns during Power Outages

Cintas Corp. commissioned a survey among 2,072 U.S. adults ages 18 and older to identify U.S. worker concerns during power outages. The study found that more than a third (34 percent) would not feel very confident in their ability to navigate the workplace safely.

“The poll results show that people consider lighting critical to their safety when an emergency occurs,” said Taylor Brummel, marketing manager, Cintas Fire Protection. “The U.S. experiences more power outages than any other developed country in the world, so it’s important for businesses to be prepared.  Whether its severe weather, faulty power grid equipment, a fire or any other issue, emergency lighting can assist in guiding occupants to safety when power fails.”

The poll also found that if the lights went out at their place of work, 50 percent of U.S. adults would not feel very confident in their ability to walk up and down stairways safely. Additionally, 42 percent of employed Americans would not feel very confident in their ability to calmly execute their workplaces’ emergency plan.

“Emergency and exit lighting is often ignored or excluded from life safety programs,” added Brummel. “However, due to the increasing risk of power outages in the U.S., it is important for building owners to prioritize emergency and exit light maintenance.”

Power outages are on the rise and are nearly four times more likely to occur now than in 2000. The average U.S. power customer loses power for 3.5 hours per year, dramatically exceeding the average compared to countries like Japan whose average customer experiences only six minutes of power loss per year.

To learn more about emergency lighting, download Cintas Fire Protection’s new white paper, “Emergency Lights: An Often Overlooked but Critical Component to a Building’s Life Safety System.”