When managing a building or facility, you’re responsible for more than just keeping the lights on—you also need to make sure everything runs smoothly and safely, especially in emergencies. One of the most critical systems for this is your Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), which provides backup power when the main supply fails. Keeping your UPS in top shape is essential for safety, performance, and compliance—and that’s where SFG20 comes in.
In this blog, we explore what SFG20 is, why it matters for maintaining your UPS and central battery systems, and why expert maintenance should always be a top priority.
What is SFG20?
SFG20 is the UK’s industry standard for building maintenance, helping facilities managers ensure their buildings are safe, legal, and compliant with regulations. It provides a structured guide that outlines specific tasks to maintain various systems, from HVAC to electrical infrastructure, with clear guidelines on what needs to be done, how often, and by whom.
Tasks in SFG20 are broken down into categories:
- Red tasks are legally required to ensure the safety of the building, such as emergency lighting maintenance.
- Amber tasks are recommended to ensure smooth operations and full compliance.
When it comes to UPS systems and central battery systems, SFG20 highlights 20 key tasks that must be completed to ensure these systems remain fully operational. Of these, four are red tasks—meaning they are not just recommendations, but legal requirements. The section also includes the UPS Test, which ensures that your system will work as intended during a power failure.
Why UPS Maintenance Matters
A UPS is more than just a backup system—it’s a critical safety component for your facility. During a power outage, the UPS ensures that essential systems like IT infrastructure, emergency lighting, and other facilities continue to operate. One example of when this is especially important is in buildings with lifts, where having a functioning UPS could mean the difference between a smooth evacuation and people being trapped during a power failure.
Here’s why regular UPS maintenance as per SFG20 standards is essential:
- Safety: UPS systems support critical equipment to maintain operations, such as fire alarms, emergency lighting, IT systems and lifts. Regular maintenance ensures these systems will work when they’re needed most.
- Longevity: Proper care and testing of your UPS system can extend its operational life, reducing the risk of premature failure and avoiding costly repairs or replacements.
- Performance: Regular testing and maintenance ensure that your UPS performs optimally during outages, reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns at critical moments.
The Role of Specialist Engineers in UPS Maintenance
While SFG20 currently suggests that general electricians can maintain and test UPS systems, this approach overlooks the complexities involved. UPS systems are intricate, involving sensitive components that require specialist knowledge to service and test properly.
Tasks such as:
- Battery health checks: Ensuring the batteries that power the UPS during outages are in good condition.
- Load testing: Verifying that the UPS can handle the expected power load during an outage.
- Emergency procedures testing: Simulating power failures to ensure the UPS kicks in as it should, powering essential systems.
These are highly specialised activities that demand the skills of an experienced UPS engineer—someone who understands the technical intricacies and can perform the necessary maintenance to keep your system fully operational. By relying on general electricians, you risk improper servicing, which could lead to system failures when they’re needed most.
Let’s Talk Frequency…
SFG20 also recommends that UPS systems undergo bi-annual maintenance as part of regular compliance. This bi-annual check-up is more than a simple once-over—it involves a thorough inspection and testing of all system components to ensure they function at optimum efficiency.
During bi-annual maintenance, a specialist engineer should:
- Inspect the entire UPS and central battery system for wear and tear.
- Test the system under load to ensure it can handle a real-world power failure.
- Check and replace any faulty batteries to ensure reliable performance.
- Review emergency response procedures and make sure the system is ready to respond quickly and efficiently during an outage.
At BCL Power, our engineers go beyond the basic maintenance to provide a comprehensive service that ensures compliance with both legal requirements and the best practices outlined in SFG20.
Shaping the Future of SFG20 with BCL Power
At BCL Power, we recognise that current SFG20 guidance does not fully reflect the expertise required to maintain and test UPS systems. That’s why we are engaging with the SFG20 committee to push for updates to the standard, ensuring that only specialist engineers are recommended for these critical tasks. By working with SFG20 to redefine these standards, we aim to ensure that businesses have the right level of expertise to maintain their essential power systems, providing peace of mind for facilities managers.
Why Choose BCL Power?
At BCL Power, we specialise in maintaining and testing UPS systems and central battery systems, offering expert services tailored to your specific needs. From bi-annual compliance checks to emergency response readiness, our team of specialist engineers ensures that your systems remain compliant with SFG20, and most importantly, ready to perform when you need them most.
We also offer consultations to help facilities managers better understand the SFG20 guidelines and how they apply to their specific buildings and systems. Our goal is to ensure that your facilities remain safe, compliant, and fully functional at all times.
Don’t Leave Compliance to Chance
Maintaining your UPS system is not just a regulatory box to tick—it’s essential for the safety of your building and the people inside it. By working with BCL Power, you can ensure that your UPS and central battery systems are cared for by experts, giving you confidence in your compliance and the ongoing safety of your facility.
Contact us today for expert advice, maintenance, and testing services to keep your building’s critical power systems running smoothly and in line with SFG20 standards.