What happens to cleaning in emergency situations: power failure, fire, flood

In emergency situations—whether it's a fire, flood, or power outage—normal cleaning processes are disrupted. It is especially important to protect equipment, ensure resilience to extreme situations, and speed up the restoration of cleanliness. Modern automatic cleaning systems already include functions to protect the robot from moisture, ensuring uninterrupted operation of the cleaning robot and effectively organizing cleaning after an emergency, while maintaining the safety of cleaning equipment.

How emergencies affect cleaning

Power failure and its consequences
A sudden power outage can stop the robot from charging and interrupt the current cleaning session.
The robot, unable to complete the cycle, may end up in an open area where water remains uncleaned.
Without an emergency charging system, it stops completely and does not return to the base.
Resuming operation requires manual intervention: rebooting and returning to the docking station.
Fire — a threat to device safety
In the event of a fire, it is important to avoid damage to the robot not only from fire, but also from smoke:
Thermal sensors and temperature limits prevent overheating.
Devices with an alarm system can automatically return to a safe area.
After extinguishing the fire, a thorough check of the electronics is required — sensors, batteries, and boards can be damaged by smoke and water.
Flooding — the main threat to water
Potentially the most dangerous situation for robots is flooding of the premises with water.
Protecting the robot from moisture is key: IP rating of at least IP65, moisture protection for the body and key components.
Some models are equipped with water level sensors that shut down the device when a critical level is reached.
In practice, when flooded, the robot automatically switches to “safe mode” and informs the operator.

How a floor cleaning robot copes with the consequences of an emergency
Automatic return to base and safe evacuation
Many models include a “fire/flood” scenario: in the event of an emergency,
the robot completes its current cycle and returns to a safe base,
automatically shutting down when it reaches a certain level of water or smoke.
Overview diagnostics after an emergency
After an extreme situation, it is mandatory to check:
contamination and navigation sensors,
battery and electronics tightness;
connection tightness and moisture protection film.
Cleaning after an emergency — working in difficult conditions
After accidents, it is important to return to cleaning the premises:
Dry cleaning with strong suction is carried out to remove water and debris.
Then — wet cleaning to disinfect surfaces.
Robots with a self-cleaning function can keep tanks and brushes clean, minimizing human intervention.

Safety equipment principles
Sealing and IP protection
Modern robots have technical characteristics for operation in adverse conditions:
IP class from IP65 — provides protection against dust and water jets.
Waterproof connectors and electronic modules are located in sealed compartments.
Protection against backflow of water from contaminated tanks.
Automatic shutdown in case of threats
If the sensors detect:
water above the set level,
smoke,
or sudden overheating —
the robot resets, shuts down, informs the dispatcher, and switches to safe mode.
Training personnel to respond to emergencies
To ensure that the robot helps rather than complicates the situation, personnel must know:
how to shut down the equipment in an emergency,
how to safely remove it from the flooded area,
how to read the diagnostics and perform initial recovery.

Robotic cleaning scenarios after an emergency
Fire in a hotel corridor
Smoke detector signal → the robot completes its route and returns to base.
After the room has been ventilated → the robot repeats the map to remove ash and soot.
Cleaning is repeated by zone, excluding areas with remaining hot spots, until cleanliness is fully restored.
Flood in the shopping mall
The flood hinders movement → the robot automatically shuts down at a safe point.
The administrator launches the “flood cleanup” program.
The robot turns on powerful suction, works in dry mode, then in wet mode.
The BMS report records the area, time, and status of the cleanup.

What can be gained from robotization in an emergency
Quick response to threats without human involvement—minimizing risk to personnel.
Safe evacuation of the robot from the danger zone.
Preservation of electronics and consumables thanks to moisture and temperature control.
Quick recovery cleaning, automatic algorithm for switching from dry to wet cleaning.
Information and reporting: notifications, event logs, control via the app.
Recommendations for choosing a robot for work in emergency conditions
IP class not lower than IP65 — waterproofing is mandatory.
Emergency algorithm for fire/flood.
Water level, temperature, and smoke sensors.
Autonomy ≥4 hours + auto-recharging.
Remote control and real-time monitoring.
Ability to connect to a BMS/dispatching system.

Conclusion
Emergencies—whether power outages, fires, or flooding—create critical conditions not only for people but also for automated equipment, including cleaning robots. In such conditions, it is not only the strength of the body or the quality of the brushes that are important, but also the ability of the equipment to independently navigate, protect itself, and recover. That is why manufacturers of modern floor cleaning robots are increasingly implementing emergency behavior scenarios, threat sensors, and remote warning systems.
Safety is a priority
One of the key requirements for robots operating in commercial premises is resistance to external negative factors. A sudden fire should not cause a fire inside the device. A flood is not a reason for the electronics to short circuit. And even more so, a power failure should not completely paralyze cleaning, especially in large facilities. Equipment equipped with moisture protection (IP65 and above), thermal sensors, smoke sensors, and a safety shutdown system becomes a real helper in such circumstances.
Flexibility and adaptability of systems
What is especially important is that robots are not only able to survive an accident, but also restore cleanliness after it. Unlike manual cleaning, the automatic system operates precisely, according to a scenario:
first, it analyzes the area,
determines the degree of contamination,
and launches the appropriate mode — from powerful dry suction to multi-cycle wet cleaning.
This is especially important after floods, when quick and