diff --git a/src/components/moderation/EscalationDialog.tsx b/src/components/moderation/EscalationDialog.tsx
index e5ae8604..4acde8d0 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/EscalationDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/EscalationDialog.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
-import { AlertTriangle } from 'lucide-react';
+import { AlertTriangle, AlertCircle } from 'lucide-react';
 import {
   Dialog,
   DialogContent,
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ import {
   SelectTrigger,
   SelectValue,
 } from '@/components/ui/select';
+import { Alert, AlertDescription, AlertTitle } from '@/components/ui/alert';
 
 interface EscalationDialogProps {
   open: boolean;
   onOpenChange: (open: boolean) => void;
   onEscalate: (reason: string) => Promise<void>;
   submissionType: string;
+  error?: { message: string; errorId?: string } | null;
 }
 
 const escalationReasons = [
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ export function EscalationDialog({
   onOpenChange,
   onEscalate,
   submissionType,
+  error,
 }: EscalationDialogProps) {
   const [selectedReason, setSelectedReason] = useState('');
   const [additionalNotes, setAdditionalNotes] = useState('');
@@ -76,6 +79,23 @@ export function EscalationDialog({
           </DialogDescription>
         </DialogHeader>
 
+        {error && (
+          <Alert variant="destructive" className="mt-4">
+            <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+            <AlertTitle>Escalation Failed</AlertTitle>
+            <AlertDescription>
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <p className="text-sm">{error.message}</p>
+                {error.errorId && (
+                  <p className="text-xs font-mono bg-destructive/10 px-2 py-1 rounded">
+                    Reference: {error.errorId.slice(0, 8)}
+                  </p>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </AlertDescription>
+          </Alert>
+        )}
+
         <div className="space-y-4 py-4">
           <div className="space-y-2">
             <Label>Escalation Reason</Label>
diff --git a/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx b/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
index b14a2a04..7c77bcc6 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ import {
   detectDependencyConflicts,
   approveSubmissionItems,
   rejectSubmissionItems,
-  escalateSubmission,
   checkSubmissionConflict,
   type SubmissionItemWithDeps,
   type DependencyConflict,
   type ConflictCheckResult 
 } from '@/lib/submissionItemsService';
+import { useModerationActions } from '@/hooks/moderation/useModerationActions';
 import { Sheet, SheetContent, SheetHeader, SheetTitle, SheetDescription } from '@/components/ui/sheet';
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle, DialogDescription } from '@/components/ui/dialog';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
   const [conflictData, setConflictData] = useState<ConflictCheckResult | null>(null);
   const [showConflictResolutionModal, setShowConflictResolutionModal] = useState(false);
   const [lastModifiedTimestamp, setLastModifiedTimestamp] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [escalationError, setEscalationError] = useState<{
+    message: string;
+    errorId?: string;
+  } | null>(null);
   
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const { isAdmin, isSuperuser } = useUserRole();
@@ -87,6 +91,17 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
   // Lock monitoring integration
   const { extendLock } = useLockMonitor(state, dispatch, submissionId);
 
+  // Moderation actions
+  const { escalateSubmission } = useModerationActions({
+    user,
+    onActionStart: (itemId: string) => {
+      logger.log(`Starting escalation for ${itemId}`);
+    },
+    onActionComplete: () => {
+      logger.log('Escalation complete');
+    }
+  });
+
   // Auto-claim on mount
   useEffect(() => {
     if (open && submissionId && state.status === 'idle') {
@@ -425,50 +440,35 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
     }
 
     try {
-      const { supabase } = await import('@/integrations/supabase/client');
-
-      // Call the escalation notification edge function
-      const { data, error, requestId } = await invokeWithTracking(
-        'send-escalation-notification',
-        {
-          submissionId,
-          escalationReason: reason,
-          escalatedBy: user.id
-        },
-        user.id
-      );
-
-      if (error) {
-        handleError(error, {
-          action: 'Send escalation notification',
-          userId: user.id,
-          metadata: { submissionId }
-        });
-        // Fallback to direct database update if email fails
-        await escalateSubmission(submissionId, reason, user.id);
-        toast({
-          title: 'Escalated (Email Failed)',
-          description: 'Submission escalated but notification email failed to send',
-          variant: 'default',
-        });
-      } else {
-        toast({
-          title: 'Escalated Successfully',
-          description: 'Submission escalated and admin notified via email',
-        });
-      }
+      setEscalationError(null);
       
+      // Use consolidated action from useModerationActions
+      // This handles: edge function call, fallback, error logging, cache invalidation
+      await escalateSubmission(
+        { 
+          id: submissionId,
+          submission_type: submissionType,
+          type: 'submission'
+        } as any,
+        reason
+      );
+      
+      // Success - close dialog
       onComplete();
       onOpenChange(false);
-    } catch (error: unknown) {
-      handleError(error, {
-        action: 'Escalate Submission',
-        userId: user?.id,
-        metadata: { 
-          submissionId,
-          reason: reason.substring(0, 100)
-        }
+    } catch (error: any) {
+      // Track error for retry UI
+      setEscalationError({
+        message: getErrorMessage(error),
+        errorId: error.errorId
       });
+      
+      logger.error('Escalation failed in SubmissionReviewManager', {
+        submissionId,
+        error: getErrorMessage(error)
+      });
+      
+      // Don't close dialog on error - let user retry
     }
   };
 
@@ -587,6 +587,7 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
         onOpenChange={setShowEscalationDialog}
         onEscalate={handleEscalate}
         submissionType={submissionType}
+        error={escalationError}
       />
 
       <RejectionDialog
diff --git a/src/hooks/useModerationQueue.ts b/src/hooks/useModerationQueue.ts
index d648ef53..a49c6167 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useModerationQueue.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useModerationQueue.ts
@@ -372,7 +372,10 @@ export const useModerationQueue = (config?: UseModerationQueueConfig) => {
     return Math.max(0, currentLock.expiresAt.getTime() - Date.now());
   }, [currentLock]);
 
-  // Escalate submission
+  /**
+   * @deprecated Use escalateSubmission from useModerationActions instead
+   * This method only updates the database and doesn't send email notifications
+   */
   const escalateSubmission = useCallback(async (submissionId: string, reason: string): Promise<boolean> => {
     if (!user?.id) return false;