FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS LIGHTNING PROTECTION?

LIGHTNING PROTECTION IS A SAFEGUARD FOR THE BUILDINGS/ STRUCTURES AGAINST THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF A DIRECT OR INDIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE.

WHERE SHOULD I CONSIDER LIGHTNING PROTECTION?

LIGHTNING PROTECTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AT MANY TYPES OF STRUCTURES/ BUILDINGS. STRUCTURES SUCH AS; CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, INDUSTRIAL UNITS, AD PLANTS, FIRE/ AMBULANCE STATIONS, CARE HOMES, OFFICES AND ENERGY CENTRES ALL REQUIRE A LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED.

WHEN SHOULD I CONSIDER LIGHTNING PROTECTION?

LIGHTNING PROTECTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE WHERE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOUR KEY POINTS ARE ANSWERED YES:

1. LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE

WHERE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RESULTS OF A DIRECT/ INDIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD CAUSE DEATH.

2. LOSS OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC

WHERE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RESULTS OF A DIRECT/ INDIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF SERVICES THAT WOULD IMPACT THE PUBLIC IN A DETRIMENTAL WAY.

3. LOSS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

WHERE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RESULTS OF A DIRECT/ INDIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD CAUSE SEVERE, DEVASTATING AND COSTLY DAMAGE TO OUR HERITAGE GAMAGING THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF THE COUINTRY (GREAT BRITAIN)

4. LOSS OF ECONOMIC VALUE

WHERE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RESULTS OF A DIRECT/ INDIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF SERVICES CAUSING SERIOUS ECONOMIC VALUE TO THE BUSINESS AND WIDER SPREAD COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SUPPLIERS, WORKFORCE ETC. SUCH AS CAUSING A POWER OUTAGE/ FIRE WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS OF THE BUILDING DAMAGING COMPUTERS, SOFTWARE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ASSETS WITHIN THE BUILDING ETC.

WHAT STANDARDS DO I CONSIDER WHEN DEALING WITH LIGHTNING PROTECTION?

BS EN 62305 EDITION 2

BS EN 62305-1 2011

BS EN 62305-2 2013

BS EN 62305-3 2011

BS EN 62305-4 2011

BS EN 62561 1-8 - MATERIAL STANDARD

BS EN 61643 1-1, 2-1 & 3-1 - LV SPD STANDARD

BS 7671 (18th EDITION) - WIRING REGULATIONS

WHAT 5 ELEMENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE A LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM?

AIR TERMINATION NETWORK

AN AIR TERMINATION NETWORK IS THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS AT ROOF LEVEL/ HIGHEST POINT OF THE BUILDING/ STRUCTURE THAT COLLECTS THE LIGHTNING CURRENT IN THE EVENT OF A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE.

DOWNCONDUCTORS

THE DOWNCONDUCTORS/ CONDUCTIVE DISCHARGE PATH IS THE PATH TO EARTH FROM THE ROOF TO GROUND LEVEL USING THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE FROM THE AIR TERMINATION NETWORK TO GROUND LEVEL.

EARTH TERMINATION NETWORK

EARTH TERMINATIONS ARE VITAL IN THE DISSIPATION OF THE LIGHTNING CURRENT IN THE EVENT OF A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EARTH TERMINATION NETWORK SUCH AS:

TYPE A ARRANGEMENT - EARTH RODS/ EARTH MATS/ EARTH PLATES

TYPE B ARRANGEMENT - A BURIED RING CONDUCTOR IN THE GROUND AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE STRUCTURE

FOUNDATION EARTH ELECTRODES - UTILISATION OF THE PILE CAP REINFORCEMENTS THAT FORM THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING.

EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING

JUST LIKE WATER AND GAS LIGHTNING PROTECTION IS A SERVICE AND MUST BE BONDED BACK TO THE MAIN EARTHING TERMINAL OF THE BUILDING/ STRUCTURE. (FOR SELECTING CABLE SIZE REFER TO BS EN 62305)

SURGE PROTECTION DEVICES (SPDs)

A SURGE PROTECTION DEVICE MUST BE INSTALLED ALONGSIDE ANY LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM AS DESCRIBES IN BS 7671 - 18TH EDITION. A SURGE PROTECTION DEVICE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST DIRECT/ INDIRECT DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL DEVICES AND WIRING SYSTEMS WITHIN A BUILDING SUCH AS TELEPHONE LINES, LIGHTNING, CAR PARKING LIGHTING, SATELLITE, AHU, CCTV, EV CHARGING POINTS ETC. (DEPENDING ON THE LIGHTNING PROTECTION ZONE AND THE LIGHTNING PROTECTION LEVEL TYPE 1, TYPE 2 OR TYPE 3 SPDs MAY BE REQUIRED)