Summer Lightning Protection

The summer can bring with it a plethora of thunder and lightning storms, which can cause costly damages to businesses. If a business is hit by lightning it can cause a lot of damage and expense that some business owners simply cannot afford.

Businesses protect themselves from the risks of lightning damages by installing a Lightning Protection and Specialist Earthing system. This involves employing a team of highly trained engineers and certified (Passport of Safety) professionals who provide a range of services including design, supply, installation and commissioning. The engineers at Churchill Steeplejack will assess the site requirements and conditions, as well as test and maintain the lightning protection systems to ensure they operate safely and reliably throughout their lifetime.

The different systems that can be installed include a Faraday Cage or the ESE Pulsar 'Early Streamer Emission'. The systems work by delivering a gain in efficiency. The ESE Pulsar is able to capture the lightning stroke and push it downwards into the ground, which will prevent damage. Compared to other systems, the ESE Pulsar requires very few conductors leaving less of an impact on the structure of the building and a much shorter installation time period. It is also one of the most cost effective protection systems against lightning. Churchill Steeplejack recommends this system for structures that have a single air terminal. The radius of protection will extend to at least 100 meters. Large sites can often benefit from this type of lightning structure. Buildings that are set in urban areas with a small amount of space should use the Helita Pulsar system.

Another option for a lightning protection system is the BS 7430 "Earthing". This system is very safe and is installed by experienced engineers. The engineer will carefully look over the site and examine the conditions before the installation process. This is to make sure that the systems are reliable and safe. One of the factors examined is the soil resistivity. This is usually determined by using a tool called a "Wenner".

It is important for business owners to protect their structures against lightning as the damages could be very severe. Lightning protection systems not only prevent costly damages but more importantly they protect the safety of employees and people in the surrounding area of the structure.