Lightning Protection Systems

Many children have a natural fear of thunder; let’s face it, it can be quite scary. As we get older we learn about the cause of thunder and how destructive lightning really can be. Lessons that the people at the lightning protection system team at Churchill Specialist Contracting Ltd know all about. The harm that lightning can cause to people is very well known, we have all heard the horror stories; organ failure, blindness, deafness, neural damage, it even causes death in one third of cases. Builds and other structures are not immune to similar damage, and as in the case of human beings it can be prevented.

As health and safety issues become increasingly common in the work place, it is only right that companies follow OHSAS guidelines to ensure not only the well being of their employees, but also take a vested interest in the well being of their property and assets. Lightning can not only cause massive damage to the exterior of a build, it can wreak havoc with internal electrical systems. Computers and data storage devices can be destroyed, losing weeks, months or even years of important records and information which in itself can cost millions to replace.

It is important to understand the magnitude of the energy unleashed by lightning, often exceeding 100 million volts and 40’000 amperes. This power can create huge amounts of heat in water saturated, porous materials used in the construction of buildings, causing them to explode as the water content is flash boiled. The solution: to provide a low-resistance path for the lightning circuit. Churchill Specialist Contracting Ltd is staffed by time served and experienced engineers who are highly skilled in lightning protection and earthing systems, from design and testing to installation. They also offer an alternative to the conventional Faraday cage type installation, the Helita “Pulsar” ESE system of lightning protection that conforms to the requirements of a European code, the French code of practice NFC17-102. 1995.