There are around 31,000 close-to-ground lightning strikes a year in the UK, making it important that buildings are fitted with lightning protection. After installation, though, there are further steps you need to take to maintain your systems and keep employees, residents, and visitors safe while in the building. Lightning protection regulations dictate those steps.
At Altus, we have years of experience working on commercial, historical and educational buildings, installing lightning solutions and carrying out lightning rod testing. To learn more about lightning protection standards and how you can protect your building and all those in it, read on.
And if you’re in need of a lightning protection system at your building, including surge protection devices that are designed to keep everyone on site safe during a lightning storm, then contact us today. We’ll be able to talk you through the systems we can install to increase safety on your site.
Do Buildings Need Lightning Protection?
Lightning protection for buildings isn’t a legal requirement for all structures in the UK. However, there are some cases in which you’ll need a lightning absorber system, including:
- If your business stores explosive materials or dangerous substances (such as buildings in the nuclear or chemical industry). These rules are outlined under COMAH 2015.
- If your business stores explosive or flammable materials. These rules are outlined under DSEAR 2002.
Building owners are also responsible for carrying out fire risk assessments (usually every 6-12 months, though there’s no specific legal guidance on this). As lightning strikes can lead to fires on a site, the risk of one in your area ought to be examined to ensure you’re doing all you can to protect your building and everyone in it from the risk of fire. These fire assessments are necessary to ensure your building’s structure meets all relevant work regulations.
What If My Building Is High Risk?
If you’re identified as high risk for a lightning strike during this assessment, you’ll need to add a lightning rod system to protect your building. Some buildings that are frequently required to install lightning protection after thorough risk assessments include:
- Industrial structures
- Schools, colleges, and universities
- Historical buildings (such as castles and churches)
- Large venues (like sports stadiums and shopping centres)
- Large residential buildings
If your business is unfortunate enough to suffer a strike, lightning protection alone can’t guarantee the protection of your electrical and electronic systems, that’s why we specialise in developing a robust and detailed full strategy covering aspects like lightning rods, earthing systems, surge protection and other risk factors like electromagnetic shielding.
What Do Lightning Protection Regulations Say About System Testing?
In the UK, lightning protection testing is a legal requirement. According to The Electricity at Work Act 1989 (Reg 4 Part 2) your building’s lightning conductor, absorber or rod needs to be tested at least every 12 months by a professional. This is also outlined in BS 6651 1999 (specific to older lightning protection for buildings) and BS EN 62305 (for newer systems).
What Our Lightning Protection Tests Look At
Our lightning conductor testing identifies potential problems caused by a number of factors such as lightning rod corrosion, missing lightning rod sections or inadequacies in the lighting rod capabilities due to building expansion.
We also inspect your systems for damage and conduct surge current testing for a full picture of the effectiveness of your lightning protection. It’s vital that commercial buildings are protected against lightning strikes to protect electrical equipment and electrical installations of a critical nature and flammable or explosive materials inside.
Residential properties don’t require the same level of protection because lightning doesn’t pose the same significant risk to homes as it does to commercial buildings – but larger residential properties may need protection.
To ensure compliance and stay organised, we recommend scheduling your lightning protection in advance. We offer continued service packages that can make your testing more cost-effective, too, and help you stay on top of your building safety.
BS EN 62305 In Depth
As the latest building regulation discussing lightning protection, BS EN 62305 is important to understand. This standard dictates the design, installation, maintenance and testing of lightning protection systems. It’s also this standard that offers advice about how to effectively determine your building’s risk of lightning strikes.
Ensuring BS EN 62305 standards are met is our job at Altus Safety. We’ll check to ensure your lightning rods (air terminals), down conductors, grounding system, and surge protection devices are maintained effectively and ready to protect your building if lightning should strike.
What Are Lightning Protection Rods?
Lightning protection rods or air terminals are a key component of a building’s lightning protection system. They are designed to discharge the electrical charge from a lightning strike, protecting the building and its occupants from damage. This is usually achieved via a grounding system, that allow for the electrical energy to be safely dispersed in the ground.
How Do Altus Test Lightning Rods?
Our lightning rod testing includes a site survey (for new systems or expanding buildings) and a comprehensive risk assessment.
We’ll carry out testing using specialised equipment, including an Earth Resistance Test using calibrating meters and visual inspection. We’ll thoroughly check every component of your lighting rod system, from your down conductors to your airstrike components, to ensure your building is properly protected, sensitive electronic systems are maintained and identify any areas of damage that need addressing.
We often combine lightning conductor testing with other key safety services, including guardrail safety testing, mobile man anchor testing, and mansafe testing.
Why Do You Need Professional Lightning Conductor Testing?
As we mentioned a little earlier in the guide, it’s a legal requirement that your lightning rod testing is carried out by a professional. This ensures that your system is properly checked using the right equipment, giving you the peace of mind that your building safety is in good hands.
Lightning protection rods are crucial for preventing injuries caused by lightning strikes and maintaining the reputation of your company and building. Having a professional height safety specialist like Altus Safety test your lightning protection rods will give you the best chance of avoiding a strike with systems that remain effective year after year.
It’s good to note that compliance could also reduce your insurance premiums. Well-maintained lightning protection for buildings reduces risks associated with the space, making it cheaper to insure.
A Note On Your Electrical And Electronic Systems
Proper lightning protection needs to offer robust protection against direct lightning strikes. This prevents physical damage to your building – so the system must meet stringent UK building regulations.
But away from that, it also has to work to protect vital electrical systems. Many key services rely on electricity today, and lightning strikes are capable of disrupting critical systems and electrical circuits and causing mayhem. Imagine if lightning strikes affected airports and air traffic control officers were unable to locate planes effectively. The resulting chaos would be catastrophic.
Now you might not have a lightning protection system installed at your commercial building for something as important as that, but that doesn’t mean your electrical systems aren’t vital to your team’s safety and operational efficiency. When you protect your building against lightning strikes, you protect your business systems too.
How To Book Lightning Rod Testing
Keep your lightning absorber working at full efficiency and ensure compliance with The Electricity at Work Act 1989 and BS EN 62305 by booking lightning conductor testing. At Altus Safety – the UK’s leading specialist in roof access solutions and safety – we’ve made this simple.
Give us a call at 0330 113 0870, drop us an email at enquiries@altussafety.co.uk, or use our contact form to arrange your testing. We’re also happy to answer any questions you have about our services, helping you make the right choice for a safe and effective lightning rod system.
We also recommend booking your lightning protection testing alongside any other services you need, such as annual ladder testing and bi-annual eyebolt and anchor point testing. It’s important that you remain fully compliant with all relevant regulations and standards, and handing over your installation, testing, and maintenance of key height safety systems to Altus Safety is an affordable, easy way to stay compliant and keep everybody on your site safe.