Wildfires in open fields and forests across the USA capture the news for their widespread devastation, but fires in the facility may be your biggest concern. Over the years 18% of lightning fires occurred in facilities, but these accounted for 70% of the direct property damage, which equated to $407 million.
In addition to human safety from lightning damage, you must also consider facility protection to safeguard company investments, such as building structures and valuable electronic equipment. Death or injury is the most extreme danger associated with lightning. This natural phenomenon causes many other issues, including:
- Facility downtime
- Damaged electrical and technological equipment
- Lost revenue
- Data loss due to equipment downtime
While fires caused by lightning strikes aren’t considered human-created, available technology can decrease the number of fire disasters caused by lightning. The general factors to consider include the level of risk lightning poses to personnel, equipment, structural damage, and the consequential problems of a lightning-produced failure. Ask these questions to assess your need for a lightning protection system to minimize lightning damage. Assessment of these factors is one of judgment in comparing risks, economics, and aesthetics.
- What is the risk to personnel?
- What is the risk of equipment or structural damage?
- What are the consequential problems of such failure?
- Is the equipment associated with an essential or public service?
- Is there likely to be substantial revenue loss in the time required to restore services?
- Is the structure of historical importance?
- What are the legal implications of providing inadequate protection?
- Can the passage of a discharge in the structure or building give rise to side flashing or simple sparks in an explosive or flammable environment?
- Can side flashing between metallic structures cause lightning damage to essential electronics?
- Will the discharge give rise to corona phenomena causing disastrous surges on the phase wires of electric lines or a breakdown in transformer stations?
Consider the safety issues, costs, and potential lightning damage if you do not have a proper protection system. These ten questions should help you get started evaluating your potential need for lightning protection.
Lightning protection systems require a systematic and comprehensive approach to minimizing threats. Ask us how.