May 16, 2013 — May is National Electrical Safety Month and the Lightning Protection Institute is joining with the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to raise awareness about the importance of electrical safety—including lightning, an underrated and often forgotten electrical hazard. Lightning is the rapid discharge of atmospheric electricity that can pack up to 100 million volts of power—so we’re talking mega electricity with lots of potential for damage and destruction. A lightning strike to an unprotected structure can be disastrous and a single incident can cost thousands of dollars, with losses ranging from damage to expensive electronics to fires that destroy entire buildings.
The vulnerability of homes and buildings to lightning’s harmful electricity can not be understated. Power and generation systems, gas and water piping, and enhanced communication lines have created induction problems for today’s structures, allowing lightning’s access through energized lines or system grounds.
When a lightning protection system complies with national safety standards, it provides a practical and tested solution to protect a structure, its occupants, contents, equipment and operations. The grounding network provided by a properly installed system is a total package protection approach, but the package is incomplete without adherence to national safety standards.
LPI and lightning protection industry groups are increasingly concerned about growing news reports of lightning-induced fires and building evacuations occurring at structures where non-standard lightning protection systems have been installed. Vendors are pitching “new technology” systems and devices, many of which make claims to prevent lightning attachment. The fact that these devices don’t comply with U.S. safety standards and are refuted by independent lightning experts should raise serious questions with every, engineer, architect or building planner responsible for selecting lightning protection systems. The science is nonexistent, the safety standard compliance is missing, the reports of failures keep coming, yet these non-standard devices continue to flood the marketplace. Enlightenment is needed and it begins in the building planning phase!
LPI is reminding engineers and building planners to carefully review their specifications for lightning protection to make sure they comply with recognized safety standards of LPI, NFPA and UL. Information about lightning protection design in accordance with safety standards is available at www.lightning-risk.org or www.lightningsafetyalliance.org.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) sponsors National Electrical Safety Month each May to increase public awareness of electrical hazards. For more information about ESFI and electrical safety, visit www.esfi.org.