A single lightning strike can be a disaster for a business or community if it disrupts mission-critical operations.

Fortunately, lightning-related disruptions and damage can be prevented by using technologies now available. A properly designed and integrated system of low resistance/low impedance facility grounding, potential equalization, and SPDs can effectively protect today’s digital systems, while a structural lightning protection design system protects the building that houses them.

A Lightning protection design system is a series of devices that are designed to protect buildings and other structures from lightning strikes. These systems typically consist of lightning rods, conductors, and grounding equipment, which work together to safely channel the electrical current from a lightning strike away from the structure and into the ground.

Here are 4 reasons that highlight the importance of LPS:

1. Protect people – a direct strike is what most people think of when it comes to lightning safety, but a side flash from surrounding objects such as trees or structures can be just as dangerous.
2. Protect against fire – the threat from fire caused by lightning is double-fold. A lightning strike can spark a fire within a building itself, or it could spark a wildfire that can threaten entire communities.
3. Protect against structural damage – an average lightning strike has enough energy to destroy roofs and walls (even those made of strong materials such as brick and concrete), as well as pierce gas piping that could cause a structural fire.
4. Protect against damage to internal systems and equipment – a single lightning strike can carry up to 300 million volts of electrical energy, which can easily overwhelm the electrical circuitry and systems found in modern buildings. The more technology incorporated into buildings (computers, televisions, etc.), the more damage an electrical surge could cause.

Expenses for protection systems are assumed to be high. This adversely harms the business case for investing in a lightning protection design system and turns away facility managers before they even consider the invaluable benefits that an LPS would provide.

For over 50 years, LEC has been installing DAS lightning protection design systems to prevent lightning-related damage to sites varying in size from a single tower to an area close to 1.5 square kilometers. Connect with us to know how DAS pays for itself!

• Lightning Protection Design