Lightning storms are amazing to watch but also show how powerful nature can be. For people who own or manage commercial buildings, this can mean trouble. But there’s no need to worry – with the right protection in place, your building can stay safe even when lightning strikes.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to keep your property and its occupants safe and secure.
The risk of lightning is a serious issue for commercial buildings. With each bolt packing up to 100 million volts of electricity, it can be extremely dangerous to both the building and the people inside.
The first step to keeping safe is knowing how much of a risk lightning is and assessing the weak spots in your building that will need extra protection.
The three main components of lightning protection are air terminals, conductors and grounding rods.
Air terminals are metal rods that are placed on top of a building to catch lightning strikes. Their job is to keep the energy away from the structure. They’re connected to conductors, which are metal cables or wires that help guide the lightning’s electricity safely down to the ground.
This will help prevent damage to the building and decrease the risk of fire. Grounding rods are then stuck into the earth and linked to the conductors. This is to ensure that the lightning's electricity spreads out safely into the ground.
Begin with a detailed check of your building by an expert. They’ll figure out exactly what your building needs, by looking for signs of physical damage, corrosion, loose connections or deterioration. Then they’ll come up with a tailored plan specified to your business’s infrastructure and level of risk.
Next up is setting up all the essential components in just the right spots to give the best protection.
But don’t forget, it doesn’t end with installation. Regular annual check-ups and maintenance are vital to make sure everything keeps working like it should. It’s all about staying ahead of the game to keep your space safe.
Following national and local safety rules is crucial for effective commercial building lightning protection. It’s not just about meeting legal requirements, but also about ensuring that your building is genuinely safe.
Having your lightning protection installed by professionals is a no-brainer. This is specialist work that can’t be installed by just anyone. You need specialists who know all the rules and the best ways to make sure a system works well. Then you’ll be left confident that your building is protected according to the highest standards.
Volta Compliance can ensure your commercial lightning protection system works efficiently when needed, offering thorough testing services across Yorkshire. Our experts will inspect and assess your lightning conductors and grounding systems, providing a detailed report with tailored recommendations. This guarantees the safety of the individuals on-site and protects your business assets.
To arrange testing, simply contact us on 0113 436 0402 or email [email protected].
