With the rising incidents of lightning strikes in Dubai and the UAE, lightning protection system installation has become more important than ever. In terms of advancements, lightning protection technology has come a long way from conventional Franklin rods to ESE lightning protection systems. At present, there are mainly two methods that protect against lightning.

• External Lightning Protection
• Internal Lightning Protection

An overall lightning protection system consists of an external lightning protection system and an internal lightning protection system.

What is an external lightning protection system?

An external lightning protection system protects buildings, as well as open places and people against direct lightning strikes. A good example of external lightning protection is an Early Streamer Emission (ESE) lightning protection system.

What is an internal lightning protection system?

On the other hand, an internal lightning protection system includes surge protection that helps prevent dangerous sparking inside the building by establishing equipotential bonding or maintaining a separation distance between the LPS connections and other electrically conducting elements.

What is the difference between external and internal lightning protection systems?

An external lightning protection system provides protection against loss of life and property that might be caused by the burning or destructive effect of a lightning strike. However, it cannot protect the electric-electronic system and equipment inside the building. Therefore, an internal lightning protection system is also needed to protect the systems and equipment installed inside the building.

Thus, when you need protection against lightning, experts recommend installing both external and internal lightning protection systems to provide maximum protection against the catastrophic effects of lightning strikes.

When is a lightning protection system needed?

Whether or not a building needs lightning protection depends on a range of factors. Even if there is no legal requirement for lightning protection system installation, installing this system greatly benefits certain places, especially those with:

• Large crowds
• Continuity of critical services
• High lightning flashing frequency

Lightning protection system is also important for:

• Tall isolated buildings
• Buildings that contain explosive or flammable materials
• Buildings that contain irreplaceable cultural heritage

What does Lightning Protection Assessment involve?

When planning and installing a lightning protection system, it is a must to check all the national regulations and take account of any special circumstances and safety stipulations.

When assessing the risk of lightning, your lightning protection system supplier will first determine the likelihood of your building getting struck by lightning.

If your building gets struck by lightning, they will look at how vulnerable the operations of your facility would be to the event of a lightning strike.

Once the lightning risk is determined, the supplier develops appropriate lightning protection measures and implements the most suitable lightning protection system (external and/or internal) on your building or facility.

Without a lightning protection system, if your building gets struck with lightning, it may experience fire, structural damage, damage to the electrical system or equipment, and/or electric shock.

In addition to a lightning protection system, you can also install a storm detector which works as an early warning system for risk prevention against lightning storms.

For more information on lightning protection system, contact JSM Energy.