Lightning Protection: Mind your Ps and Ms — ASAP!

Lightning Protection Blog

Week 112 | May 28, 2015

“I’m not kidding!!!”

Each year, I start early and remind you all about the spring and the imminent weather that is at your front door. This year I did it through our sponsorship of the ILTI’s Lightning Protection Survey with a chance to win a Surface Pro 3, hoping you might pay attention and consider your situation (by the way, there is still time to participate through June 21)? Each year, I get the impression that you all put this on the back burner thinking other things take precedence or what I wrote about a few weeks back…”It will never happen to us!” Well about now, some of you are probably feeling a little numb and reeling from ignoring the obvious.  Don’t wait until the disaster happens! The losses can be astronomical.

In the past month, I have heard numerous accounts of lightning striking facilities left and right. From tank batteries, to storage tank terminals, electric power facilities and more!  With lightning season upon us (in a very big way) and Lightning Awareness Week a month away, it strikes me as strange that we are hearing of so many incidents when the actions and solutions are simple. I have said it before and I will say it again. Plan, Protect and Prepare! The three “Ps”!!!

If you have lightning protection you need to inspect it immediately! Lightning protection systems (LPS) need to be maintained like any other piece of equipment! Regardless of what type of lightning protection system you have and what type of facility you are trying to protect. There are all sorts of events throughout the year that can have an impact on your LPS, but if you don’t get out there and look at it, you cannot know. Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance or M³ is imperative right now.

If you don’t have lightning protection, well, you better go out and get some. And if you have volatile or sensitive environments, you need to think about preventing the strike rather than collecting it. Storms are stronger and becoming more destructive worldwide. It is predicted by every major weather agency that the storms are going to unleash with a vengeance.

Not only should you think of the direct strike, but you need to consider grounding and surge protection solutions. A comprehensive system with have all three. Just protecting against the direct strike is not enough.

Over the past few months we have published some papers which are industry specific, which I include below.  In addition, for those of you in the Petroleum and Chemical Storage sector, we have an article which just came out in Tank Storage Magazine (Page 87 May/June issue), which includes our paper on grounding for storage tanks – “Material performance for tank bonding cables in a hydrocarbon environment”

Folks…get out there and inspect your systems. If you don’t know where to begin, call us or another vendor to help you!!!! We have a full range of consulting services including maintenance and inspection.  If you don’t have protection, please get some. The consequences are dyer and will only get worse this year and for years to come. You need to pay attention whether you purchase our products and services or another vendors or type of product. It is important.

Additional Reading for Lightning Protection Solutions, Maintenance and services:

• The New RGA 750 for Floating Roof Tanks – review of the Retractable Grounding Assembly, bonding for storage tanks (also covered in Tank Storage Magazine).
• The Mysterious Case of Electric Power – Includes several case studies on electric power facilities and types.
• TANKS! Grounding Alone is not enough! – Includes EPA regulations and fines.
• Towers Everywhere – Solutions for microwave, cell and communication towers.
• The Tank Battery Catalogue – a complete solution for Tank Batteries for non-metal and lined tanks.

Visit the Lightning Protection Blog or www.LightningProtection.com for more lightning protection education, services and solutions.

If you have any lightning stories you would like to share with us, positive or negative and/or if you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to contact me at LightningDiva@lecglobal.com

Be careful out there! Visit www.lightningprotection.com for all your lightning protection needs. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn for more information and updates as well as some great photos.

The LightningDiva@Large