Lightning Protection Risk Assessment

Lightning Protection Risk Assessment is the measure of the risk of a lightning strike and the probability of damages. It assesses the lightening risks to the facility according to international standards requirements. The likelihood that your facility will be facing a lightning strike depends on several factors, such as the height of the structures, location, temperature, and humidity. If all the factors are just right, even areas with infrequent thunderstorms can experience rare, but high intensity, lightning strikes. 

This unprecedented lightning can have devastating effects on any operation, whether taking a direct strike or being subjected to the secondary effects from nearby strikes. Lightning can not only damage sensitive electrical equipment. And also due to the huge inventories of flammable substances in oil & gas, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceuticals and other process facilities, lightning could lead to fires.

The Lightning Protection Risk Assessment has the following objectives:

• Assess the Lightning Risk associated with the buildings or structures in the facility.
• Review of the existing lightning protection system (if any) in compliance with various national and international standards and suggest suitable measures to bridge the gap
• Review of maintenance procedures of lightning protection and suggest suitable recommendations.
• Plotting of the Lightning Protection Zones to determine the areas and structures protected by the these protection zones.

Sigma-HSE utilizes the following methodology:

• Risk Assessment Calculation based on IEC 62305 Part 2 including Structure Dimension, Structural Attribute calculations, Environmental Influences, Adjacent Structure Contribution factor derivation, Power line factors, Existing protection measure and Loss of human life parameter derivation
• Selection of areas/buildings/structure/process area with a higher risk
• Review of existing lightning protection installed for structures & buildings of the plant.
• Selection of a method for external lightning protection based on IS/IEC 62305 Part 3 including Protection angle method, Rolling sphere method or Mesh method
• Propose modification/ addition in the existing system to comply with applicable standards.
• Survey and suggest surge protection for the electronic equipment like DCS / Remote Field instruments / VFDs.
• Define maintenance practices for the lightning protection system installed/ suggested.

Sigma-HSE conduct lightning protection risk assessment based on IEC 62305 (Part 1 to 4) and applicable IS and NFPA codes.

Any Questions? For more information or to discuss further or to get a quote, please contact us