Lightning Risk Assessment & Protection

Located at the Equator, Singapore experiences one of the highest lightning activities in the world, at an average of 167 thunderstorms per year. Lightning strikes to buildings and grounds often results in fire, damages to buildings, cultural heritages and economic losses. Lightning strikes may also result in disruption of critical services to the society and in the worst case, injuries and loss of human lives. 

It is thus important that facility owners and event organizers conduct Lightning Risk Assessments to ensure that the exposure to lightning risks are kept to a minimum.

Lightning Risk Assessment provides a systematic approach to determine the inherent risks of a lightning strike to building or a gathering area based on environmental factors such as the collection area, topology of the locality, duration of exposure and the lightning flash density of the area. 

The inherent risks are compared to the tolerable risk factors to determine whether additional lightning protection measures are required. A lightning protection system therefore forms an important part of a building structure and electrical system, ensuring that damage, disruption and injuries are kept to a minimum.

The Singapore Standard SS 555 2010 <Code of Practice for Protection against Lightning> stipulates the practice of Lightning Risk Assessment to determine the proper levels of protection measures to be installed.

The Singapore Building Control Regulations requires buildings and its occupants to be protected from the direct effects of lightning strikes and the risk of lightning discharges through the building. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore requires all buildings to comply to SS 555 before occupation permits are awarded.

A building may not need to suffer a lightning strike to suffer damage or disruptions. Thunderstorm events are able to induce indirect effects that may cause nuisance tripping of critical processes. We are able to conduct investigations to Lightning induced effects and recommend measures to enhance your system resilience. System resilience can be significantly improved by the proper applications and selection of lightning surge arresters in accordance to IEC 61643.

We provide consultation services to conduct Lightning Risk Assessment and the respective design of the Lightning Protection System based to SS 555 and the international standards IEC 62305 and IEC 61643.

We are also able to conduct the following Regular Inspections on existing the lightning protection system, in accordance to SS 555:

a) Continuity test of LPS

b) Earth Resistance Test of Earth Termination System

c) Inspection of horizontal conductors, vertical conductors, earth pits and saddles 

d) Inspection of Equipotential Bonding 

e) Inspection on bonding conductors and connections 

f) Inspection to ensure separation distance are maintained.  

g) Checks on security of supports and attachments of LPS components

h) Inspection and testing of Surge Protection Devices

The following video demonstrates the process of determining whether parts of a facility are covered by the Zones of Protection provided installed Lightning Protection System, using the Rolling Sphere Method enhanced by 3D modelling and first person walk through simulation. Through this process building owners are able to determine further enhancements required to their Lightning Protection System.

If you are a building owner or event organizer who is keen to assess the lightning risks of properties or events under your charge, or investigate on suspected lightning induced incidents, please do contact Mr Ho See Fong at 92738900.