What is Lightning Protection?
Lightning protection is a series of components, systems, and engineering principles that intercept and divert lightning strikes away from your property and people.
Utilising air terminals, conductors, grounding systems, surge protective devices alongside tried and tested engineering efficiencies like equipotential bonding and earth termination network, electrical strikes to buildings are intercepted, conducted, and dissipated into earth.
If your building is tall, populated, handles hazardous substances or houses explosive or flammable materials, lightning protection systems may be required as part of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Full Site Risk Assessments
Detailed report which assesses potential risks like building height, size, shape, location, materials, building use and environmental factors.
Conductors, Air Terminals & Earthing
From ground rods to plates, rings to surge protective devices (SPDs), each component part serves a purpose.
Tailored System Design
Using engineering principles like Earth Termination Systems to Down Conductor systems, we carefully assess and advise on the most appropriate lightning system for your premises.
Periodic Inspection & Certification
Scheduled services ensure the path of least resistance for potential strikes is kept in proper working order, with official certification showing recognised best practice used to demonstrate compliance with British Standard, BS EN 62305.
Who’s Responsible for Your Lightning Protection?
If your building is tall, populated, handles hazardous substances or houses explosive or flammable materials, lightning protection systems may be required as part of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
If applicable, the responsibility to protect people from potential natural and electrical risk like lightning strikes falls on your employer, duty holder, or building owner.
Electrical & Structural Defence
LPS are proven preventative methods in avoiding fried electrical systems and damage to structural elements of your premises.
Protects Life, Assets, & Infrastructure
Lightning protection systems are designed to capture and channel lightning strikes safely to earth, ensuring your occupants’ safety and property’s protection.
Possible Insurance Requirement
Many insurers may require appropriate lightning protection for higher-risk premises like those handling hazardous substances or explosive or flammable materials and tall or populated premises like hospitals and schools.
Documented Safety Assurance
Inspection and relevant installation of LPS on your premises guarantees legal compliant documentation showcasing lightning strike preventative measures are adhered to.
Our other services
Fire Safety Training
Prepares your people in the event of a fire or medical emergency.
Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) Installation and Maintenance
Safely diverting lightning strikes away from your property.
Fire Strategy and Fire Engineering Support
For new builds, refurbishments, and existing buildings.
Fire Door Inspection and Installation
Detailed inspection and installation supporting fire containment.
Fire Extinguisher Supply and Service
Helps slow or stop minor blazes, protecting your property and people.
Passive Fire Protection (PFP)
Uses fire-resistant materials and systems to slow or stop fire spread.
Fire Risk Assessments (FRA)
Helps reduce fire risk for most non domestic properties and communal areas.
Lightning Protection That Supports
Electrical Safety
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (UK) mandate that all electrical systems, including protection like LPS, must meet design, installation, and testing standards that are the recognised best practice used to demonstrate compliance with BS EN 62305.
Professional Testing
To stay compliant it’s a UK legal requirement to ensure testing of your LPS is performed by a competent and suitably qualified organisation, in line with BS EN 62305 which is the recognised best practice used to demonstrate compliance.
Equipotential Bonding
A crucial method in preventing dangerous side flashes or arcing between different metal parts, like pipes or structural steel. Working by connecting them to the lightning protection system to prevent shock and reduce voltage.
Why VFS for Your Lightning Protection?
Our accredited lightning protection system assessors comprise specialist design electrical engineers, firefighters, fire officers, and ex-forces fire service personnel with over a century of combined lightning protection and electrical experience.
They understand LPS are a crucial defence against potential lightning strikes which protect your electrical and structural systems, but more importantly, your occupants.
Using proven techniques to safely intercept and lead electrical surges away from your property to earth, where it dissipates in the soil.
We adhere to the recognised best practice, which is used to demonstrate compliance with BS EN 62305, the core standard for the design, installation, and maintenance of LPS.
We also follow the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 to help support your premise’s compliance and safety.
