Lightning is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing that one can do to stop or prevent it. What one can do is ensure that the damage is controlled. Even though, lightning strikes for only a few fractions of a second, the discharge can be as strong as a thousand amperes. This increases the potential of damage caused. Every year, there are multiple reports of injuries and fatalities due to lightning. But human life isn’t the only one that suffers. Structural damage is also a concern – especially for businesses. The secondary effects of lightning to be considered involve electrical surges that can mess up with the electrical system of any commercial or residential building. According to estimation, $5 billion worth of machinery and appliances are damaged annually by lightning.
Commercial lightning systems safely transfer excess electrical charge away from the main building and into the ground. This way, they are discharged in a safe manner, ensuring the safety of the building from damage. Do not be mistaken; a lighting protection system cannot prevent lighting since that is impossible – it only provides the high charge an alternate route that is away from the building it has been installed in. The mechanism of any lightning protection system includes conductor cables, lightning rods and grounding rods.
This is why more and more businesses today, rely on surge protectors and lightning protection systems. Lightning protection prevents any damage to the electrical systems and appliances in offices in a lightning strike event.
To shed some more light on its importance, we have developed a list of benefits it offers for businesses. Let’s take a look.
Prevents Electronic Damage
Any business’s main concern is the protection of its data. With sudden power surges messing with your electrical systems, there is a chance it can all be lost. And that is not even the worst of it all. The seriousness of the consequences is what frightens company owners. The same goes for appliances such as air conditioning units, water coolers and refrigerators. They aren’t a cheap investment either.
Saving Business Investment
Lightning protection systems are a cheaper insurance than what you might have to pay for systems that need to be replaced or repair due to a power surge. Would you be willing to pay extra in repairs and suffer through electric downtime or install a lighting protection system to prevent it all?
Safeguards the Life of Your Personnel
It isn’t the only the building that it saves from a strike, it is also the people in it. Think about it, with an inefficient or crumbling roof, lighting can easily strike through the surface and fall onto someone. It can also start a fire in the office or burn the electrical system causing a power shut down. The harmful gas emissions in that case can easily endanger the lives of everyone inside the building. Therefore, as a business owner, it is your duty to sure the safety of each and every individual what works under you. You will solely be responsible if any harm comes to them while at work. So in a way, lighting protection also saves you from paying additional expenses as worker compensation.