ATLAS, the Association of Technical Lightning and Access Specialists, has left no stone unturned when it comes to teaching the lightning protection industry about the BS EN 62305 standard

August 2008 marked the official and final implementation of the new British Standard for Lightning Protection, superseding the old BS 6651 standard, but have we all taken notice? As 2010 dawned, it became clear much of the construction industry still has a lot to learn about the standard and its implications.

Colin Clinkard Director from BEST Services said:
‘Although the new standard has taken our industry a quantum leap forward in terms of the level of lightning protection provided, the difficulty now is ensuring the entire construction industry understands and enforces the new standard'.

Many contractors and architects are still requesting quotations from lightning protection specialists based on the old BS 6651 with approximately two thirds clearly still not understanding the new standard. This is both frustrating and inconvenient for Atlas members who find themselves educating prospective clients what BS EN 62305 is all about every time they tender for new business. Much of the problem is the new standard has been too hard to understand.

So, if you are one of those who are still confused or wants more information? Atlas has reviewed all of their most frequently asked questions on the new standard and, for the benefit of all involved in lightning protection, has provided some bite size information in the form of a Q and A in a language we can understand.

How does the new BS EN 62305 Standard differ from the previous BS6651?

Primarily, the old standard BS6651 only really deals with the protection of the physical structure. The BS EN 62305 standard is 475 pages long and comprehensively deals with all aspects of a structure's protection. It consists of 4 parts which highlight the increased complexity of information covered in the new standard:
- General principles
- Risk management 
- Physical damage to structures and life hazard 
- Electrical and electronic systems within structures

The current BS6651 standard was originally written in 1985 by a UK technical committee, while the new BS EN 62305 standard has its origins in the IEC - International Electrotechnical Commission - based in Geneva. It is the culmination of many years of successful collaboration by literally hundreds of lightning protection experts from 28 different countries. With the advent of ever increasing dependency we have on electronic equipment, BS EN 62305 now recognises the vital importance of offering protection to this sensitive equipment. Part 4 is therefore devoted entirely to the necessary protection measures afforded to such equipment.

What kinds of structures require protection against lightning?

The answer to this is simple - everything. From oil rigs and large power stations, to a telephone exchange: this new document covers almost every kind of structure imaginable. This is the biggest shake up our industry has faced in over 25 years, so it will take some adjusting to and that is why Atlas took the initiative and implemented the training workshops.

What must be done to protect a structure from lightning?

The biggest challenge operatives now face is the practical application of the new lightning risk assessment which has gone from a nine-page guidance (including illustrations) in the old BS 6651 standard to a 153-page document in the new BS EN 62305 standard. This is because the new risk assessment requires considerable additional information to ensure the whole building is adequately protected. This includes not only the structure but also the services, telecommunications and the power lines which supply it - in the internet age we now live in, this is vital.

Other considerations include the dimensions and use of the structure; the type and characteristics of the equipment used within it; the cabling and power lines used for electricity and telecoms; the location of the structure and its services in relation to other structures; the type of floor surfaces (concrete or asphalt); and finally fire protection. It is paramount we have a far more superior understanding of the structures we are wanting to protect than ever before, as this will ensure everything is fully protected - even understanding the makeup of the floor surface is key.

Essentially we want to create a protective Faraday Cage. This involves draping conductors over a building so that in the event of a lightning strike (discharge), the lightning will hit these metal conductors which will then dissipate the lightning strike safely to earth without damaging the structure, the contents or more importantly the people inside. The new BS EN 62305 standard provides an excellent framework for this to be achievable.

What impact has this had on the industry?

The new standard dictates lightning protection specialists will need to be involved much earlier in the design phase of any construction project. The volume of the document itself grew exponentially for a reason - risk assessment is now a far more comprehensive and laborious task. So comprehensive, in fact, many Atlas members have been writing software that allows estimators and designers to achieve their results quickly.

Also helping to speed along the process in last year were Atlas' workshops, designed to make sure all members fully understood and could implement the new standard. Members of Atlas are still the only individuals with an accreditation scheme in place for the design of lightning protection systems to BS EN 62305.  Likewise, because of the success of these workshops, Atlas is considering further training this year. Get in touch for information on potential workshops and events. www.atlas.org.uk. It is a difficult and most expansive document, which must be understood - it would be negligent to let poor understanding of this document affect our industry. All new apprentices' must have the standard comprehensively explained to them, as is the case with any trade it will be them passing on this fundamental information to the next generation - so their training in the BS EN 62305 is vital.

Since its implementation, have any changes been made to the standard?
No, at present the standard remains exactly the same. However, in late 2010 early 2011, there are going to be some planned minor edits to the documentation, with no major changes to the standard itself.

Like it or loath it, the BS EN 62305 is here. Lightning protection is now recognised as an extremely skilled profession and the new standard has clearly started to separate the professionals from the cowboys!