BS

EN 62305:2012‐2 Risk Assessment

A guide to completing the questionnaire.


Case Details

Complete all relevant sections.

Risks being considered

A risk assessment to BS EN 62305‐2:2012 is aimed at calculating the risk
to various aspects associated with a building in the event of a lightning strike.

These risks have been divided into four categories:

R1 – Risk of loss of human life

This is the primary loss to be considered and has the greatest bearing on whether an external
lightning protection system is required.

R2 – Risk of loss of service to the public

This is the risk to the disruption of a service provided by the business occupying the structure
in question.

R3 – Risk of loss of cultural heritage.

This is the risk of damage to buildings or contents of significant cultural value such as
museums and stately homes.

R4 – Risk of loss of economic value

This risk calculation is designed to be used in conjunction with risks R1 – R3 and has no
bearing on whether a protection system is required; rather it is designed to assist in a
decision regarding the economic viability of installing a proposed system.


Section 1: Environmental Influences

1.1 The value for Ng can be obtained from Figure 1: Lightning Flash Density Map based on the
location of the structure. For structures outside the United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland
please leave blank.
1.2 Service line density ‐ This takes into account the typical electrical and electronic cable density in
the general area of the structure and enables a value to be calculated for a predicted amount of
dangerous lightning events to both the structure and the surrounding ground.
Section 2: Structure definition


2.1 Structure identification – a simple identifying label for the primary structure
2.2 Shield at structure boundary. This details the construction method used for the structure as a
whole and is an indication of the amount of electromagnetic shielding provided by the natural
metallic components within the exterior shell of the building.
2.3 Location relative to surroundings: Information regarding the height of surrounding structures
and trees.
2.4 Structure shape: A general indication of the structure layout. For structures with a complex shape
please provide accurate drawing such that a manual lightning protection collection area may be
calculated.
2.5 Structure dimensions:
2.5.1 Structure length. This, combined with width and height below can be approximated to create
a rectangular box into which the entire building fits. However, this may lead to an artificially
large collection area for the structure and increase the resulting risk values.
2.5.2 Structure width.
2.5.3 Structure height above ground level.
2.5.4 Diameter used for cylindrical structures
2.5.5 Height to eaves – used with structures having a pitched roof
2.5.6 Height to ridge – used with structures having a pitched roof



Section 3: Line definition

A copy of section 3 should be completed for each line connected to the structure, both power and
telecoms/data.

3.1 Line identification: A brief name and description for the service.
3.2 Incoming line type: Power or signal/data line.
3.3 Incoming line shielding: What type of shielding and bonding is present on the cable used for this
service line? If unsure, the ‘No shield’ option will give a more conservative result to the
calculations.
3.4 Internal Wiring type: Has the cabling for this service been routed to avoid loops whereby
interference could be induced or is a shielded cable used? If unsure, the option ‘Unshielded cable
– no routing precautions in order to avoid loops’ will result in a more conservative result to the
calculations.
3.5 Connected Equipment withstand: This is the withstand voltage level of equipment being
connected to the service being considered. Sensitive electronic equipment may require further
enhancements to the surge protection system to avoid possible damaging consequences and
further risk to life supporting or data serving.
3.6 Shielding, grounding and isolation: Further details on the shielding or armouring present on the
electrical line being considered, a similar option to that chosen for section 3.3 should be chosen.
3.7 Type of service: Aerial or Buried.
3.8 Presence of HV/LV transformer: A two windings transformer, as used with HV supplies into the
building will serve to provide some dampening of inward bound surge currents.
3.9 Length of line (m): Length of the line from the structure to the first node in metres. In cases of
power lines this is the distance from the building to the HV substation, for telecommunication
 services this distance is commonly from the building to the exchange or local distribution cabinet.
This can greatly affect the value calculated for the indirect strike risk to the structure and should
be completed as accurately as possible. If in doubt a default value of 1000m can be used.
3.10 Remote connected structure: identifying label for secondary structure at other end of line if a
secondary structure has been specified.

Section 4: Zone definition

A copy of this section should be competed for each internal or external zone of the structure to be
considered.

4.1 Zone identification: A brief name or description of the current zone.

4.2 Zone Location: Internal or external to the structure.

4.3 Type of soil or floor: This section takes into account the insulating nature of different types of
flooring to step potentials in the event of a strike.

4.4 Risk of fire or physical damage: Suggested locations for each of the options given are as follows:

4.4.1 None: No risk of fire
4.4.2 Explosion – Zone 0, 20 or solid explosives: Petrochemical plants, Ammunition stores, Gas
compounds, Paper mill.
4.4.3 Explosion – Zone 1, 21: Petrochemical plants, Ammunition stores, Gas compounds, Paper
mill.
4.4.4 Explosion – Zone 2, 22: Petrochemical plants, Ammunition stores, Gas compounds, Paper
mill.
4.4.5 High: Paper Mills, Industrial warehouses with flammable stock
4.4.6 Ordinary: offices, schools, theatres, hotels, museums, shops. Most structures will use this
value.
4.4.7 Low: Sports stadiums, Railway Stations, Telephone exchanges.

4.5 Fire protection system: A fire alarm and/or extinguisher system can greatly reduce the overall
risk to a structure and its occupants. A cost for the protection system can be added if R4 has been
specified for investigation at the start of the questionnaire.

4.6 Shield at zone boundary: As in section 2.1 this details the construction methods employed in the
construction of the boundary walls to the zone. – A cost for additional shielding can be added if
R4 has been specified for investigation at the start of the questionnaire.

4.7 Loss of human life

4.7.1 Due to special Hazard: This takes into account the ease by which the entire structure may be
evacuated in the case of damage or fire as a result of a lightning strike.
4.7.2 Due to step & touch voltage: The occupants of an inhabited zone may be at risk from voltage
gradients encountered in walls and floors due to a strike.
4.7.3 Due to fire or physical damage: The different values generated by these options will reflect the
probability of the zone being inhabited at the time of a strike.
4.7.4 Due to overvoltage: Will a strike likely cause failure of life supporting critical systems or
trigger an explosion of the building’s contents?
4.7.5 Number of persons present in the zone: Average number of occupants for the zone in question
4.7.6 Amount of time persons are present in the zone: This section, along with 4.7.5 will allow for
an accurate assessment of the probability of occupation during a strike event.
4.8 Loss of service to the public
4.8.1 Due to fire or physical damage: Is there a service provided to the public by the occupants of
the structure which may be interrupted in the event of a damaging strike. For Schools please
select Government.
4.8.2 Due to overvoltage: As above.

4.9 Loss of cultural heritage
4.9.1 Due to fire or physical damage: Does the structure or the contents it houses have significant
cultural or historical value?

4.10 Loss of economic value
4.10.1 Due to step and touch potentials: Is there likely to be a cost of replacing livestock injured or
killed as a result of potential rises in the ground or walls of nearby structures?
4.10.2 Due to fire or physical damage: The differing values obtained from this section are based on
the likely higher cost of repair and replacement of equipment and structural components in
different types of buildings.
4.10.3 Due to overvoltage: As above

4.11 Costs of loss
This section requires the numerical values of the costs and rates associated with the building
and contents in question. This will allow a decision to be made by the client as to the
economic viability of installing the lightning protection system proposed by calculations to
the other 3 risk values. Please note that all sections must be completed for the economic
calculation to be performed.
All sections are not required for design calculations.

 2 City of Glasgow 23 Bristol
3 Clackmannanshire 24 Blaenau Gwent
25 Bridgend
4 East Ayrshire
26 Caerphilly
5 East Dunbartonshire
27 Cardiff
6 East Lothian 28 Merthyr Tydfil
6 East Renfrewshire 29 Monmouthshire
7 Falkirk 30 Neath & Port Talbot 0.02

9 Inverclyde 31 Newport 0.02

10 Midlothian 32 Rhondda Cynon Taff
11 North Ayrshire 33 Swansea
34 Torfaen
12 North Lanarkshire
35 Vale of Glamorgan
13 Renfrewshire
14 South Ayrshire
15 South Lanarkshire 0.
04
16 West Dunbartonshire 0.02

17 West Lothian 0.0

0.
4
18 Conwy

06
0.0
19 Denbighshire 0.02 6

0.
08
20 Flintshire Highland

0.04
21 Gwynedd

0.06
22 Wrexham Moray

2
0 .0
Aberdeenshire 0.
08
0.08
2
0.0
4
0.0 0.1
6
0.0 Angus
0.08
0.1 2
0.
Perth & Kinross
Argyll & Bute
Sterling Fife
04

3
0.

16 5 8 0.1
9 1 6
13 2 12 17
10
2
0.0

11 7
15
Scottish Borders
4
0.04
8
6

0.0

0.2
0.0

0.04
14
Dumfries & Galloway Northumberland
Derry Antrim
Donegal
1

Tyne & Wear

0.

Tyrone 0.3 0.3

2
0.

Durham
Fermanagh 6
0 Cumbria
0. Down
Armagh
0.3 0.4
Sligo 4
0. 0.4
Monaghan 5
0.
6
Leitrim Cavan 0. .7
Mayo 0
Isle of Man North Yorkshire
Roscommon 0.5
Louth East Riding
0.04

0.08
0.1

0.2

Longford Lancashire of Yorkshire

0.0

Meath West Yorkshire 0.6

6

0.8
0.

0.4

0.

Galway Westmeath
0.5

7
0.6

0.08 Gt Manchester South Yorkshire

Offaly Merseyside
Dublin Anglesey
0.7

Kildare
0.8

Derbyshire
0.9

Laois Cheshire
Clare 20
0. Wicklow 18 Lincolnshire
06 19 Notts 0 .4
22 1.0
0.5
Carlow 21 0.8
0.
Limerick 04 0.
Kilkenny Staffordshire 6
0. 6

Norfolk
7

Tipperary Rutland
Leicestershire
0. .5

Shropshire
0

Wexford 0.1
0 .4
0.2

Kerry West Mids 0.7

Waterford Cambridgeshire
0.3

Northants
0.9 Warwickshire Suffolk
Cork Ceredigion
Worcestershire
1.0

Powys Herefordshire
.9
Pembrokeshire Beds 0
0.8

0.
Carmarthenshire 8
Gloucestershire Bucks
Hertfordshire
Essex
Oxfordshire
0. London
23 7 Berks
0 .6
0.
8
0.3
0.1

0.5

Surrey
0.

Wiltshire
7

Kent
Somerset
6

0.6
0.0

Hampshire
0.1 West Sussex East Sussex
8

0.04 2
0.
0.0

0 .7
Dorset
0.1 Devon
0.8
Cornwall Isle of Wight
0.3

0.9
1.0
0.5

0.6

0.7

1.2
8
0.
0.9
1.0

1.4
0.2

24 29
28
30 34
33 32 26
3
0.

31 5
25 0.
6 7
27 0. 0.
8
9
0.

0.

35

Figure 1 – UK strike density map showing values for Ng