How to protect industrial facilities from lightning risks?

Know the issues

Storm and lightning related hazards mainly result in a direct risk of an explosion or fire, which can harm people and/or cause environmental pollution. Indirect effects include a risk of electrical disorders and safety system malfunctions. The recent succession of thunderstorms, which France has experienced since the beginning of May 2018, have resulted in frequent and repetitively violent phenomena. Thunderstorms result in extreme events, such as floods or hail storms that can aggravate impacts and result in specific accidents, known as “NaTech”. In this context, how do manufacturers protect themselves against risks of lightning and other associated risks?

Risk related to the impact of lightning strikes

The ICPE (facilities classified for environment protection) lightning rules are governed by the Decree of July 19, 2011, amending the Decree of October 4, 2010. Operators must describe the lightning activity at the industrial site and quantify the lightning strike density. This information is available from the surveillance network, Météorage, and must be included in the lightning risk analysis (LRA). The next step is for the operator to identify which facilities are likely to be vulnerable in the event of a lightning strike and to identify prevention methods by calling on a certified QUALIFOUDRE company (lightning protection by lightning conductors and surge arresters).

Flood risks

Lightning storms can also result in significant rainfall which can impact facilities. Ineris drafted specific methodological guidelines for flood risk management in classified facilities. The key measures of a hazard study to be weighed up, are the descriptions of the flood hazard at the industrial site, and the identification of facilities likely to be affected by the flood.

Regulatory framework

The term “NaTech” is a new form of risk. The term is a contraction of the words "natural" and "technological", it refers to the impacts a natural disaster may have on an industrial facility. Natural risks include the phenomena of extreme floods, storms, lightning strikes, earthquakes, frost, snow, droughts etc. Industrial risks, known as technological risks, are specific to the activities of facilities classified for environmental protection (ICPE), which includes the Seveso companies.
ICPEs must comply with State-defined requirements and are subject to regular inspections. For the most hazardous activities, operators are required to demonstrate in a hazard study (ESD) that they have:
•    identified and listed any risks which the facility may be exposed to;
•    implemented the appropriate mitigation measures;
•    organized an appropriate response mechanism.

The rules set out in the Environmental Code require ICPEs to take natural hazards into account, when assessing risks.

Ineris’ expertise and Qualifoudre certification

Ineris’ multidisciplinary involvement with NaTech began in the early 2000s. Adaptation to climate change is at the heart of the Institute’s 2016-2020 Performance and Objectives Agreement.
The institute has developed a certification scheme for lightning protection businesses (manufacturers of lightning conductors and surge arresters, offices conducting studies, installers, verifiers). It annually audits these professionals to award them the Qualifoudre certification label.
Certification and qualification training sessions supplement the qualification scheme.