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Electrical Design, Strike programme, risk assessment always deems a system to be necessary and always indicates that no solution is available.

Stuart Martin
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Electrical Design, Strike programme, measures to protect against lightning.

I have attempted to carry out a risk assessment and develop mitigation measures using this programme. However it seems that no matter which values I change the calculated risk never reduces below the tolerable risk and, it seems, no matter which parameters I change, including addition of LPS systems, regardless of class, the calculated risk never reduces below the tolerable risk.

I have discussed the use of this programme and the results I would have obtained with a number of colleagues and they, without exception, have always had results similar to that described above.

The end result for us all tends to be to always recommend a lightning protection system, and incorporation of SPD's for the incoming services to the client and to for this to be a contractor design responsibility.

Can anyone advise on where I am going wrong with this.

Many thanks in advance.

  • 0 Offline
    Stuart - Can you please PM me? I would like to see an example project that you are having difficulty with and this way I can get it without exposing it to other forum users.

    Regards,

    Duncan Brown



  • 0 Offline
    Duncan,
     
    Apologies for the delay in contacting you regarding this matter. I have been extremely busy and have been off for a couple of days.
     
    I have attached the file that I generated using the strike software however I am not confident of the results. I do understand that it may be my lack of understanding of what is required. However I have discussed my concerns with other engineers within this office in Glasgow and elsewhere in the UK and without exception they all have expressed concerns to me regarding the results that they have obtained when trying to carry out the lightning protection risk assessment and develop a solution.
     
    I would be most grateful if you could offer me any advice which may be able to improve use of this software and give us more confidence in the results which are produced.
     
    I would also comment that the user manual does not offer much in the way of advice on the required input. In most instances it simply refers to the British Standard.
     
    Regards,
     
    Stuart Martin
    Principal Building Services Engineer (Electrical)
    Pick Everard
    Main: 0345 045 0050
    Mobile: 07741 266 711
  • 0 Offline in reply to Stuart Martin
    Stuart - The forum cannot handle items like attachments - can you PM me so I can set up a link to get your project?

    With regards your comment about the manual - This is a software manual, designed to explain how the software works. Where appropriate, methods used by software are also included. It isn't designed as a replacement to the regulations or standards. An assumption is made that the engineer will be familiar with the standards and have access to them, so there is no requirement to reproduce them.

    Regards,
    Duncan

    Duncan Brown



  • 0 Offline in reply to Duncan Brown
    Staurt

    Thank you for your PM and project.

    I've had a chance to analyse the project. In this case, there is a potential risk to services if the building is struck by lightning, but there has no been no real attempt to reduce the risk that I can ascertain. Introducing wiring precautions and protection measures will help alleviate the risk and bring the figure below the tolerable risk.

    The data that displays when you open the program is default data only. It is not designed to give an automatic pass. It is expected that the engineer will use their knowledge of the systems and regulations to provide the correct design.

    Regards,
    Duncan.

    Duncan Brown



  • 0 Offline in reply to Duncan Brown
    Duncan,

    Thank you for your assistance on this matter.

    I clearly should have inserted the options to minimise the risk for this project, as I had done previously, prior to sending it to you.

    In an effort to return a result which brought all risks below the allowable level I tried all permutations available. My concern is that no matter which options I choose to mitigate the risk the result for 'R4 Risk of Loss of Economic Value' continues to be high with the calculated result showing in red.

    I had hoped that using Hevacomp Strike in conjunction with BS EN 62305-1:2011 would assist me in carrying out the risk assessment and developing mitigation measures to reduce all risk values to an acceptable level.

    Any further advice that you are able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

    Regards,

    Stuart.
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