Webinar «International electrotechnical standard IEC 62305. General principles», page 2

— Individual numbers are shown in this table and we see the statistical distribution of lightning strikes. Of course, design of lightning protection measures should be subject to the typical lightning protection standards. We must not admit high values and keep all the values below maximally admissible.

— Of course, the researches keep going and new data arrive, but now there are existing parameters of lightning protection systems for technical used, they were published in 2013. And now the specialists discuss publication of a new standard. We've talked for more than 15 minutes now. Do you have any general questions? I will be grateful for them. I will try to speak Russian, but if I can't, I will ask our translator to help me. Please, don't be shy, you can write your questions in the chat, I am ready to read them.

— I see the first question: "With what device is it possible to register 400 kA current?" It is a very interesting question. It depends on technical conditions and constructions.

— The next question:" Are you familiar with the RF regulations on lightning protection? What is the crucial difference of IEC standard from the Russian AD and IS?"

— Anastasia, what do abbreviations AD and IS mean?

— Unfortunately, I don't know these abbreviations in Russian too. Well, standards and regulations on lightning protection in the Russian Federation. 

— Unfortunately, I don't know modern Russian standards well, but since I could take part at the Russian conferences on ground electrode systems and lightning protection, I learned something there. I know, there can be several types.  If somebody is building a structure with the participation of foreign companies, they take European, international or IEC standards.  My colleagues from Russia told me so. But sometimes it happens so, that there is also a lightning protection standard and manual on the arrangement of lightning protection, but I am not sure in Russian language. I don't remember, did you have a chance to read a book on lightning protection which was published by Moscow Energy Institute, by professor - I forgot his family name. One of the professors wrote a book about bases of thunderstorm protection in Russian. But I don't know how relevant it is in Russia. I see somebody wrote - it is industry standard, but they can be different, depending on what company issues it - telecommunication and electric energy company. We have one Polish standard in Poland, one European or IEC now.  And this manual is written depending on who uses it; I think Bazeyan can tell you more on this topic. Somebody wrote that there are no new standards. It means why our international standards are being prepared and developed, from the point of view of European or International specialist. That is why, there are no national or institutional standards in order to use it in different countries. There are countries that take both national and international standards. But I don't know how it is in Russia. I have to say that Russia is a formal member of the technical committee 81, which prepares international standards on lightning protection and as far as I remember, there are no Russian specialists who would take part in the committee meetings. Though, when we have a form for the recent project version of the new standard, it happens so that we get comments and questions from the Russian standardization committee. There is another essential question, connected with ESE lightning protection. And I'd like not to talk about that today, because we have no time. There was a wish to continue the webinar and talk about the second and third part of the standard. The third part of the standard 62305 is connected with a lightning rod and I would say something on the topic of ESE lightning protection. But we need to say, that the international standards do not have peculiar possibilities to define protective zones for the so-called ESE lightning rods. One method is taken and if somebody installs an ESE or conventional lightning rod - in any case it is necessary to define according to the protection zones standard. So, if you accept that, I would continue the discussion about ESE lightning protection at the possibility to talk about the third part of international standards.

— Marek, there is one question along others. Maybe you did not notice it. Is it possible to write a list of IEC regulations and methods which are used at the design of lightning protection?

— Yes, of course. I did not do it in the presentation, because it is connected with only one standard, but I can make such a list. If you wish, we can make it, but not today. If you have personal questions - I wrote my email address on the first page, it is marek.loboda@ee.pw.edu.pl - my address which I use at the university. If you have any detailed questions please do not hesitate to contact me and send me emails. You can write me in Russian. But I will answer you in English, because I have no possibility to write in Russian. Shall we continue?

— Yes.

— And also the damage depends on the type and characteristics of a lightning strike. If to view structural characteristics of a lightning strike, we need to take into account of what this building is made - wood, insulation materials, brick or maybe reinforced concrete or steel. It is very important to estimate lightning strike risk for the further lightning protection measures. The next parameter - is function of the building. What function the building carries - be it a residential building, office, hospital, school, museum, bank, shop, factory or sport zone. We need to understand what the intention of this building is. We also need information about what is inside the building: how many people, animals, how often are they inside the building? Of what materials it is made? Can they explode or not? This information is very important. It relates to services. These are power lines, communication lines, pipe lines or some data transmission. And of course we need to understand, if some lightning protection was already applied or not? For example, was protection for the reduction of physical damage and life threat applied or not? And what is the volume of this damage impact? Is evacuation of citizens and people from this building difficult or not? Will people inside this structure be subject to a panic?

— And the most important thing is to understand what is the building made of and what equipment is used inside. It will help to choose an adequate system of lightning protection. But damages and failures of electronics may not only appear at a direct lightning strike into the building, but if lightning strikes near the building, it may cause the same thing, the same damage. Because we have an electromagnetic channel and it can bring damage to the building.

— Here you see the general correlation between different types of risks and to what types of losses they bring. Loss of human life, injury, loss of public services, loss of cultural heritage or even loss of economical indexes. And the last line - type of damage.

— If you don't mind, I will continue. It's the last part of our webinar. It relates to lightning protection measures. The measures depend on the individual type of damage. How can we protect living beings from electric shock? Or use adequate insulation of electric conductive details. Or equipotentialization by the means of cell or circular grounding system. Or equipotential bonding. Grounding systems of different types, cell or circular. Inside the building you may have electric conductive details and they should be insulated. And of course, especially on open spaces, where we can't install lightning protection measures. We have physical restrictions and warning signs. We have to warn workers, people, that there is lightning hazard for them. If there is a lightning strike, they should know about it and should apply preventive measures. Hide in some safe places. The second part of measures - are measures on the reduction of physical damage.