As a result of intense weather and fast-growing cities, electrical safety has become a necessity—not an option—in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Thunderstorms aren't common occurrences all year long throughout the entire UAE, but when lightning does strike, it can lead to heavy destruction. For example, a single strike can result in damaged electrical equipment, fires in your building, and lost business productivity due to how long it will take you to recover from a storm.


In addition to protecting your building when a storm occurs, a properly designed earthing (or ground) and lightning protection system will also protect people, things, and business continuity.


This blog will show you how a properly designed grounding system can help prevent major damage during a storm and why any owner of property in the UAE should give high priority to grounding and protecting their structure from a possible lightning strike.


The night of the storm


During a severe thunderstorm in the UAE last year, multiple lightning strikes occurred around a mid-sized logistics warehouse located on the outskirts of Dubai. Facilities nearby experienced damage to their electrical panels, as well as failures of their CCTV systems and temporary shutdowns because of surges in electrical voltage. In contrast, this particular facility was able to conduct business with little disruption.


Why is that?


Just a few months before the storm hit, the facility had installed a professional earthing and lightning protection system. The maintenance team indicated that this system redirected the lightning current safely into the ground, preventing damage to both critical electrical infrastructure and sensitive electronic equipment. While other companies were faced with repair bills and downtime, this facility avoided a potential financial loss.


The Importance of Lightning Protection in the UAE


With its predominantly dry climate, it is hard to imagine a connection between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), thunderstorms and rapid changes in weather. However, these types of severe weather events have been increasing over the past few years. There are many buildings within the UAE that are at risk from lightning-related hazards; high-rise buildings, industrial buildings, warehouses and the many residential villas are all part of this increased risk of being struck by lightning. 


There have been some global studies on safety that have indicated a lightning strike can produce temperatures that are hotter than the surface of the sun and that lightning can be over 30,000 amps of electric current. When proper protection is not in place, a lightning strike can result in the following: 


  • Fire caused by electrical routes 

  • Damaged electrical devices due to the surge in electrical current

  • Loss of data and failure of servers 

  • Power outages 

  • Structurally damaged buildings 

  • Safety hazards for the occupants of the buildings 


If your company relies considerably on uninterrupted operation of your business, downtime of just a few hours can result in loss of business revenue and potential financial debt.


What Do Lightning and Earthing Do?


'Earthing' refers to providing a path for any excess electric energy which might occur (for example, through a lightning strike) to dissipate safely to the ground from the object that it has hit (like a building). This can occur because: 


Air Terminals (Lightning Rods)


Earthing and Lightning Protection consists of various systems, all of which must work together to effectively provide a safe path for excess electric energy to travel through, 'dispersing' or 'dissipating' the electric energy from the building. 


Conductors


Lightning strikes the structure are absorbed by the air terminals (lightning rods), preventing and directing the lightning strike safely to the ground. 


Earth Electrodes


The lightning current that has been collected by the air terminals is routed through the conductors to a grounding system (earth electrodes), which then safely conducts the electric energy away and reduces the potential for electric shock to people and electrical equipment due to the lightning. 


Surge Protection Devices (SPDs)


To protect against instantaneous voltage surges (from lightning strikes) caused by nearby lightning activity, it is also necessary that there are Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) installed protecting sensitive electronic equipment. 


By utilising all the above-listed components in a lightning and earthing system together as a whole, the above-listed components combine to provide a safe and reliable system that minimises the risk of electric shock and improves safety.


A Minor Investment Can Prevent Major Losses


Many companies delay installing lightning protection systems simply because they believe they are a waste of money, but in fact, the cost of preventing thunderstorms from damaging a facility is much less than the cost of repairing after a thunderstorm has damaged a facility.


For example,


  • Industrial electrical equipment can be expensive to replace (tens of thousands of dirhams).

  • Server outages can lead to a loss of business, as well as lost productivity and customer service.

  • Insurance may not reimburse for full repair of fire damage and electrical damage.

  • Structural repairs can take a long time (weeks to months).


A properly installed earthing system will provide long-term protection and peace-of-mind.


For factories, data centres, hospitals, hotels and many other types of commercial properties in the UAE, installing a quality earthing system is now a best practice versus an option.


Benefits of Using a Professional Company for Earthing Systems


Not all earthing systems will provide the same level of protection. If earthing systems are poorly installed, have high grounding resistance or are made with low-quality materials, their effectiveness will be reduced during times of greatest need.


Therefore, businesses should only use qualified electrical safety professionals that have knowledge of their area's regulations, environmental conditions and international electrical safety requirements.


Typically, these kinds of providers will perform:


  • Site risk assessments

  • Soil resistivity testing

  • System design and engineering

  • Periodic inspections and maintenance

  • Compliance testing

  • Routine maintenance


Protect Your Property by Being Prepared for Electrical Risks


As the UAE continues its support of smart infrastructure, renewable energies, and advanced industries, electrical systems are becoming more complex than ever and are also becoming more delicate. 


The use of automation, digital monitoring systems, and connected devices in modern buildings is both significant and crucial. If you do not have adequate lightning protection, your technology will be vulnerable to unanticipated surges and electrical disturbances.


Installing a quality earthing and lightning protection system will not only help ensure compliance; it will also assist with maintaining business continuity, protecting the safety of workers, and ensuring the longevity of your business investment.


Conclusion 


The lightning storm that caused no serious damage to a warehouse was an example of the value of preparation. An affordable, properly designed earthing system changed what could have been a costly situation into a weather event that was under control.


In an area of the world where reliable infrastructure and safe construction are priorities, there is no way a business or development owner can afford to ignore electrical protective measures.


If you want to protect your building and operations against unexpected lightning damage, now is the time to implement a professionally designed earthing & lightning protection system.