Lightning seems like the ultimate “act of God”. Unpredictable, capricious – it can come as a literal bolt out of the blue.

Thus basic lightning safety tips can and do save lives. Following are a few very simple precautions:

Indoors:​

• Stand clear from electrical appliances and windows
• Unplug TVs, stereos, computers immediately after hearing the first thunderstorm
• Avoid contact with water, and piping including sinks, baths, and faucets
• Do not use plugged / corded telephones

Outdoors:

• Look for a concrete shelter or a closed vehicle
• Never use a tree as a shelter
• Avoid areas that are higher than the surrounding landscape
• Keep away from metal objects and bodies of water including pool, lakes, etc
• If you’re in a crowd, spread out
• If the lightning is about to strike, crouch down and cover your ears
• Victims of lightning strikes should be administered CPR immediately

However, any job that requires you to work outdoors places you at risk when dangerous weather occurs. Lightning is one of the most significant dangers for outdoor workers. Here we are seriously concerned about maritime workers.

Offshore platforms and rigs are generally considered grounded because they connect to the bottom of the ocean. Unfortunately, oil, rust, and decay can impede the direct path that energy would travel to the ground, making offshore structures extremely susceptible to electric failure, surge effects, and fire.

Lightning safety tips related to maritime

• Use the ’30-30’ rule. If less than 30 seconds elapse between two lightning strikes, you should move indoors and take adequate measures to protect yourself
• If you are working offshore and there is a tropical storm or hurricane approaching, do not hesitate or wait for the last minute to evacuate.  These storms can be extremely dangerous and can complicate standard lightning safety protocols
• Utilize strategies to access risk, protect your assets (physical and human), reduce downtime and improve overall safety. LEC personnel can help you through
• When a storm rolls in, stay away from danger zones like heavy machinery, electrical currents and conductors, tall structures and explosive and flammable materials

No matter the level of protection needed, Lightning Eliminators has proven to be the right choice for the solution. Some of the world’s largest offshore producers are utilizing LEC’s DAS no-strike protection – which is the only system available with a “no-strike” warranty – as well as surge protection systems to provide a critical safety net.