Lightning protection certification for high explosives facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

This paper presents an innovation in lighting safety certification, and a description of its implementation for high explosives processing and storage facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Lightning rods have proven useful in the protection of wooden structures; however, modern structures made of rebar, concrete, and the like, require fresh thinking. Our process involves a rigorous and unique approach to lightning safety for modern buildings, where the internal voltages and currents are quantified and the risk assessed. To follow are the main technical aspects of lightning protection for modern structures and these methods comply with the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, the National Electrical Code, and the Department of Energy. At the date of this release, we have certified over 70 HE processing and storage cells at our Site 300 facility