Power Surges & Lightning Safety

9/10/2020

POWER SURGES Mike Grosso – Loss Control Consultant, CPSI, WES & LIGHTNING SAFETY Chad Ziesmer – Property Claims Adjuster

OBJECTIVES

• Definitions & General Information

• Claims Trends

• Lightning Quiz

• Lightning Information

• Facility Power Surge Protection

• Claims Procedures

• Personal Protection & Crowd Control

1 9/10/2020

POWER SURGE • A transient source of increased voltage o Merriam Webster: Transient - passing especially quickly into and out of existence

• They are not safe for your facilities and can find a variety of routes into your buildings

• A typical power surge can send increased voltage (500 to 1,000 volts) through any cable, line or wire that connects your equipment to the outside world

POWER SURGE

• A power surge can disrupt software, delete data, destroy circuitry, etc. o According to the Insurance Information Institute, there was an estimated $1.7 trillion dollars in DATA lost due to lightning and power surges in 2018

• For school districts, that can mean downtime, the expense of replacing equipment, even a possible fire caused by overloaded power strips and electric panels

• High insurance claims

2 9/10/2020

WHAT CAUSES A POWER SURGE?

• The #1 source of power surges is lightning o According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2018, nearly $1 billion in lightning claims were paid to homeowners and business policyholders

• A single bolt of lightning can deliver more than 100,000 volts of electricity

• It can travel up to three miles in the ground to find the path of least resistance

TOP 4 PROPERTY CLAIMS: 7/1/2018 TO 2/26/2020

Policy Period Total Incurred Claim Count

Water Damage $4,756,050 172

Lightning Strikes $1,873,088 140

Freeze Damage $3,618,061 101

Fire Damage $3,844,715 23

TOTALS $14,091,914 436

3 9/10/2020

POWER SURGE

• Once in your building, a power surge can travel through any conductive material, such as copper electrical wires, data cables, phone lines, even plumbing and ductwork

• It can jump between those systems in dramatic and extremely dangerous electric arcs

POWER SURGES CAN ALSO COME FROM…

• Local utility companies during switching operations

• Unintentional grounding such as a downed power line

• Switching on large equipment such as A/C or boilers

4 9/10/2020

BROWN OUT

• A brown out is a temporary loss of power and can be caused by: o Extremely high use of equipment at one time o A drain of power from a local contractor or power source

• A surge can result when power is trying to restore

POWER LOSS

• A loss of power is a sudden stop of all electricity and can be caused by: o Lightning strike hitting a local transformer or power line o Human error such as a construction company cutting a power line o Local utility company cutting power for maintenance purposes o Shutting off main breakers

• Both a surge or brown-out can result when power is reactivated

5 9/10/2020

TYPES OF POWER SURGE CLAIMS

• Loss of food • Control switch burned • Surge caused fire

• Transformer • Refrigeration units • Surge arc caused fire in control room malfunctioned damaged • Smart board damaged by lightning • Fire alarm damaged • Power surge damaged computers • Boiler computer system damaged • HVAC blew out • Employee hit by lightning • I/T classroom TVs damaged by power • Tree hit by lightning surge • City wide outage blew • Elevator damage alarm system • Air handler controllers knocked out

• Facility equipment • Brown out caused • One leg of power went out damage computer damage

EXAMPLES

FRIED WIRING BURNT MOTOR

6 9/10/2020

LIGHTNING QUIZ

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

Where is the safest place to be during a lightning storm?

A. In a car

B. In the middle of a field

C. In a house

D. Lying face down on the ground

7 9/10/2020

ANSWER C.

A house or building is the safest place to be during an electrical storm. Besides the overhead protection, the metal plumbing and wiring in the walls of the building form a protective barrier.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

Using a telephone during a lightning storm is dangerous? • True • False

8 9/10/2020

ANSWER True.

Lightning can strike telephones and electrical wires and travel into your building through your phone cord, into your telephone and to the handset resulting in a SHOCK!

Cordless phones are not dangerous because there is no physical connection to the wires.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

A car is a safe place to be in an electrical storm because it has rubber tires? • True • False

9 9/10/2020

ANSWER False.

Cars are safer than being outdoors, but it is not the tires that protect you! It is the metal surrounding you that affords the protection. Lightning, will travel only on the surface of enclosed metal objects.

So while your car may be hit by lightning, if you stay inside, you should be safe.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

The average number of lightning strikes in the U.S annually is? A. 750,000 B. 5 million C. 15 million D. 25 million

10 9/10/2020

ANSWER

The correct answer is 25 million.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

What is the average number of people who die in the United States each year from being struck by lightning? A. 10 B. 100 C. 1,000 D. 100,000

11 9/10/2020

ANSWER

About 100 people die each year in the United States as the result of being struck by a lightning bolt.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

The greatest number of people who die from being struck by lightning are? A. Golfers B. Fisherman C. Farmers D. Joggers

12 9/10/2020

ANSWER

29% are farmers, 19% are golfers, and nearly 15% are fisherman.

LIGHTNING SAFETY QUIZ

The type of tree that lightning strikes the most is? A. Willow B. Oak C. Pine D. Red Wood E. None of the above

13 9/10/2020

ANSWER

B. The oak tree has very deep roots and holds the most water, therefore providing the least resistance of travel.

• When lightning strikes a tree, it is so hot that it immediately steams the tree’s water causing extreme damage and or fire.

• A single stroke of lightning can be 55,000 degrees which is five times hotter than the surface of the sun.

14 9/10/2020

WHAT IS LIGHTNING? • A high energy arc explosion resulting in a static electricity discharge. • This is caused by a positive and negative force that are drawn together.

15 9/10/2020

TWO BASIC TYPES Negative Lightning - Comes from the ground up and can reach over five miles away. This is the type of lightning we see most, which is about 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

TYPES OF LIGHTNING

Positive Lightning – Comes from the sky down and can reach 50 to 60 miles away. This lightning can be more than two-feet in diameter and be very dangerous or deadly.

16 9/10/2020

TYPES OF LIGHTNING There are also other types of lightning that are not as common such as:

• Sheet Lightning (Heat Lightning) – This is lightning that is staying inside the clouds, arcing from one side to the other or from one cloud to another. • Ball Lightning – This is lightning that stays charged inside a cloud and roams like a bouncing ball.

SO WHAT NOW?

17 9/10/2020

According to the NFPA 780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems:

B.1.2 Parts of structures most likely to be struck by lightning are those that project above surrounding parts, such as chimneys, ventilators, flagpoles, towers, water tanks, steeples, deck railings, shaft houses, gables, skylights, dormers, ridges, and parapets. The edges and corners of the roof are the parts most likely to be struck on flat or gently sloping roofed buildings.

For school districts, this could also include:

• Chimney Stacks • Trees • Rooftop HVAC Units • Power Lines • Flagpoles • Grandstand Bleachers • Stadium Lights & Poles • Greenhouses • Radio Towers • Wind Turbines • Marching Band Towers • Solar Panels • Skylights • Parapets • AND EVEN………

18 9/10/2020

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF?

19 9/10/2020

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF? • Call a licensed electrical contractor

• Lightning Protection Institute – lightning.org

LIGHTNING RODS OR CONDUCTORS

• The best time to design a lightning protection system for a structure is during the structure’s design phase, and the best time to install the system can be during construction.

• System components can be built in to be protected from mechanical displacement and environmental effects. Generally, it is less expensive to meet lightning protection requirements during construction.

20 9/10/2020

LIGHTNING SURGE PROTECTION

• B.2.1 Lightning protection systems consist of the following three basic parts that provide the low impedance metal path required:

(1) A system of strike termination devices on the roof and other elevated locations

(2) A system of grounding electrodes

(3) A conductor system connecting the strike termination devices to the grounding electrodes

LIGHTNING ROD CONDUCTORS

• B.4.2 Conductors should be installed to offer the least path of resistance. The most direct path, without sharp bends or narrow loops, is best. There should be at least two paths to the ground if practicable.

• B.4.7 When a lightning conductor system is placed on a building, where there are metal objects of considerable size within a few feet, there will be a tendency for sparks or side flashes to jump between the metal object and the conductor. To prevent damage, interconnecting conductors should be provided at all places where side flashes are likely to occur.

• As the number of paths are increased, the more likely for better grounding occurs.

21 9/10/2020

LIGHTNING RODS

Lightning rods are more efficient when:

• They are spaced 20 feet apart or closer.

• They are buried 10 feet into the ground.

• They have at least two ground branches coming from them.

LIGHTNING SURGE PROTECTION MAINTENANCE

B.5 Inspection and Maintenance of Lightning Protection Systems. It has been shown that, in cases where damage has occurred to a protected structure, the damage was due to additions or repairs to the building or from mechanical damage that went undetected and/or not repaired. Therefore, it is recommended that an annual visual inspection be made, and that the system be thoroughly inspected every five years.

22 9/10/2020

MAINTENANCE INSPECTION

D.1.2 Visual Inspection.

(1) The system is in good repair (2) There are no loose connections that might result in high-resistance joints (3) No part of the system has been weakened by corrosion or vibration (4) All conductors and grounding electrodes are intact (not severed) (5) All conductors and system components are fastened securely to their mounting surfaces and are protected against accidental mechanical displacement as required (6) There have not been additions or alterations to the protected structure that would require additional protection (7) There is no visual indication of damage to surge devices

NOT JUST LIGHTNING…

• Surges could come from within a building or facility from such things as fax machines, copiers, air conditioners, elevators, motors/pumps, or arc welders, to name a few

• In each case, the normal electric circuit is suddenly exposed to a large dose of energy that can adversely affect the equipment being supplied power

NLSI- lightningsafety.com

23 9/10/2020

SURGE PROTECTION

• Surge protectors divert the excess voltage and current from transient or surge into grounding wire and prevents it from flowing through the electronic equipment, while at the same time allowing the normal voltage to continue along its path. o This excess energy can cause damages in electronic equipment, process control instruments, etc.

• Two main functions of the surge protector are: o Provides low impedance path for conducting a lot of current to eliminate the extra voltage. o Absorbs and diverts the extra current to ground for protecting the effects of transient or surge.

BASIC BUILDING PROTECTION

Install a Main Panel Surge Suppressor

• These are designed to deal with large transient voltages as they enter your building.

• They help protect building equipment and computer systems downline.

• These need to be installed by a licensed electrician and inspected regularly.

24 9/10/2020

BASIC BUILDING PROTECTION

•Install properly grounded outlets

•Use GFCI’s (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) near water sources

•IF using power strips, make sure they are properly grounded and a surge protector.

o Always plug in your items closest to the cord first.

•Implement procedures for unplugging or de-energizing equipment

ELECTRICAL CLAIMS, COVERAGE & WHAT TO DO

Exclusions:

• (4) We will not pay for loss or damage caused by or resulting from any of the following:

• (a) Artificially generated electrical current, including electric arcing, that disturbs electrical devices, appliances or wires. But, if artificially generated electrical current results in fire, we will pay for the loss or damage caused by the fire.

25 9/10/2020

TYPES OF ELECTRICAL CLAIMS

• Lightning • Off premises • On premises

Know your coverage!

WHEN A LOSS OCCURS

• Take care of emergencies • Protect your property from further damage • Contact your claims team • Contact proper vendor

Chad Ziesmer SET SEG 517-243-4823; 800-292-5421

26 9/10/2020

EXTENDED BREAK RESOURCE

• Remember that power surges can result anytime. It is extremely important to protect your facilities during extended time away.

• This handout provides helpful recommendations for extended breaks such as; o Summer Break o Thanksgiving Break o Christmas & Winter Break o Spring Break o Easter Break

OTHER POSSIBLE LIGHTNING & POWER SURGE LOSSES

In addition to building and equipment losses, lightning or power surges can also include:

• Inoperable security and alarm systems

• Communication failure to buses, district vehicles, authorities and/or parents

• PERSONAL INJURY

27 9/10/2020

LIGHTNING LIFE SAFETY

Stay Alert When Outside

• Monitor local weather conditions regularly with a special weather radio or AM/FM radio

• Recognize the signs of an oncoming thunder and lightning storms

• Do not wait for lightning to strike nearby before taking cover

• REMEMBER, IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER, YOU KNOW THERE IS ALSO LIGHTNING!

FOR SCHOOL SPORTS & COACHES Be Proactive

• Prior to a practice or event, check the latest forecast. If thunderstorms are in the forecast, consider postponing activities early to avoid being caught in a dangerous situation.

• Develop a plan of action and work with school administrators to give you authority to cancel or call off the sporting event.

• Act on your “GUT-FEELINGS.”

• Do not allow athletes to shower during a thunder or lightning storm.

28 9/10/2020

FIELD TRIP OR OUTSIDE SCHOOL ACTIVITY

• Look for a large, enclosed building when a thunder or lightning storm threatens

• Stay away from open windows, sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, outlets, and appliances, since lightning can flow through these items

• If you are in a bus or vehicle with a hard top, stay inside, keep the windows rolled up, and do not allow students to leave the vehicles until the danger passes

• Avoid small sheds, lean-tos or partial shelters, like pavilions o If you happened to get stuck under one of these (which is better than nothing), stay in the center and as low as possible

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

• If you are swimming, fishing or boating and there are clouds, dark skies and distant rumbles of thunder or flashes of lightning, get to land immediately and seek shelter.

• If you are in a boat and cannot get to shore, crouch down in the middle of the boat or go under some type of cover.

29 9/10/2020

OUTDOOR ACTIVITY

If you are caught on open land and unable to reach safe shelter:

• Find a low spot away from individual large trees, metal fences, pipes, or any tall object

• Keep your feet together and crouch down on the balls of your feet

• Keep your hands or elbows on your knees and lower your head with your hands on your neck

• Get as low as possible without touching your hands or knees to the ground. DO NOT LIE DOWN!

HELPING LIGHTNING VICTIMS

• When someone is struck by lightning, get emergency medical help as soon as possible. Call 911 for assistance.

• It is OK to help a lightning victim with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if needed.

• There is no danger to anyone helping a person who has been struck by lightning - no electric charge remains.

• Common injuries from being struck by lightning are burns, wounds, fractures, concussions and shock.

30 9/10/2020

IMPORTANT!

• As hard as it maybe to do, if you think someone has been electrocuted and/or knocked-out and is laying on or near a downed electrical line, DO NOT try to help them. The electrical danger could still be live and could result in more injuries.

• Call 911 and wait for the authorities to assist the injured person.

Mike Grosso, CPSI, WES Chad Ziesmer Loss Control Consultant Property Claims Adjuster

(800) 292-5421 Ext. 674 517-243-4823, mobile

[email protected] [email protected]

@setseg @setseg