Lightning Protection Systems for Fueling Stations

Special Risk Factors:

Lightning is a hazard to all types of structures. Fueling and service stations, however, are at special risk of lightning-related damage due to:

Flammable and Explosive Materials: Fuel, lubricants, tires, and batteries
Environmental Hazards: Releasing fuel or other toxic products into the earth or community can require expensive clean-up efforts.
Large Footprint: Buildings, fuel islands, tanks, signage, lightning, and other structures on site provide a large “target’ for a lightning strike.
Damage to Electronics: The American Petroleum Institute warns: “The electric current and energy deposited by a lightning stroke can be sufficiently high to melt thin metallic components and destroy electronic components…”
Regulatory Liability: When lightning sparked an explosion of a petrochemical storage tank in Texas, for example, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessed fines against the owner for failure to meet the General Duty provisions of the Clean Air Act.
Lost Revenue and Customers: Some locations will not recover from closures for repair.

Photo: The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Creative Commons license.

Lightning Damage to Fuel Stations

Seen in the image on the left, a lightning strike on a gas station in Daytona, FL damaged the canopy and pumps and ignited an explosion in the fuel storage tanks.

The headlines below tell the story of the damage that lightning causes at gas stations:

“Lightning blamed for fire at Houston-area gas station.” (KTRK, 2014-07-08)
“Lightning strike ignites a fire on Citgo gas station roof in Hopewell Township.” (nj.com, 2015-04-23)
“Lightning causes gas station explosion.” (clickorlando.com, 2018-08-22)
“Lightning sets fire to North Augusta gas station.” (The Augusta Chronicle, 2018-07-16)
“Crews access damage after lightning strikes Kroger gas station.” (WSB-TV, 2014-09-04)
Lightning strike at an Ohio gas station that, “…sparked a fuel tank explosion that left a crater 40 feet wide.” (Insurance Journal, 2015-08-05)

Design and Installation Considerations Unique to Gas Stations:

Lightning protection systems must comply with nationally-recognized standards, including LPI 175, NFPA 780, and UL 96.

Additional standards relating to fueling stations include:

API 545 — Lightning Protection for Above Ground Storage Tanks for Flammable or Combustible Liquids.
API 2003 — Protection Against Ignitions Arising Out of Static, Lightning, and Stray Currents.
NFPA 30A — Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages.

API 2003 says, “Perhaps the most significant property of lightning is its complexity.” In the light of this cautionary note, gas station designers and owners should seek professional design assistance and installation services from individuals and firms certified by the Lightning Protection Institute (www.lightning.org). Installations should also be certified by the LPI-Inspection Program to assure they function as required, recertified whenever new equipment is installed, and at two to five-year intervals.