Chronicles of a Steeplejack

The Basics of Lightning 31 January 2012 04:13 We''ve talked a lot about lightning protection but not actually about the phenomenon of lightning itself to understand how protection works its worth having a look at why and how lightning strikes.The lightning protection most frequently referred to in terms of lightning protection is cloud to ground lightning, other forms of lightning exist but cause less damage to buildings and people than this particular recognised form of lightning.A lightning strike originates about 15,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level and works its way down to about 50 yards above ground, it’s about at this height that will determine the... Read More

Selecting Conductors For Your Lightning Protection System 24 January 2012 04:46 One of the most important components of any lightning protection system is the actual lightning conductor. Conductors are available in two different materials, aluminium and copper and a range of different widths, the most common width used in the UK is 25x3mm.Designers of lightning protection system will establish the correct width and length from the formulas needed to design the system to ensure the down conductors are capable of transferring the energy and forces of a lightning protection strike safely to earth.To assist architects and designers of buildings conductors are also available in a wide selection of PVCs lightning... Read More

Surge Protection 20 December 2011 04:31 When designing lightning protection it''s important to consider adequate surge protection. On a smaller scale people protect their treasured home electrical devices with surge protection devices, on a larger scale devices are available to protect a wide range of items such as servers, communications, data storage, telephony etc.There are a number of forms of protection needed against surges as there is more than one type of surge. One type of surge is transient over voltages which are short duration high magnitude voltage peaks with fast rising edges, often described as spikes. The most common cause of these spikes is lightning strikes,... Read More

Lightning Protection Standards 12 December 2011 01:07 The design of a suitable lightning protection system should always be undertaken by a suitably qualified BS EN 62305 2006 designer with certification to prove their competence, however unfortunately this is not always the case and unscrupulous designers have been known to deliberately under specify the design requirements ensuring they are then awarded the business.At Churchill Specialist Contracting all Lightning protection designers are fully certificated and as part of very specialised and qualified team work under two renowned and highly beneficial quality systems: UKAS OHSAS 18001 and ISO 9001 both with LRQA. All directly employed site engineers are qualified... Read More

Lightning Protection - Metal Theft 09 November 2011 11:01 The theft of metal is continuously on the increase and whilst ever scrap prices remain high unfortunately it is a trend that will continue to blight so many including schools, hospitals, hotels, railways in fact any building or structure fitted with lightning protection.Lightning protection systems commonly consist of copper or aluminium and why PVC sheathing can be fitted to take away the initial obvious presence of either copper or aluminum thieves very quickly get to know and become more aware of where and how lightning protection systems are installed.Lightning protection systems are installed to almost every new commercial building... Read More

Earthing Equipment 26 October 2011 03:47 An essential requirement of all modern day structures and systems is an efficient and effective earthing system with a suitable earthing system being a key part of any lightning protection installation.All earthing systems require specific key components in order for them to be beneficial, with lightning protection the designer planning the earthing system must decide on the conductor type to be used of which there are three commonly used types of conductor:- Flat tape- Solid Circular- Stranded CableAbove ground there is a choice of conductor materials that can be used, albeit the choice is often between copper or aluminum,... Read More

The Importance of Lightning Protection 28 April 2011 12:54 Lightning strikes are one of the most common occurrences on Earth and they happen everywhere on the planet and often are sudden and severe.Lightning Protection is a consideration for all business owners, but it is something that often gets overlooked. Insurance is often the first place many business owners turn, but it may not be the best option instead the best option is to try and prevent damage/loss from occurring in the first place and lightning strikes are one of the most preventable disasters. Lightning can destroy entire neighborhoods, one strike can quickly turn a building into an inferno... Read More

The Advantages Of Earthing Systems 06 December 2010 03:32 In the United Kingdom, an earthing system identifies the electrical potential of the conductors relative to the conductive surface of the Earth. The world is a conductor rated at reference (zero) potential, referred to as earth in the UK. People are in direct contact with earth, so when something within a person’s reach becomes charged to a different voltage from earth a shock hazard occurs. The earthing process connects all parts which could become charged to the mass of earth to provide a path for fault currents which are a shock hazard. Earthing prevents a potential difference between earth... Read More

How to be a Rope Access Technician? 01 November 2010 10:39 Rope access is typically used on projects that are difficult or costly to access with traditional scaffolding, cranes, or other types of mobile platforms. The modern twin rope access techniques used today see each rope having a separate anchoring point and fail safe descent mechanism. There are usually two rope access technicians working together so they can assist each other in the event of an emergency or alternatively self rescue, workers are generally very well experienced in the use of ropes and would have passed rigorous testing that they must regularly update proving their ability and understanding of safe... Read More

Lightning Protection Systems 30 September 2010 04:15 Many children have a natural fear of thunder let’s face it, it can be quite scary. As we get older we learn about the cause of thunder and how destructive lightning really can be. Lessons that the people at the lightning protection system team at Churchill Specialist Contracting Ltd know all about. The harm that lightning can cause to people is very well known, we have all heard the horror stories organ failure, blindness, deafness, neural damage, it even causes death in one third of cases. Builds and other structures are not immune to similar damage, and as... Read More

23 September 2010 02:05 Whether you have a contractual requirement to gain certification to OHSAS 18001, or one of the growing numbers of organisations looking to reduce the overall risks to the organisation and demonstrate good governance, there are a number of key benefits with implementing a certified OHS management system. These include:a structured approach to hazard identification and risk management which can contribute to the provision of a healthier and safer working environment and the avoidance of a high proportion of accidents and occupational health problems – this should help reduce lost time through employee illness and injurythe management of health and... Read More

Summer Lightning Protection 16 August 2010 12:01 The summer can bring with it a plethora of thunder and lightning storms, which can cause costly damages to businesses. If a business is hit by lightning it can cause a lot of damage and expense that some business owners simply cannot afford.Businesses protect themselves from the risks of lightning damages by installing a Lightning Protection and Specialist Earthing system. This involves employing a team of highly trained engineers and certified (Passport of Safety) professionals who provide a range of services including design, supply, installation and commissioning. The engineers at Churchill Steeplejack will assess the site requirements and conditions,... Read More

The Impact of Lightning Strikes on Businesses 25 July 2010 03:14 Lightning is said to strike the ground around 8 million times a day and the impact that this can have on businesses can be very severe.According to a survey carried out by a German insurance company, lightning accounts for 27.4% of damages to electronic equipment. Studies carried out by French insurance company AXA have also concluded that after a fire, one out of every two businesses ends up having to cease trading within five years. This is due to the damages it causes to real estate and IT Equipment etc., which prevent the company from continuing with their business.Furthermore... Read More

Lightning and Earthing Protection in the UK 15 June 2010 01:30 Everyone in the world has seen the tremendous power of lightning. It is beautiful but its power can be very destructive. Lightning strikes on average 2100 people a year and one third of those strikes have ended in death. Those individuals who have survived these strikes suffer from damage to the eardrums, vision, lungs, organs and the nervous system. Lightning protection for your building will help lower the risk to the people in your buildings. There are quite a few systems to help prevent damage to buildings and the people who are nearby.Grounding structures against lightning is a good... Read More

The Importance of Lightning Protection 24 May 2010 01:21 The Importance of Lightning ProtectionLightning strikes approximately 2100 people a year worldwide and one third of those strikes, called strokes, result in death. The people that live are never quite the same. Physical and emotional difficulties tend to plague them the rest of their lives. Heart attacks, burst eardrums, optical impairment, damage to the lungs and other organs, as well as the nervous system are quite common.Golfing, boating, swimming, standing under a tree, talking on the phone, using water and operating electrical appliances seem to be the activities which draw the greatest number of strikes. Air travel is relatively... Read More

Chimney Inspections 13 April 2010 03:33 The inspection of single flue industrial chimneys is regulated by the HSE document GS53 and the ATLAS guidance booklet that builds upon the HSE document GS53.The self supporting single flue steel chimney has commonly been used for a period in excess of 35 years during which time many have seen a change over from serving coal to oil through to the modern day gas fired boilers. This change over in fuels has left its own legacy creating very corrosive environments, this coupled with the effects of the UK climate has led to a large number of this type of... Read More

Work at Height Hierarchy of Risk 07 April 2010 10:51 Via risk assessment the use of a mewp to facilitate access to structures should always be the access method of choice particuarly for the completion of surveys.In the uk truck mounted MEWPS can provide access up to working heights upwards of 70 metres.During a recent meeting between the hse and the steeplejack federation ATLAS the hse voiced their concerns into the mindset of the steeplejack industry in relation to risk assessments for working at height and our industries continued insistance to survey structures using traditional ladders as apose to MEWPS.Wherever it is practicable to do so Churchills always look to... Read More

Range Rover Vogue Fails to Start Through Winter 26 March 2010 04:16 Somewhat embarrassingly the one year old range rover vogue owned by Churchills MD has broken down for the fourth time in three months leaving him stranded yet again.Land Rover have been unable to locate a problem that completely drains power from the battery when temperatures fall below zero, having had two new batteries installed the car continues to not start in the mornings.Land Rover continue to deny there is an issue with the car (try telling our MD that when the second time it wouldn’t start almost caused him to miss a flight for his family holiday) and reject any... Read More

Money vs Safety 25 March 2010 12:44 Can it really be true that in difficult financial times money men are potentially placing their employers at risk?During the recent financial climate as an organisation who supply to many blue chip organisations, councils and government establishments throughout the UK it has been very disconcerting and somewhat alarming to witness the swing in the ethos of many in relation to the awarding of their contracts on a heavily cost weighted basis.The steeplejack & lightning protection industry has taken huge strides in recent years to improve both it&rsquos professionalism and quality of service within the construction sector, in the main... Read More

OHSAS 18001 2007 08 December 2009 04:41 In theory the attainment of OHSAS 18001 2007 should serve to provide a springboard for any organisation to expand their market share via clearly being able to demonstrate to potential clients their proven and documented approach to health & safety in the work place.However the sad truth is that organisations including blue chips fail to fully grasp the importance of such an accreditation and those that do are slow to promote a preference to working with companies who have achieved OHSAS 18001 2007 throughout their organisation.This can be vey frustrating, listening on one hand to organisations promoting their values and... Read More

Churchills go for OHSAS 18001 19 October 2009 03:27 Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd are on course to be the first organisation operating in the steeplejack and lightning protection sector to obtain the coveted OHSAS 18001 Standard.What is it?OHSAS 18001 is the British recognised standard for occupational health and safety management. The standard can be adopted by any organisation wishing to implement a formal procedure to manage the risks associated with health and safety at work. The standard is designed to clarify an organisation''s impact on health and safety issues, as well as to help reduce the risk of accidents and any breach in legal requirements.The History of the... Read More

Concrete Chimney Demolition 03 July 2009 12:13 The removal of 3no 60m steel flues from within the reinforced concrete windshield at the old Roche site in Welwyn Garden City was safely completed with the use of a 300 ton mobile crane.The 3no flues were removed to facilitate the felling of the concrete windshield which was dismantled in a piece meal small fashion with all dismantled concrete falling to ground inside the chimney for retrieval at the base. Churchills used their in-house crane capabilities utilising Crane Appointed persons and Competent Slinger banksman to complete this phase of the jobThe demolition of the concrete windshield started... Read More

Power Station Chimney Re Lining Project 01 July 2009 08:49 In December 2008 Churchills were appointed directly by e-on and mobilised to site to commence with the removal and replacement of 2no 110m tall brick flues housed within a 107m tall concrete windshield.The removal of both brick linings was completed through the Christmas holidays to ensure a hand over date of March 2009 remained achievable.During the removal of the brick linings the internal cast concrete ring beams that supported the internal brickwork at regular intervals throughout their height were found to have eroded beyond repair. Working with e-on engineers Churchills designed replacement ring beam supports to be installed in conjunction... Read More

Churchills Accreditation 01 May 2009 03:18 A total of ten Churchill Steeplejacks operatives have successfully achieved the SSSTS accreditation for site supervision.This level of commitment to training will ensure that all Churchill sites will have the construction industry requirement in relation to on site supervision. Add to this the following minimum requirement for a Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) Ltd site based team and our clients have arguably one the most highly trained and qualified workforces at their disposalThe following are all managed by a team consisting of two NEBOSH in construction departmental managersSSSTSCSCS Industry Gold CardCCNSG Passport to SafetyQuarry PassportNVQ Level 2 Steeplejack/Lightning Protection EngineersNVQ Level... Read More

Concrete Chimney Refurbishment 20 April 2009 11:46 A 60k project to refurbish 2no 45m reinforced concrete chimneys at The University of East Anglia has been completed within program and within budget by Churchill Steeplejacks (UK) LtdThe project was completed over a twelve week period with a three man team in attendance and included the replacement and repair of the capping arrangements, concrete repairs to each windshield, lightning protection upgrade and the application of a protective paint system.A steel support framework was also installed around the summit of both chimneys to provide structural support to the upper regions of each windshield.The cold weather conditions experienced during January... Read More