Lightning protection is an engineering decision, not a guess. Two buildings on the same street can carry very different levels of risk depending on their height, construction, contents and what happens when they stop working. A risk assessment puts numbers on that, so you invest in the protection your site actually needs, no more, no less, and can show your insurer, board or regulator the reasoning behind it.
Vyanshi International Innovative Minds N.V., the authorized DINNTECO distributor for Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana and Trinidad & Tobago, carries out lightning risk assessments as the first step of every project, and as a standalone service for operators who want an independent picture of their exposure.
What the assessment covers
We look at the problem from two directions: how likely your site is to be struck, and how much a strike would cost you.
- Strike probability, the height and footprint of the structure, its location and surroundings (an isolated tower collects far more strikes than a sheltered building of the same height), and the local lightning flash density. The Guianas sit in one of the most lightning-active belts on earth, so baseline exposure here is high by global standards.
- Consequence analysis, what a strike would actually do: risk to people inside or near the structure, damage to electronics and equipment, fire or ignition risk where fuel or process materials are present, and the cost of downtime when operations stop.
- Existing measures, any protection, earthing or surge devices already installed, and whether they help or merely give false comfort.
Standards we work to
The core methodology is IEC 62305-2, the international standard for lightning risk management. It compares the calculated risk for your structure against tolerable limits and, where the risk is too high, indicates the protection level required to bring it down.
For operators who work to American standards, common in the oil & gas sectors of Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, we can frame the assessment against NFPA 780, the US lightning protection standard, so the output slots directly into your existing engineering and HSE documentation.
What you receive
The deliverable is a written report you can act on, file with your insurer or hand to your engineering team:
- Risk findings, the exposure of the structure and the consequences assessed, stated plainly.
- Recommended protection level, what the standard indicates for your situation.
- System sizing, the DDCE model and placement needed to cover the structure (a single head protects a radius of up to 100 m, depending on model), plus any surge protection and earthing measures the site requires.
- A basis for quotation, so the price you receive is tied to an engineered scope, not a guess.
Start with a free initial assessment
We offer the initial assessment free of charge. Tell us about your structure, its height, location, use and contents, and we will review the exposure and come back with a view on whether protection is warranted and what it would involve. If it leads to a quotation, the assessment becomes the engineering basis for the system we propose. If it doesn't, you have lost nothing and learned where you stand.
Where we work
We assess sites across the region from our base in Nickerie, Suriname: Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana and Trinidad & Tobago.
Related services: lightning protection systems, surge protection and earthing & grounding. See the full DDCE product range or read frequently asked questions.