Who is legally, qualified to prepare and stamp the installation of lightning protection system drawings? Is it code? Which code? I typically saw lightning protection submittal came from lightning sub-contractor but don't recall whether it is stamped or not. Thank you.
Lightning protection design/installation drawings
- Thread starter anbm
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jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
Your question potentially touches on several different questions and issues...
In most states as far as I know, any kind of stamp purporting to 'engineering' must be done by a licensed engineer. Otherwise it would be considered fraudulent and a violation of the relevant professional laws regarding engineering.
That said, I'm not aware that most states require lightning protection systems to designed by and engineer or other qualified individual. Indeed, lighting protection is generally optional and not required by building codes as far as I know. There are a couple codes to guide the design of LPSs (one is NFPA 780), but unlike other codes that states typically adopt into law in some form, I'm not aware of any states that adopt an LPS into legal code. So it is possible that in your state anyone can design an LPS because they aren't really subject to regulation.
I've also heard tell of a UL certification for LPSs, and I'm not sure how that relates. There are probably other non-government entities issuing credentials in lightning protection training.
Regardless, the 'who is legally' part of your question will be answered by looking to licensing or permitting law in the relevant state, and not to any nationally or internationally developed building code.
In most states as far as I know, any kind of stamp purporting to 'engineering' must be done by a licensed engineer. Otherwise it would be considered fraudulent and a violation of the relevant professional laws regarding engineering.
That said, I'm not aware that most states require lightning protection systems to designed by and engineer or other qualified individual. Indeed, lighting protection is generally optional and not required by building codes as far as I know. There are a couple codes to guide the design of LPSs (one is NFPA 780), but unlike other codes that states typically adopt into law in some form, I'm not aware of any states that adopt an LPS into legal code. So it is possible that in your state anyone can design an LPS because they aren't really subject to regulation.
I've also heard tell of a UL certification for LPSs, and I'm not sure how that relates. There are probably other non-government entities issuing credentials in lightning protection training.
Regardless, the 'who is legally' part of your question will be answered by looking to licensing or permitting law in the relevant state, and not to any nationally or internationally developed building code.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
And on the forum, we used to have some LPS installers, but I no longer see LPS posts answered by those professionals
JoeStillman
Senior Member
- Location
- West Chester, PA
I'm a PE and I don't stamp lightning protection designs. I don't have the credentials necessary for the system to have a UL Master Label Certificate. We specify a "delegated design" by a person with UL Lightning Protection Professional Certification. I have never worked on a project where that wasn't enough for permitting.
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Thank you Joe, that’s good to know.
brantmacga
Señor Member
- Location
- Georgia
- Occupation
- Former Child
We did a design-build project at an AFB a few years ago, and they required UL certification on the LPS design, and the job was inspected by a rep from UL.
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