LPS Bonding and the NFPA 13, 24, and 54

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During the NFPA World Safety Conference and Exposition on July 7th, a vote was made to approve a proposal by the NFPA 780 TC to revise both the NFPA 13 and 24 and NFPA 54 clarifying underground pipe systems still need to be bonded to the lightning protection grounding system though the piping is not permitted to be used as grounding electrodes.

For example, section 10.6.8 of the NFPA 13 and 24 will read as follows:

10.6.8 In no case shall pipe specified in 10.6.7 be used for grounding of electrical services. This does not preclude the bonding of the underground piping to the lightning protection grounding system as required by the NFPA 780 in those cases where lightning protection is provided for the structure.

A.10.6.8 Where lightning protection is provided for a structure, NFPA 780, 4.14 requires that all grounding media including underground metallic piping systems be interconnected to provide a common ground potential. These underground piping systems are not permitted to be substituted for grounding electrodes but must be bonded to the lightning protection system.

Where galvanic corrosion is of concern, this bind may be made via a spark gap or gas discharge tube.