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Lightning Rods Act

R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 712

GENERAL

Note: This Regulation was revoked on January 1, 2011. See: O.Reg. 378/10, ss.1, 2.

Last amendment: O.Reg. 378/10.

This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.

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CONTENTS

Sections
Definitions / 1-2
Materials / 3-15
Down-Conductors / 16-19
Fasteners / 20-22
Where Fasteners May Be Omitted / 23
Air-Terminals / 24-29
Groundings / 30-41
Interconnection and Grounding of Metallic Bodies / 42-47
Conducting Materials and Methods for Grounding Metal Bodies / 48-51
Miscellaneous Structures / 52-56
Applications and Licences / 57-60
Certificate of Installation / 61
Report of Inspector / 62
Form 1 / Application for licence
Form 2 / Licence
Form 3 / Application for agent’s licence
Form 4 / Agent’s licence
Form 5 / Certificate of installation
Form 6 / Inspector’s report

Definitions

1.In this Regulation,

“air-terminal” means a pointed tube or rod extending upwards from a conductor; (“borne aérienne”)

“air-terminal support” means a device used for the purpose of holding an air-terminal firmly in position; (“support de borne aérienne”)

“auxiliary grounding” means an additional grounding connected to a main grounding; (“prise de terre auxiliaire”)

“bonded” means in permanent and tight mechanical and electrical contact; (“mis à la masse”)

“branch-conductor” means a conductor that branches off at an angle from a continuous run of conductor; (“conducteur dérivé”)

“cable” means a number of wires twisted or braided to form a conductor; (“câble”)

“conductor” means the portion of a system that is designed to carry the current of a lightning discharge to ground; (“conducteur”)

“cone of protection” means a vertical cone that has an air-terminal point at its apex and with the radius of its base not greater than the vertical height of the air-terminal above the base; (“cône de protection”)

“connector” means a device used to make a connection between two conductors or between a conductor and another part of a system or between a conductor and a metallic object; (“raccord”)

“copper-clad steel” means steel having a continuous coating of copper welded to it, the coating of copper constituting at least one-fourth of the total cross-sectional area; (“acier recouvert de cuivre”)

“dead-end conductor” means a conductor having no grounding other than through the conductor from which it branches; (“conducteur à bout mort”)

“down-conductor” means the vertical portion of a conductor that ends at a ground connection; (“conducteur de descente”)

“fastener” means a device used to hold a conductor in place; (“fixation”)

“flat roof” means a roof that is horizontal or has a vertical rise of not more than one foot for each six feet measured horizontally; (“toit plat”)

“galvanized” means protected with a coating of zinc capable of withstanding four one-minute immersions in a saturated copper sulphate solution without showing a fixed deposit of copper; (“galvanisé”)

“gauge” means a measure of the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal in accordance with the American Wire Gauge or Brown and Sharpe Gauge Standards; (“calibre”)

“grounding” means the portion of a conductor underground that makes electrical contact with the earth; (“prise de terre”)

“ground-rod” means a solid rod of copper, copper-clad steel or galvanized steel that is used as a grounding; (“tige de mise à la terre”)

“independent grounding” means a grounding that is connected to some metallic object but not to the main system; (“prise de terre indépendante”)

“main grounding” means the portion of a grounding that is the direct continuation of a down-conductor; (“prise de terre principale”)

“metal-clad” means having sides made of or covered with metal; (“à revêtement métallique”)

“metal-roofed” means having a roof made of or covered with metal; (“à toiture métallique”)

“system” means materials assembled and installed on a building or structure for the purpose of protecting the building or structure from damage by lightning. (“système”) R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.1.

2.Sections 3 to 56 do not apply to,

(a)tall chimneys of power, heating and processing plants; or

(b)explosive-magazines, or tanks and reservoirs for flammable liquids. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.2.

Materials

3.(1)Materials used in a system shall be copper, copper alloy or aluminum unless they are,

(a)copper-clad steel and galvanized steel rods used as groundings;

(b)galvanized iron used for air-terminal supports, connectors, nails, screws, bolts, plates for making connections to a metal roof or metal siding, and separators between copper or copper alloy and aluminum; and

(c)lead used as anchors or to protect other materials from corrosion or to separate copper or copper alloy and aluminum. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.3 (1).

(2)Aluminum, whether it is part of a system or part of a structure on which it is installed, shall not be in contact with copper or copper alloy at points of attachment or connection. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.3 (2).

(3)Aluminum shall not be installed underground or embedded in concrete or masonry. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.3 (3).

4.(1)Except as provided in subsections 48 (2) and (3), cable shall,

(a)consist of not less than seven wires of soft drawn copper or aluminum, and no wire shall be less than 17-gauge copper or 14-gauge aluminum;

(b)on structures not exceeding sixty feet in height, weigh,

(i)if of copper, not less than three ounces a linear foot, and

(ii)if of aluminum, not less than two ounces a linear foot; and

(c)on structures exceeding sixty feet in height, weigh,

(i)if of copper, not less than four ounces a linear foot, and

(ii)if of aluminum, not less than 2.75 ounces a linear foot. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.4 (1).

(2)Where a structure consists of sections of different heights, the cable protecting each section shall weigh at least as much as the cable required for separate structures of the same respective heights. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.4 (2).

5.(1)Joints in cable conductors and connections to cable conductors shall withstand a pull of 200 pounds and provide permanent electrical contact. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.5 (1).

(2)A straight cable connection shall be made with a connector of at least 17-gauge malleable copper or copper alloy or 14-gauge aluminum and shall be of such design as ensures contact of the connector with at least three inches of each of the interconnected cables. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.5 (2).

(3)A T or Y cable connection shall be made,

(a)with a connector of at least 17-gauge malleable copper or copper alloy or 14-gauge aluminum and shall be of such design as ensures contact of the connector with at least one inch of the continuous run of cable and,

(i)where the connector is bolted, ensures contact with at least two inches of the branch cable, or

(ii)where the connector is crimped, ensures contact with at least three inches of the branch cable; or

(b)by unravelling at least ten inches of the end of one cable and dividing it into two equal or nearly equal parts and tightly wrapping the two parts in opposite directions around and along the other cable and securing the ends of the wires against becoming loose. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.5 (3).

(4)Where two cables cross each other, they shall be bonded by a crimped, bolted or riveted connector fitted snugly around both cables or by wrapping them together at the intersection with not less than four loops of 14-gauge or larger wire. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.5 (4).

6.(1)Except as provided in subsections 48 (2) and (3), strap conductors shall be at least 17-gauge copper or 14-gauge aluminum, not less than 1½ inches wide on buildings and structures not exceeding sixty feet in height, and not less than two inches wide on buildings and structures exceeding sixty feet in height. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.6 (1).

(2)Holes in strap conductors to accommodate bolts, rivets and screws shall be spaced at least three-quarters of an inch from centre to centre and at least one-quarter of an inch from the edges of the strap. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.6 (2).

(3)When used to ground or interconnect metallic bodies, strap conductors shall have only such holes as are necessary for fasteners, connections and adjustment of the strap. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.6 (3).

7.(1)A straight, T or Y strap connection shall be made by means of at least two bolts or two rivets and with an overlap equal to the width of the strap. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.7 (1).

(2)Where two strap conductors cross, they shall be bonded by means of a bolt or rivet. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.7 (2).

(3)Rivets and bolts used in making strap connections shall be of at least one-quarter of an inch in diameter and of suitable length to ensure a tight connection. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.7 (3).

8.(1)A T or Y connection shall be made,

(a)between a continuous run of cable and a strap conductor,

(i)with a connector tightly fitted around at least one inch of the cable and secured to the strap conductor by one bolt or two rivets, or

(ii)by bolting or rivetting the strap conductor around and in tight contact with the cable; and

(b)between a branch cable and a strap conductor with a connector,

(i)tightly fitted around at least two inches of the cable, if the connector is bolted, or at least three inches, if it is crimped, and

(ii)secured to the strap conductor by one bolt or two rivets. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.8 (1).

(2)A cross connection between a cable and a strap conductor shall be made by means of a 17-gauge copper, or 14-gauge aluminum, connector,

(a)shaped to fit over the cable; and

(b)secured to the strap conductor by means of bolts or rivets. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.8 (2).

9.Except as provided in subsection 49 (2) and subsection 50 (2), extended metal attachments or metal parts of buildings and structures shall not be substituted for conductors unless the metal is permanently electrically continuous and consists of copper, copper alloy or aluminum with an exposed area of at least eight inches in width throughout its length or a solid cross-sectional area of at least 1½ square inches, but, for monuments or similar structures, heavy and extensive parts consisting of other conducting metals and weighing at least three pounds a linear foot may be used instead of conductors. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.9.

10.(1)Except as provided in subsection 49 (2) and subsection 50 (2), conductors shall be coursed over roofs and along roof-ridges and parapets so as to interconnect the air-terminals in as direct a path as is practicable and over the eaves in as direct a path as is practicable to the best locations for ground connections, but, where the nature or construction of a roof is such that it is difficult or objectionable to make attachments to the roof, the conductor may be coursed on the facing-board parallel to the roof, and a connection shall be made near the eaves between any metal eavestrough and the conductor, and in the case of metal roofs, between the metal eaves and the conductor. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.10 (1).

(2)There shall be at least two down-conductors on each building and structure except flag poles, masts, similar slender objects and silos that do not require more than one grounding under subsection 53 (3). R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.10 (2).

(3)On flat roofs, conductors shall be coursed within two feet of the edges of the roof or on the parapets, but on flat roofs of dormers, conductors are not required within two feet of eaves that are less than fifty feet in length. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.10 (3).

(4)On a flat roof, in addition to conductors within two feet of the edges of the roof or on the parapets, conductors shall be coursed over the roof so that there are parallel conductors not more than fifty feet apart,

(a)in one direction if the shorter dimension of the roof is more than fifty feet but less than 100 feet; and

(b)in two directions if the shorter dimension is 100 feet or more. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.10 (4).

11.(1)No dead-end conductor shall exceed sixteen feet in length. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (1).

(2)No conductor shall be electrically insulated from the building or structure on which it is installed. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (2).

(3)Except as provided in subsection 31 (2) for the protection of groundings from corrosion, no conductor shall be run through metal pipe other than pipe of copper, copper alloy or aluminum, and the conductor shall be electrically connected to each end of the pipe. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (3).

(4)No conductor shall be coursed across a roof-slope near the eaves or in any other location where snow or ice might dislodge or damage the conductor. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (4).

(5)No conductor shall be suspended for a distance of more than four feet without adequate intermediate support. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (5).

(6)Any conductor around a chimney, eaves or other projecting part of a structure shall not be coursed abruptly, but shall be coursed on an open curve or angle. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (6).

(7)Where practicable, no conductor shall be less than six feet from metal frames and cases of electrical equipment, metal conduits and other metal raceways, but if a separation of six feet is not practicable, they shall be interconnected with the conductor. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (7).

(8)Where practicable, no conductor shall be within six feet of,

(a)exposed electric or telephone wires; or

(b)radio or television antennae. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (8).

(9)No conductor shall be within six feet of a tank containing a flammable liquid or gas. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.11 (9).

12.Conductors shall be coursed neatly and sufficiently tight to present a good appearance, but on grain elevators and other structures subject to physical deformation through cycles of loading and unloading, the conductors shall have sufficient flexibility to guard against breakage. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.12.

13.Conductors shall be coursed so that there is not a rise of more than ten inches from any point in the conductor to any other point in the conductor in reaching at least one grounding, except that in the case of dead-end conductors there shall not be more than a six-inch rise, and in no case shall there be a rise of more than one inch in any two inches horizontally. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.13.

14.Where practicable, no conductor shall be within six feet of metal stalls, stanchions, litter-carrier tracks, pipes, posts, beams, water-tanks, stoves, furnaces or other interior metal objects, but if it is within six feet the conductor shall be connected to them, as prescribed in section 45. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.14.

15.Where a cupola, ventilator or other obstruction prevents a straight run of conductor, the conductor shall be coursed horizontally around the obstruction and, where the obstruction is of size or design requiring more than one air-terminal, the conductor shall also be coursed over the obstruction. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.15.

Down-Conductors

16.(1)On rectangular buildings and structures with roofs other than flat roofs there shall be at least two down-conductors, and, if the structure is more than 100 feet in length, there shall be an additional down-conductor for each sixty feet or part thereof in excess of 100 feet. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.16 (1).

(2)On rectangular buildings and structures with flat roofs there shall be at least two down-conductors and, where the perimeter of the building is more than 200 feet, there shall be an additional down-conductor for each 100 feet or part thereof in excess of 200 feet. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.16 (2).

17.(1)On buildings with L, T or off-set wing portions, conductors shall be provided for the main portion as if it were independent of the wing portions, but, where practicable, the down-conductors on the main portion may serve as down-conductors for the wing portions by connecting the conductors on the wing portions to them. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.17 (1).

(2)A wing portion of a building having its roof-ridge on the same level as, or less than five feet below, the roof-ridge of the main portion, measured along the roof-slope, shall have an additional down-conductor for each eighty feet of length or part thereof, measured along the wall or foundation, and the conductors on the wing portion and the main portion shall be interconnected at the junction of the two ridges. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.17 (2).

(3)Except as provided in section 54, a wing portion of a building having its roof-ridge more than five feet below the roof-ridge of the main portion, measured along the roof-slope, shall have two down-conductors and, where the wing portion is more than 100 feet in length, measured along the wall or foundation, the wing portion shall have an additional down-conductor for each sixty feet of length or part thereof in excess of 100 feet and, where the roof-ridge of a wing portion intersects the upper half of a main roof, the conductor on the ridge of the wing portion shall be connected with the conductor of the ridge of the main portion. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.17 (3).

18.(1)Where the roof-ridge of the interconnecting portion of an H-shaped building is not more than ten inches below the roof-ridges of the main portions of the building, the roof-ridge of the interconnecting portion shall have a down-conductor if its roof-ridge extends more than 100 feet, and an additional down-conductor if the roof-ridge extends more than 140 feet. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.18 (1).

(2)Where the roof-ridge of the interconnecting portion of an H-shaped building is more than ten inches below the roof-ridges of the main portions of the building, the roof-ridge of the interconnecting portion shall have a down-conductor and, if the roof-ridge extends more than sixty feet, an additional down-conductor for each sixty feet of interconnecting roof-ridge or part thereof in excess of sixty feet. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.18 (2).

19.(1)Down-conductors on schools shall be protected from damage or displacement by means of wood in the form of moulding, box or trough extending to a height of at least ten feet from the ground and securely fastened to the wall,

(a)on wood, by at least two metal straps and screws; and

(b)on brick or masonry, by two metal straps and screws in lead anchors. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.19 (1).

(2)On barns and other buildings where down-conductors are likely to be displaced or damaged by livestock or vehicles, the down-conductors shall be protected against displacement or damage. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.19 (2).

Fasteners

20.(1)Conductors shall be securely attached in place with fasteners suitable for the type and size of conductor and the nature of the structure. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.20 (1).

(2)Lead may be used for anchors in brickwork or masonry but wedges of wood shall not be used as anchors for fasteners. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.20 (2).

(3)Fasteners shall consist of straps and screws, screw-shank fasteners, fan-shank fasteners and drive-shank fasteners, and each fastener shall when installed, be capable of withstanding a direct pull of 100 pounds. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.20 (3).

(4)Where the use of a fastener mentioned in subsection (3) might result in damage to a roof, a cast fastener that is affixed to the roof with a suitable adhesive may be used if the fastener is capable of withstanding a direct pull of 50 pounds and is provided with a fork of substantial construction that can be closed around a cable by bending without causing cracks in the metal. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 712, s.20 (4).

(5)Strap conductors shall be securely supported in place,

(a)on wood, by means of screw-nails or drive-screws spaced at intervals of not more than six feet if installed in pairs and not more than three feet if installed singly; and