GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

May 19, 2005 

The Honorable Robert E. Andrews 

The Honorable Steven C. LaTourette 

House of Representatives 

Subject: Federal Real Property: Lightning Protection Systems for Federal 

Buildings 

Your letter, dated June 30, 2004, to the Comptroller General expressed concern 

that the federal government may not have a uniform approach to protecting its 

facilities from lightning strikes. As a result, you requested a GAO study on issues 

related to whether the federal government should adopt a uniform standard for 

lightning protection systems. We selected four agencies for this study—the 

General Services Administration (GSA), the Veterans Health Administration 

(VHA), the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and the Department of Defense (DOD).1

 

These agencies hold over 80 percent (in terms of square footage) of the 

government’s owned and leased property. The objectives of this study were to 

determine (1) to what extent these selected federal agencies use applicable 

lightning protection standard(s) to help protect buildings they own from lightning 

strikes; (2) how these selected federal agencies assess the need for lightning 

protection systems on their buildings; (3) what practices and lightning protection 

standard(s) the General Services Administration uses when leasing privately 

owned buildings; and (4) what data exist related to the financial impact of 

lightning protection and damage to the federal government, such as the number of 

buildings with lightning protection systems, the costs associated with installing 

lightning protection systems, and the costs to repair buildings struck by lightning. 

We conducted our work from December 2004 through April 2005 in accordance 

with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

This report summarizes information we provided to your staff during our April 29, 

2005, briefing. The briefing slides are attached as enclosure I. 

Background 

According to the Lightning Protection Institute,2

 lightning kills nearly 100 people 

every year in the United States, injures hundreds of others, and causes billions of 

 

1

 For purposes of this report, we use the term “agency” to include all four federal entities. 

2

 The Lightning Protection Institute is a nationwide not-for-profit organization. According to the Institute, 

it seeks to promote and enforce quality and safety in the design and installation of lightning protection 

systems. 

United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 
Page 2 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

dollars in property damage; it often results in fire and total property loss. In the 

1700s, Benjamin Franklin proposed a method of protecting structures from the 

effects of lightning. The method was based on his observations, which suggested 

that (1) lightning preferentially strikes elevated objects and (2) the energy from 

lightning can be transmitted to and dissipated in the earth (thereby redirecting the 

energy away from a building’s structure) through a suitable network of 

conductors and grounding electrodes—a lightning protection system. Various 

approaches to lightning protection have been tried over the past 250 years, and 

many have been described and published as lightning protection standards. 

To help protect people and property, the National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA) first adopted specifications for installing lightning protection systems on 

buildings in 1904. Those specifications have evolved over time and are now 

referred to as NFPA-780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection 

Systems. The most recent version of the document was approved by the 

American National Standards Institute in August 2004.3

 To help architects, 

engineers, and others decide whether their commercial, industrial, farm, 

institutional, or residential buildings (ordinary buildings) need protection from 

lightning, NFPA-780 also provides a methodology for determining whether a 

building is at risk from lightning and for deciding whether lightning protection 

should be installed. Other standards related to the installation of lightning 

protection systems augment NFPA-780, including standards developed by (1) the 

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) and (2) agencies with special needs, such as 

buildings that house munitions and explosives (nonordinary buildings). 

Results of Our Study 

We found the following: 

• When decisions are made to install lightning protection systems, all of the 

agencies in our review—GSA, VHA, USPS, and DOD—require the systems 

to be installed in accordance with NFPA-780. This standard (1) describes, 

among other things, the dimensions and the types of materials to be used; 

(2) illustrates the correct placement of lightning conductors on various 

types of roofs; and (3) contains additional material such as information 

about lightning theory, measurement techniques, and methods for 

protecting parked aircraft. The policies of all of the agencies also explicitly 

require that the materials and installation comply with standards in UL 96 

and/or UL 96A, respectively.4

 These standards contain requirements, such 

as the use of certified installers, that help ensure that NFPA-780 is followed 

and that the lightning protection systems will operate as intended. 

 

3

 The American National Standards Institute is a private, nonprofit organization that accredits the 

procedures of organizations that develop standards. 

4

 GSA recently revised its policy on April 1, 2005, to require the use of UL 96. Its prior policy was not 

explicit on this point; however, GSA officials told us that the agency followed UL 96 and UL 96A as 

appropriate. 
Page 3 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

• When designing new buildings or renovating existing ones, USPS, VHA, and 

DOD’s Navy specifically require the use of NFPA-780’s risk assessment and 

decision-making methodology for deciding whether to install a lightning 

protection system. To determine whether a lightning protection system 

should be installed, the methodology assesses risk using such variables as 

(1) the value of a building’s contents, (2) the type and size of the building, 

(3) the number of occupants in the building, and (4) the frequency of 

lightning strikes in the building’s vicinity.5

 If the estimated lightning risk 

exceeds an accepted (tolerable) level of risk, NFPA-780 recommends the 

installation of a lightning protection system. Another agency—GSA—did 

not explicitly require the preparation of lightning risk assessments until 

April 2005.6

 However, GSA officials told us that in practice, the agency 

routinely required architects and engineers to use NFPA-780’s risk 

assessment and decision-making methodology when designing or 

renovating buildings. Finally, although the Army and the Air Force do not 

currently follow NFPA-780’s risk assessment and decision-making 

methodology, they have identified related variables for assessing risk and 

making decisions to install lightning protection systems when designing 

new buildings or renovating existing ones. Specifically, their current 

guidance requires installing a lightning protection system on a building if 

the frequency of lightning is more than five thunderstorms per year and if 

the building (1) is 50 feet or higher; (2) has four stories with elevators, 

stairwell penthouses, or other similar projections above the roof; or (3) has 

five or more floors with or without projections. Other factors, such as 

whether the building is occupied or has valuable contents, may also be 

considered. The three military services, as part of DOD’s Unified Facilities 

Criteria Development Program, are working to develop consistent guidance 

across the services. A draft of that guidance mandates the use of NFPA780’s risk assessment and decision-making methodology and allows each 

service to consider additional factors, such as whether the building is 

mission critical and whether the value of the building’s contents is 

significant. According to DOD, a final draft of this new guidance is 

expected late this fall. 

• GSA leases buildings for its use and for many executive branch agencies.7

 

According to GSA officials, its lease agreements with private building 

owners do not require buildings to have lightning protection systems. 

 

5

 NFPA-780 risk assessment and decision-making methodology does not explicitly include cost as 

suggested by guidance from the Office of Management and Budget. However, our analysis indicates that 

cost may be implicitly considered, because installation of lightning protection systems is not recommended 

at all locations where lightning risk exists. 

6

 The agency’s new policy states that “[t]he decision to recommend a lightning protection system shall be 

made at the earliest stages of design and shall be supported by a study as prescribed by NFPA-780.” 

7

 Other agencies have special requirements and have authority to lease their own buildings. One such 

agency is VHA. VHA officials told us that because their buildings house patients in critical care and 

support patients on life-sustaining medical systems, their agency requires more stringent standards than 

those provided by GSA. 
Page 4 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

However, its lease agreements do require building owners to conform to all 

applicable state and local building codes, including those concerning the 

installation of lightning protection systems, where required. The officials 

also said that unlike federally owned facilities, any costs to repair federally 

leased properties struck by lightning are the responsibility of the building 

owner. In some circumstances, GSA enters into a “design/build” 

arrangement with private companies with the intent of leasing back a 

building. We were told by agency officials that in such cases, GSA requires 

that building design and construction be done in accordance with federal 

standards, including those concerning the installation of lightning 

protection systems, where required. 

• Various data exist, but they are outdated, unreliable, or incomplete. For 

example, industry data on the financial impact of lightning are outdated 

and not specific to the federal government. Likewise, although the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects data 

on fatalities, injuries, casualties, and damages due to lightning strikes, the 

data also are not specific to the federal government. Moreover, NOAA 

acknowledged that the data are often unreliable and incomplete because 

the agency’s personnel are unaware of all of the incidents of lightning. As a 

result, a number of incidents are never documented. GSA compiles 

information on federal properties and annually publishes a worldwide 

inventory of federal properties, which includes information about the 

physical characteristics and value of each property. However, GSA does 

not currently collect information about the number of buildings with 

lightning protection systems. Finally, none of the agencies we reviewed 

collect data on, among other things, (1) the number of buildings with 

lightning protection systems, (2) the costs associated with installing 

lightning protection systems, and (3) the costs to repair buildings struck by 

lightning. Local agency officials also do not collect this data; although they 

maintain information such as building maintenance records, the 

information is incomplete and not readily available. According to agency 

officials, agencies do not specifically maintain or track data related to 

lightning strikes because such strikes are rare and, consequently, not a 

problem. Nevertheless, agency officials identified 20 possible lightning 

strikes associated with their buildings over the last 10 or more years. 

According to the officials, the total cost of repairs was about $636,000 

ranging from $300 to repair a roof at a GSA facility to $207,000 to replace a 

fire alarm system at a postal facility. No deaths or injuries were reported. 

In summary, the four agencies in our review account for the vast majority of the 

government’s owned and leased property and have adopted NFPA-780, the 

national standard for installing lightning protection systems. These agencies also 

follow or plan to follow NFPA-780’s risk assessment and decision-making 

methodology for determining when lightning protection systems should be 

installed. Although none of the agencies collect data on lightning-related 

damages, federal agency officials we interviewed from geographical areas where 
Page 5 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

lightning incidents were relatively frequent did not consider lightning a significant 

concern, partly because they believed adequate measures had already been taken 

to protect their buildings. 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 

We provided a draft of our April 29, 2005, briefing to each of the four agencies for 

their review and comment. We also provided NOAA with applicable excerpts 

from the draft. All four agencies agreed with our findings. GSA, DOD, and NOAA 

provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. 

Scope and Methodology 

To satisfy the objectives of our engagement, we interviewed headquarters officials 

from GSA, VHA, USPS, and DOD. These agencies hold over 80 percent (in terms 

of square footage) of the government’s owned and leased property. We obtained 

and reviewed the agencies’ standards and policies for assessing the need for and 

installing lightning protection systems on their ordinary buildings, information 

about requirements for leasing ordinary buildings, and available data on the 

financial impact to the government. We also contacted officials from NOAA and 

Vaisala Inc. to obtain data on the frequency and location of lightning strikes. 

Vaisala Inc. is a private company that operates a national lightning detection 

network and publishes flash density maps showing the locations and frequency of 

lightning.8

 We used this data to select locations for 12 additional interviews with 

field officials at GSA, VHA, and USPS, as well as officials from DOD’s military 

services—the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. We conducted 6 of the 12 

interviews with officials in areas that have the highest incidences of lightning 

strikes according to Vaisala Inc.’s data.9 The other six interviews were conducted 

with field officials in areas that experience fewer lightning strikes.10 Finally, we 

spoke with officials from NFPA, UL,11 the Lightning Protection Institute, and 

various lightning protection system manufacturers and installers to obtain, among 

other information, their views on lightning protection standards. 

 

8

 Vaisala Inc. operates a system of approximately 100 sensors throughout the United States to detect and 

track lightning strikes. Its parent company is headquartered in Finland. 

9

 We identified locations with the highest incidences of lightning (nine or more lightning strikes per square 

kilometer per year) using Vaisala Inc.’s 1996-2000 flash density map, as of December 31, 2000. These 

areas generally include states in the Southeast region of the country, such as Florida, Alabama, and 

Louisiana. 

10 According to Vaisala Inc.’s 1996-2000 flash density map, these areas, which include the states of Texas, 

Arkansas, and West Virginia, had fewer than nine strikes per square kilometer per year. 

11 According to UL, it has been testing and certifying lightning protection equipment since 1908. For a fee, 

UL issues certificates of conformance for systems, inspects system components, and checks completed 

installations. Installations are required to comply with UL’s standards for lightning protection systems. 
Page 6 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

Copies of this letter are being sent to interested congressional members, the 

Secretaries of DOD and VHA, the Administrators of GSA and NOAA, and the 

Postmaster General. We will also make copies available to others upon request. 

In addition, the report will be available at no charge on the GAO Web site at 

http://www.gao.gov. If you or your staff members have any questions about this 

report, please contact me at goldsteinm@gao.gov or at (202) 512-2834. Key 

contributors to this assignment were Tamera L. Dorland, Steve Martinez, Kathleen 

J. Turner, and Dale M. Yuge. 

Mark L. Goldstein 

Director, Physical Infrastructure Team 

Enclosure
Enclosure I 

Page 7 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

Lightning Protection Systems for Federal Buildings 

1

Lightning Protection Systems

for Federal Buildings

Briefing for 

Representative Robert E. Andrews and 

Representative Steven C. LaTourette

April 29, 2005
Enclosure I 

Page 8 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

2

Background

 According to the Lightning Protection Institute,1 lightning kills nearly one 

hundred people every year in the United States, injures hundreds of others, 

and causes billions of dollars in property damage, often resulting in fire and 

total property loss. 

 To help protect people and property, the National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA) first adopted specifications for installing lightning protection systems on 

buildings in 1904. Those specifications have evolved over time and are now 

referred to as NFPA-780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection 

Systems. The most recent version of the document was approved by the 

American National Standards Institute in August 2004.2

1 The Lightning Protection Institute is a nationwide not-for-profit organization. According to the Institute, it seeks to promote and 

enforce quality and safety in the design and installation of lightning protection systems.

2 The American National Standards Institute is a private, nonprofit organization that accredits the procedures of organizations that 

develop standards. 
Enclosure I 

Page 9 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

3

Background

 To help architects, engineers, and others decide whether their commercial, 

industrial, farm, institutional, or residential buildings (ordinary buildings) need 

protection from lightning,3 NFPA-780 also provides a methodology for 

determining whether a building is at risk from lightning and for deciding whether 

lightning protection should be installed. 

 Other standards related to the installation of lightning protection systems 

augment NFPA-780, including standards developed by (1) the Underwriters 

Laboratories Inc. (UL) and (2) federal agencies with special needs, such as 

buildings that house munitions and explosives (non-ordinary buildings).

3 A lightning protection system helps protect a building from lightning by redirecting the energy through the system and away from

a building’s structure.
Enclosure I 

Page 10 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

4

Objectives

You asked us to determine

 to what extent selected federal agencies use applicable lightning protection 

standard(s) to help protect buildings they own from lightning strikes;

 how selected federal agencies assess the need for lightning protection systems 

on their buildings;

 what practices and lightning protection standard(s) the General Services 

Administration uses when leasing privately owned buildings; and

 what data exists related to the financial impact of lightning protection and 

damage to the federal government, such as the number of buildings with 

lightning protection systems, the costs associated with installing lightning 

protection systems, and the costs to repair buildings struck by lightning. 
Enclosure I 

Page 11 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

5

Scope and Methodology

 To satisfy the objectives of our engagement, we interviewed headquarters 

officials from the General Services Administration (GSA), the Veterans Health 

Administration (VHA), the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and the Department of 

Defense (DOD). These four agencies hold over 80 percent (square footage) of 

the government’s owned and leased property.4

 We obtained and reviewed the agencies’ standards and policies for assessing 

the need for and installing lightning protection systems on their ordinary 

buildings, information about requirements for leasing ordinary buildings, and 

available data on the financial impact to the government.

4 For purposes of this presentation, we use the term “agency” to include all four federal entities.
Enclosure I 

Page 12 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

6

Scope and Methodology

• We also contacted officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) and Vaisala Inc. to obtain data on the frequency 

and location of lightning strikes. Vaisala Inc. is a private company that 

operates a national lightning detection network and publishes flash 

density maps showing the locations and frequency of lightning.5 We used 

this data to select locations for 12 additional interviews with field officials 

at GSA, VHA, and USPS, as well as officials from DOD’s military 

services—the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force.

5 Vaisala Inc. operates a system of approximately 100 sensors throughout the United States to detect and track lightning strikes. Its parent company 

is headquartered in Finland.
Enclosure I 

Page 13 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

7

Scope and Methodology

 Six of the twelve interviews were conducted with officials in areas that have the 

highest incidences of lightning strikes according to Vaisala Inc.’s data.6 The 

other six interviews were conducted with field officials in areas that experience 

fewer lightning strikes.7 

6 We identified locations with the highest incidences of lightning (nine or more lightning strikes per square kilometer per year) 

using Vaisala Inc.’s 1996-2000 flash density map, as of December 31, 2000. These areas generally include states in the 

Southeast region of the country, such as Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana.

7According to Vaisala Inc.’s 1996-2000 flash density map, these areas, which include the states of Texas, Arkansas, and West 

Virginia, had fewer than nine strikes per square kilometer per year. 
Enclosure I 

Page 14 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

8

Scope and Methodology

 Finally, we spoke with officials from the NFPA, UL,8 the Lightning Protection 

Institute, and various lightning protection system manufacturers and installers 

to obtain, among other information, their views on lightning protection 

standards. We conducted our work from December 2004 through April 2005 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

8 According to UL, it has been testing and certifying lightning protection equipment since 1908. For a fee, UL issues certificates of 

conformance for systems, inspects system components, and checks completed installations. Installations are required to comply 

with UL’s standards for lightning protection systems.
Enclosure I 

Page 15 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

9

Objective 1: All Four Agencies Require the Use of 

NFPA-780, at a Minimum, to Help Protect Their 

Buildings from Lightning Strikes

 When decisions are made to install lightning protection systems, all of the 

selected agencies require the systems to be installed in accordance with 

NFPA-780—the standard approved by the American National Standards 

Institute. 

 The policies of all of the agencies also explicitly require that the materials and 

installation comply with standards in UL 96 and/or UL 96A, respectively.9

These standards contain requirements, such as the use of certified installers, 

which help ensure that NFPA-780 is followed and that the lightning protection 

systems will operate as intended. 

9 GSA recently revised its policy to require the use of UL 96. Its prior policy was not explicit on this point; however, GSA officials 

told us that the agency followed UL 96 and UL 96A, as appropriate.
Enclosure I 

Page 16 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

10

Objective 1: All Four Agencies Require the Use of 

NFPA-780, at a Minimum, to Help Protect Their 

Buildings from Lightning Strikes

 In addition to NFPA-780 and UL standards, some organizations also require 

adherence to more stringent standards, such as military standards applicable 

to explosive manufacturing and storage facilities.
Enclosure I 

Page 17 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

11

Objective 2: All Four Agencies Follow or Plan to Follow 

NFPA-780’s Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Methodology

 When designing new buildings or renovating existing ones, three of the six 

organizations—USPS, VHA, and DOD’s Navy—specifically require the use of 

NFPA-780’s risk assessment and decision-making methodology for deciding 

whether to install a lightning protection system. To calculate whether a 

lightning protection system should be installed, the methodology assesses risk 

using several variables, such as (1) the value of a building’s contents, (2) the 

type and size of the building, (3) the number of occupants in the building, and 

(4) the frequency of lightning strikes in the building’s area.10 If the estimated 

lightning risk exceeds an accepted (tolerable) level of risk, NFPA-780 

recommends the installation of a lightning protection system.

10 NFPA-780’s risk assessment and decision-making methodology does not explicitly include cost as suggested by guidance from 

the Office of Management and Budget. However, our analysis indicates that cost may be implicitly considered, since the 

installation of lightning protection systems is not recommended at all locations where lightning risk exists.
Enclosure I 

Page 18 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

12

Objective 2: All Four Agencies Follow or Plan to Follow 

NFPA-780’s Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Methodology

 Until recently, GSA did not explicitly require the preparation of lightning 

risk assessments. However, GSA officials told us that, in practice, the 

agency routinely required architects and engineers to use NFPA-780’s 

risk assessment and decision-making methodology when designing or 

renovating buildings. The agency’s new policy, effective April 1, 2005, 

states that “the decision to recommend a lightning protection system 

shall be made at the earliest stages of design and shall be supported by 

a study as prescribed by NFPA-780.” 
Enclosure I 

Page 19 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

13

Objective 2: All Four Agencies Follow or Plan to Follow 

NFPA-780’s Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Methodology

 While the Army and the Air Force do not currently follow NFPA-780’s risk 

assessment and decision-making methodology, they have identified 

related variables for assessing risk and making decisions to install 

lightning protection systems when designing new buildings or renovating 

existing ones. Specifically, their current guidance requires installing a 

lightning protection system on a building if the frequency of lightning is 

more than five thunderstorms per year and if the building (1) is 50 feet or 

higher; (2) has four stories with elevators, stairwell penthouses, or other 

similar projections above the roof; or (3) has five or more floors with or 

without projections. Other factors, such as whether the building is 

occupied or has valuable contents, may also be considered.
Enclosure I 

Page 20 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

14

Objective 2: All Four Agencies Follow or Plan to Follow 

NFPA-780’s Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Methodology

 The three military services, as part of DOD’s Unified Facilities Criteria 

Development Program, are working on developing consistent guidance 

across the services. A draft of that guidance mandates the use of NFPA780’s risk assessment and decision-making methodology and allows 

each service to consider additional factors, such as whether the building 

is mission critical and whether the value of the building’s contents is 

significant. According to DOD, a final draft of this new guidance is 

expected late this fall.
Enclosure I 

Page 21 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

15

Objective 2: All Four Agencies Follow or Plan to Follow 

NFPA-780’s Risk Assessment and Decision-Making Methodology

 Because NFPA-780 and its risk assessment methodology continue to 

evolve, agency officials told us that existing buildings, especially older 

ones, may not have current lightning protection systems. As a result, 

they said their agencies routinely upgrade buildings in accordance with 

all current codes and standards when they renovate them. Even when 

they are not renovating, agency officials told us that they often add 

lightning protection systems to older buildings that contain mission critical 

equipment.
Enclosure I 

Page 22 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

16

Objective 3: GSA Typically Follows Local Building Codes When 

Leasing Privately Owned Buildings

 GSA leases buildings for its use and for most federal agencies. According to 

GSA officials, its lease agreements with private building owners do not require 

buildings to have lightning protection systems. However, its lease agreements 

do require building owners to conform to all applicable state and local building 

codes, including those concerning the installation of lightning protection 

systems, where required. Unlike federally owned facilities, any costs to repair 

federally leased properties struck by lightning are the responsibility of the 

building owner.

 In some circumstances, GSA enters into a “design/build” arrangement with 

private companies with the intent of leasing back a building. We were told by 

agency officials that, in such cases, GSA requires the buildings to be designed 

and constructed in accordance with federal standards, including those 

concerning the installation of lightning protection systems, where required.
Enclosure I 

Page 23 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

17

Objective 4: Limited Data Exist on the Financial Impact of 

Lightning Strikes to Federal Buildings

 Data exist, but they are outdated, unreliable, or incomplete.

3⁄4 Industry data exist on the financial impact of lightning, but they are 

outdated and not specific to the federal government.

3⁄4 NOAA collects data on fatalities, injuries, casualties, and damages 

due to lightning strikes; however, the data are not specific to the 

federal government. Moreover, NOAA acknowledged that the data 

are often unreliable and incomplete because the agency’s personnel 

are unaware of all the incidences of lightning. As a result, a number 

of incidences are never documented.

3⁄4 GSA compiles information on federal properties and publishes a 

worldwide inventory of federal properties, which includes information 

about the physical characteristics and value of each property. 

However, GSA does not currently collect information about the 

number of buildings with lightning protection systems.
Enclosure I 

Page 24 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

18

Objective 4: Limited Data Exist on the Financial Impact of 

Lightning Strikes to Federal Buildings

3⁄4 All four agencies we reviewed do not collect data on, among other things, 

(1) the number of buildings with lightning protection systems, (2) the costs 

associated with installing lightning protection systems, and (3) the costs to 

repair buildings struck by lightning.

3⁄4 Local agency officials also do not collect this data and, although they 

maintain information such as building maintenance records, the 

information is incomplete and not readily available. 

3⁄4 According to agency officials, agencies do not specifically maintain or 

track data related to lightning strikes because such strikes are rare and, 

consequently, not a problem.
Enclosure I 

Page 25 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

19

Objective 4: Limited Data Exist on the Financial Impact of 

Lightning Strikes to Federal Buildings

 We spoke to over 50 agency officials, at headquarters and field locations, who 

are responsible for thousands of federal buildings, and determined that none of 

them views lightning as a significant concern at their facilities. In fact, none of 

these officials could recall any major consequences associated with lightning 

strikes to their buildings. They said that, where lightning struck, the majority of 

the damage occurred to the buildings’ electrical systems—not the buildings’ 

structures.11 According to the officials, natural disasters such as hurricanes 

and tornadoes cause far greater damage and are of much more concern than 

lightning.

11 Lightning protection systems help protect a building’s structure. Such systems, however, are not intended to protect a building’s 

electrical systems when lightning strikes in the building’s vicinity. Additional measures are needed to protect electrical systems 

from power surges associated with these strikes.
Enclosure I 

Page 26 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

20

Objective 4: Limited Data Exist on the Financial Impact of 

Lightning Strikes to Federal Buildings

 While all of the agencies reported that lightning strikes to their buildings were 

rare or nonexistent, officials in 6 of the 12 field locations we contacted provided 

anecdotal information about lightning incidents. The officials identified 20 

possible lightning strikes associated with their buildings over the last 10 or 

more years.12 According to the officials, the total cost of repairs was about 

$636,000, and ranged from $300 to repair a roof at a GSA facility to $207,000 

to replace a fire alarm system at a postal facility. No deaths or injuries were 

reported.

12 Based on available information, some of the 20 incidents appear to have been caused by electricity spikes to electrical systems

rather than by direct lightning strikes to buildings.
Enclosure I 

Page 27 GAO-05-682R Lightning Protection 

21

Agency Comments

 We provided a draft of this presentation to each of the four agencies for their 

review and comment. We also provided NOAA with applicable excerpts from 

the draft. All four agencies agreed with our findings. GSA, DOD, and NOAA 

provided minor technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. 

(543116)

(543131) 
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Gloria Jarmon, Managing Director, JarmonG@gao.gov (202) 512-4400 

U.S. Government Accountability Office, 441 G Street NW, Room 7125 

Washington, D.C. 20548 

Paul Anderson, Managing Director, AndersonP1@gao.gov (202) 512-4800 

U.S. Government Accountability Office, 441 G Street NW, Room 7149 

Washington, D.C. 20548 

GAO’s Mission 

Obtaining Copies of 

GAO Reports and 

Testimony 

Order by Mail or Phone 

To Report Fraud, 

Waste, and Abuse in 

Federal Programs 

Congressional 

Relations 

Public Affairs 

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