Alan Dransfield's Blog

Email sent – 27 August 2014 06:19

Dear Mr Bradshaw

As you are aware, there are a number of buildings and structures in Devon which have been built within the last decade which have not been provisioned with Lightning Protection Systems( LPS) as required by law and by the BS/EN62305/2008.

A reminder of just some of these premises.

1. Six PFI schools
2. Numerous new buildings at the RDE.
3. John Lewis store in Sidwell Street
4. Exeter chiefs rugby stadium and bridge.
5. Numerous bridges in Exeter and Devon.
6. New climber centre on the quay.
7. Refurbished Library
8. Southern-hay Shopping Complex

The BS/EN 62305/2006 is very clear for the Risk Assessment in Chapter2.

R1. loss of human life
R2. Loss of public service
R3 loss of cultural heritage
R4. Loss of economic value

Can you please explain to me why you have completely ignored my correspondence on LPSRA?

With thanks

Alan M Dransfield

Subject: Exeter City Council Lightning Failures

Dear Mr Bradshaw

I acknowledge and thank you for your recent letter with an attached letter from the Exeter City Council.

Quite frankly, the ECC response is most disconcerting and it would appear to me that the senior management at the ECC are completely clueless to lightning dangers and requirements for the same..

quote from the Assistant Director Of Development Mr Richard Short:-

“LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE SIGNIFICANT RISK TO HEALTH. IT’S MAIN IMPACT TENDS TO BE ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, IT SYSTEMS & ALARMS.”

Such statements are pure, unadulterated hogwash and he should not be in the position of trust which he currently holds if he doesn’t have the basic knowledge of electrical protection for buildings and structures and the general public’s safety and in particular BS/EN-62305/2008.

No wonder the City of Exeter has so many non-compliant structures and buildings which have not been provisioned with minimum lightning protection.

He also claims the ECC former planning office Mr Alan Stokes was in regular touch with me, which is incorrect because Alan Stokes was also oblivious to lightning dangers and ignored my letters of concern..

Mr Short goes on to say,” THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT IN BUILDING REGULATIONS OR PLANNING APPROVAL FOR LIGHTNING PROTECTION”.

There is a requirement to adhere to

1. BS/EN 62305/2008.

2.Construction Design Management (CDM 2004/07)

3.The Electrical Works Act 1998.

All three acts most certainly clearly state that a Lightning Risk Assessment shall be carried out at design phase.

I request my MP to now call for an emergency meeting with the ECC and the HSE to address the apparent ignorance of lightning protection in the City.

Did you not do the basic Faraday Cage history at school Mr Bradshaw? Obviously not or you would not have said Mr Richard Short’s letter would be useful to me. His letter is about as much use to me as the lightning protection at numerous structures and buildings that the ECC have approved.

Mr Short also claims the Printworks has been provisioned with lightning protection which again I say is hogwash, ditto for the RDE Hospital, numerous bridges around the City ,1/2 doz PFI schools, leisure centres, Climbing Centre on the Quay, swimming pools, John Lewis Store, Pricesshay Complex, etc, etc. Oh yes, and the DCC HQ.

In essence, it would appear the ECC Planning Authorities are failing their fiduciary duty of care when issuing Planning Completion Certificates. The signature of Planning Completion Certificate with full knowledge of lightning protection failures is a fraudulent act.

I suggest you also contact the local constabulary on this matter.

In essence, Mr Richard Short’s letter (undated and unsigned) is prima facie grounds that the Exeter City Council have been grossly negligent to lightning protection.

For your information, action and files

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield.

Email sent –

28 October 2014 09:02

Dear Mr Bradshaw

As you are aware the Met Office is currently installing a new £100 million computer.
Let’s hope it is not sensitive to lightning damage, because The Met Office does not hold any Lightning a Risk Assessment and they recently refused my FOIA request based on national security exemption.

Has Al Quida or IS developed a Lightning Weapon?

For your information action and files

Alan M Dransfield

Email sent –

29 October 2014 13:27

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Thank you for your letter

ref the Exeter University (EU) Accommodation Unit (Print Works) and thank you also for writing to the CRM Ltd ref my concerns over lightning protection dangers..

At least the EU Vice Chancellor’s Office has accepted that the EU students reside in this Print Works Premises.

I think the EU are being somewhat disingenuous by not accepting that student accommodation does come under their remit; hence I would have envisaged the EU to hold a duty of care on such matters.

As you are aware none of the EU premises across Exeter, accommodation, lecture and classrooms have been provisioned with Lightning Risk Assessment (LRA) as per BS/EN/62305.

Dependant upon the response you get from the CRM Ltd, I would ask you to write to the EU Principal and ask him for an explanation why LRA has been omitted.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield.

Email sent – 03 November 2014 06:44

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

33, 48009 Bilbao, Spain

Dear Sirs

I write to your safety organisation with a view to improving the Lightning Protection System safety within the UK Construction Industry, as I fervently believe Lighting Protection Systems (LPS) safety is not taken seriously be designers, clients, construction companies, local planning authorities etc within the United Kingdom.

The relevant standard is the BS/EN 62305/2008 and I believe this standard is being willfully and flagrantly abused nationwide in the UK with the full knowledge of the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE in the UK have failed their fiduciary duty of care ref LPS in the UK.

In particular the Lightning Risk Assessment requirements of the BSEN standard are being willfully circumvented at sports stadia, shopping complexes, schools, public buildings, hospitals, windfarms, etc.

I look forward to hearing from you ref this very serious matter.

With thanks

Alan M Dransfield

Email sent – 18 November 2014 16:53

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Please see the following response ref the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Grounds.

Grateful for the needful

With thanks

Alan M Dransfield

From: Lou Elliston
Date: 18 November 2014 04:41:22 GMT-6
To: Alan M dransfield
Subject: RE: Exeter Chiefs Rugby Ground Safety

Dear Mr Dransfield

I have no knowledge of the Exeter Chiefs stadium. It is outside the area of my responsibility. I suggest you address your question to the local authority of the area in which it is situated.

Regards
Lou Elliston

From: Alan M dransfield
Sent: 13 November 2014 18:10
To: Lou Elliston
Cc: BRADSHAW Ben; Fiona Miller miller
Subject: Exeter Chiefs Rugby Ground Safety

Dear Lou
You have confirmed to me that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium will be safe for next year’s Rugby World Cup Finals but you have not included the subject title.

Can you please confirm the Lightning Protection system at the Exeter Chiefs Stadium is fully compliant to relevant Lightening Standards.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

Alan M Dransfield

Email sent – 13 December 2014 13:05

Dear Mr Bradshaw

I acknowledge and thank you for the Lightning Protection
System Test Results from the Print Works premises in Exeter.

I am at a
complete loss to understand how these LPS test rests were obtained because the
test results certificate indicates 40 test point locations at the Print Works
Premises, which I find quite astonishing because on a recent survey I failed to
find one single test point.

Unless these 38 test points have been installed inside the premises it beggars belief how the premises were tested.

May I
suggest you write back to the Print Works premises accommodation manager and
ask him to give you a list of the 40 lightning test points.

In the event
there are no external LPS test points at the print works, the recent test
certificate may have been fraudulently approved.

Dransfield