Electricity + Control July 2017

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42 Electricity + Control JULY 2017
LIGHT + CURRENT
Launch of Earthing and Lightning Protection Association (ELPA)
ELPA was formed to protect consumers, establish a uniform in-
terpretation of the codes of practice, and help to regulate and ad-
vise the lightning protection industry. ELPA was established as a
non-profit organisation of voluntary membership.
Chairman of ELPA, Alexis Barwise, said at the launch held at
Wits University on 19 July 2017: “When we compare the annual
statistics for lightning deaths in South Africa to the numbers of
deaths from shark attacks, we could expect a maximum of ten
or fewer recorded deaths from unprovoked shark attacks in our
waters every year [1]. Shark nets in the waters off our beaches, as
well as people on shore who are acting as shark spotters, are quite
common around our world-famous coastline and yet statistically,
far fewer people are killed by sharks annually than by lightning.
“I believe that the same vigilance, attention and resources
should be applied to protecting people from lightning, and this
is the primary reason for ELPA’s formation. We acknowledge the
need to protect life as well as property. This requires certainty,
which we achieve through certification and compliance, all united
under one umbrella body which brings together experts and inter-
ested parties from various areas of the lightning protection arena.”
Professor Ian Jandrell, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
and the Built Environment at Wits, said in his keynote address,
“The facts showcase the obvious need for an industry body such
as ELPA, which needs to assist with education and awareness
in general, including among consumers and the general public,
and should also play a role in improving the technical competency
within the industry, in particular that of installers and contractors.”
Barwise explained that the formal establishment of ELPA is an
important addition to the standard of safety in the South African
lightning and protection industry, as the association will offer cer-
tification of qualified designers, installers and inspectors, with the
support of the Department of Labour, Wits University, the Electri-
cal Contractors Association of South Africa (ECA), the South Afri-
can Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) and others. This will
have positive repercussions for the building
of both residential and corporate structures
and there is an intention to further assist reg-
ulation and claims in the insurance industry.”
Reference
[1] University of Florida: For a five-year period from 2011-
2015, South Africa averaged 4.8 incidents and 1.4 deaths
per year with annual highs of eight attacks and three
deaths in a year:
isaf/worldwide-summary/
Enquiries: Claudelle PillayTel. +27 (0) 11
704 1487 or email
Alexis Barwise (ELPA Chairman),Trevor Manas
and keynote speaker, Prof Ian Jandrell (Dean
of theWits University Engineering and Built
Environment faculty) at the launch of ELPA
which took place at Wits University on the
morning of 19 July 2017.
Widor Grobbelaar,
Financial Director
Grové Dicks,
Sales Manager,
Gauteng
Bearings International (BI), Hudaco Group Tectra Automation