ATEX zones (EXplosive Atmospheres) concentrate the strictest regulatory requirements for lightning protection. Refineries, agricultural silos, chemical plants, fuel storage depots: in these environments, a lightning strike can have catastrophic consequences.
In Europe and internationally, IEC 62305 compliance applies fully to ATEX zones, with additional constraints related to the ATEX 2014/34/EU directive. This is why the documentary monitoring of these installations requires exemplary rigor. LPS Manager was designed to address precisely these challenges.
The specificities of lightning protection in ATEX zones
In areas at risk of explosion, lightning constitutes a particularly dangerous potential ignition source. Consequently, IEC 62305 imposes reinforced protection measures:
- Complete equipotential bonding of all metallic masses and equipment present in the zone
- Copper downconductors (to avoid galvanic corrosion)
- Earth electrode with low resistance (generally < 5 Ω)
- Protection against electrical overvoltages (Type 1 surge arresters at the head of the installation)
- More frequent inspections than for standard buildings (annual in high-risk zones)
Furthermore, the ATEX directive requires that any intervention on equipment in an explosive zone be performed by qualified personnel and recorded in a time-stamped register. This is precisely where LPS Manager’s digital traceability provides a decisive added value.
The challenges of documentary compliance in ATEX zones
ATEX site managers are subject to reporting obligations to control authorities (DREAL in France, equivalents in Europe and internationally). However, meeting these obligations with traditional tools — paper files, spreadsheets — presents several difficulties:
- Traceability difficult to reconstruct in case of incident
- Limited access to documents from the field
- No automatic alert after lightning strike nearby
- Long and time-consuming audit preparation
Furthermore, in case of loss or explosion, the absence of compliant documentation can directly engage the civil and criminal liability of the operator. This thus creates a legal risk adding to industrial risk.
LPS Manager: the solution tailored to ATEX requirements
LPS Manager centralizes in a single cloud platform all the information necessary for monitoring lightning installations in ATEX zones. Here is how the solution addresses the specific challenges of these sites.
Time-stamped traceability of each intervention
Each action recorded in LPS Manager — verification report, impact finding, corrective measure — is automatically time-stamped and archived. Thus, in case of DREAL audit or regulatory inspection, the operator can present a complete and unalterable history of its interventions.
Therefore, digital traceability advantageously replaces paper registers, while being accessible remotely from any terminal.
Impact alerts triggering inspections
One of the major advantages of LPS Manager in ATEX zones is its integration with Strike Radar for lightning strike detection. First, as soon as a strike is detected near the site, LPS Manager generates an immediate alert. Then, the operator can trigger a targeted field inspection without waiting for the next periodic deadline.
This approach reduces up to 70% of systematic preventive interventions, while increasing responsiveness when a real event occurs. Furthermore, it fits perfectly into a predictive maintenance logic adapted to ATEX constraints.
Multi-site management up to 999 equipment units
For industrial groups operating multiple ATEX sites in Europe, North Africa or the Middle East, LPS Manager offers a consolidated view of the entire fleet. Notably, the dashboard indicates in real time the installations whose compliance status requires particular attention.
The platform supports up to 999 equipment units per account, which allows managing large fleets without loss of visibility.
Reports ready for regulatory audits
LPS Manager automatically generates structured compliance reports, including all elements required during DREAL inspections and equivalent regulatory audits internationally:
- Risk assessment with the local Nsg (provided by Strike Radar)
- Installation plans and component list
- History of periodic inspections
- History of detected strikes and subsequent interventions
Integration with connected LPS France equipment
For installations equipped with LPS France connected lightning rods, such as the Paraton@ir, impact data automatically feeds into LPS Manager. Furthermore, for isolated ATEX sites without Wi-Fi, the Contact@ir MD with integrated eSIM ensures real-time data transmission from any site in the world.
This native connectivity between field equipment and LPS Manager eliminates manual entries, sources of errors and wasted time. Thus, the entire traceability chain is automated.
Conclusion
In ATEX zones, lightning protection does not stop at the installation of a lightning rod. In summary, it involves rigorous documentary traceability, reactive impact alerts and preparation for regulatory audits that only a dedicated digital solution can guarantee.
LPS Manager meets all these requirements, while adapting to the multi-site and multi-country constraints of large industrial groups. Discover all the features of LPS Manager on lpsmanager.io and request a demonstration tailored to your ATEX sites.
To learn more, discover LPS Manager pricing and download the app.
