Free checklist
Lightning protection system annual maintenance checklist
The annual lightning protection system service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against NFPA 780, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 6
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The facilities lead documenting the visit while the qualified lightning protection inspector performs the periodic inspection.
When in the schedule
On the periodic cycle, scheduled with the inspector so the continuity checks and any findings are witnessed and recorded, especially after major roof work.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Inspection observed
- 2 photos
Inspector's continuity checks observed and recorded
Watch the inspector check down-conductor continuity to ground, record which downleads were checked and the outcome the inspector reports.
- 1 photo
Terminal, conductor and bond survey observed
Inspector's survey of terminals, runs and bonds observed across the roof, deficiencies the inspector calls out photographed and listed.
Grounds and connections
- 2 photos
Ground connections and test wells opened and observed
Test wells opened with the inspector, connections examined for corrosion or looseness, condition the inspector reports recorded.
Findings and records
- 1 photo
Inspection report filed and deficiencies assigned
Inspector's report attached to the maintenance record, each deficiency given a follow-up owner and the next inspection date noted.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Inspector's findings left on the inspection report and never turned into work orders, so the same loose terminal shows up year after year.
- Down-conductor continuity called good from a visual only, with the inspector's actual continuity check never observed or recorded.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this lightning protection system annual checklist cover?
- 4 items across 3 sections, covering inspection observed, grounds and connections, findings and records. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The facilities lead documenting the visit while the qualified lightning protection inspector performs the periodic inspection.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- On the periodic cycle, scheduled with the inspector so the continuity checks and any findings are witnessed and recorded, especially after major roof work.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 6 of the 4 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a lightning protection system annual inspection?
- Inspector's findings left on the inspection report and never turned into work orders, so the same loose terminal shows up year after year. Down-conductor continuity called good from a visual only, with the inspector's actual continuity check never observed or recorded.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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