Heatwaves bring increased lightning risk alongside summer sunshine

Recent analysis shows that heatwaves are often accompanied by violent convective storms and a significant uptick in lightning strikes, particularly in southern and central England. As the UK experiences more frequent and intense heat events, facilities managers and fleet operators must consider lightning risk as part of their summer operational planning. Outdoor workers, depot facilities, EV charging infrastructure and electronic fleet systems are all vulnerable to lightning damage, with potential for injury, downtime and costly repairs.

For fleet and mobile operations, lightning poses both direct and indirect risks. Vehicles can be struck while parked or in transit, with potential damage to telematics units, electronic control systems and driver safety. Depot charging infrastructure for electric fleets is particularly vulnerable, and a direct or nearby strike can disable charging points, damage battery management systems or trip safety isolators, putting vehicles out of service during peak operational periods. Outdoor depots, car parks and service yards need lightning protection and surge suppression reviewed as part of facilities safety audits.

Operational teams should ensure that risk assessments for outdoor work are updated to reflect lightning risk, especially during summer months when heat-driven storms are more common. This includes protocols for suspending outdoor tasks, safe refuge procedures and equipment shutdown routines. Fleet managers should check that depot infrastructure—charging posts, fuel systems, telematics aerials—has adequate lightning and surge protection, and that insurance cover reflects the increased frequency of extreme weather events.

Bluepoppy's fleet solutions include comprehensive insurance, maintenance planning and risk management support to help you keep vehicles and drivers safe in all conditions. Whether you're concerned about extreme weather impacts on your EV charging infrastructure or need contingency planning for depot disruption, a Fleet Cost Review will assess your exposure and help you build resilience into your operation before the next heatwave hits.

Bluepoppy view: Heatwaves aren't just a comfort issue—they bring lightning, downtime and risk. Make sure your fleet and depot are protected.

Source: FMUK Online — summarised and written from a Bluepoppy perspective. We don’t reproduce the original article.