The dangers of a direct or indirect lightning strike to a power pole or a nearby ground strike is extreme, such an event provides the opportunity for over voltage transients and surges to enter a facility via external cables such as incoming power lines.
 

         In addition to capacitive and inductive coupling from nearby strikes, other external factors such as power switching and irregular power distribution can also contribute to initiating such events.
         In society today, our reliance on the ability to distribute, store and process information via electronic equipment is paramount. It is the integrated electronic components within this equipment which provides the speed and effciency, however on the downside these components are highly sensitive and therefore susceptible to the dangers of over-voltage transients and surges.