The first lightning protection systems in our country were built by Abdulhamid II during the Ottoman Empire and tendered to German companies due to the damage caused by lightning discharges to mosques and tall buildings in Istanbul. At that time, lightning rod systems were called “siper-i saika.. Later, these systems were applied in other Ottoman provinces.
During the Republican period, lightning protection continued as faraday cage and passive lightning rod. However, radioactive lightning rods became the preferred system in our country (1950 and later).
The radioactive lightning rod was used uninterruptedly until 2001. These products were produced using Americium-241 and Radium-226 elements.
However, with the uncontrolled especially back inner content by recyclers knowing the collection and the negative effects of the grounds of the radioactivity human health lightning rod in collapsed buildings after the 17 August 1999 edition of the earthquake disaster Turkey Atomic Energy Agency has absolutely prohibits the radioactive lightning rod for use with the end of 2001.
After the ban on the use of radioactive lightning rods, the old classical systems (faraday cage and passive lightning rod) and active lightning rod systems have been used instead of these products in the sector.