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I am worried about metal posts (support structures for plants) placed in garden and danger from lighting strikes. Posts are 3 meter long rebars and they are about 1,5 m driven into ground. Around garden there are a lot of high trees (some are around 8-10 meters high) and there is two story house nearby.

My question is about possible danger to people working in garden - how dangerous is to be around those posts in case of bad weather (of course, in case of lighting storms no one will be working in garden :)). Will these posts attract lightings more than surrounding trees or house? Will rebars act as lightning rods considering they are half length driven into ground?

Is there a way to improve safety in such scenario because I was thinking about making even higher metal posts to support protective net against hail?

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    $\begingroup$ You can look at is this guide, and there also other lighthing protection standards like IEC/BS EN 62305-3. Having said that I've come across only once a detailed calculation about lightning protection which was for a structure very dissimilar to your problem (it was a 150m^2 solar tracker that sold in the order of 10000 units, and there was never a problem from lightning strike). What I realized was that it was a very complex subject -that , which can be very costly, so there better be a reason. $\endgroup$
    – NMech ♦
    Jul 21, 2021 at 7:39
  • $\begingroup$ Lightning doesn't just "strike anywhere for no reason". If there isn't a thunderstorm in progress, there is nothing to worry about IMO. You probably aren't worried about being near a car that is parked outside in "bad weather", and there is a lot more metal in a car than in your posts. $\endgroup$
    – alephzero
    Jul 21, 2021 at 18:39

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Lightning often strikes at the highest point. So it's more likely to hit the trees (as they often do) than the bars. That's why lightning rods are build on high precipices, buildings, etc. Nevertheless; The safest strategy is to suspend All outdoor work in a lightning storm.

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