A standardized methodology for assessing the protective earthing, bonding, earth-continuity, lightning-protection, and surge-protection arrangements associated with AGL installations. Covers earth electrodes, earth pits, earth conductors, bonding conductors, equipment earthing, base-can bonding, isolating-transformer bonding, CCR earthing, airfield-sign earthing, earth continuity, lightning-protection connections, and surge-protection devices.
Safety control — Visual inspection does not prove electrical effectiveness. Continuity, resistance, impedance, or other electrical tests shall be performed only by authorized/competent personnel using approved procedures and calibrated instruments. The earthing and bonding system should be treated as a complete protective electrical path — Earth Electrode → Earth Conductor → Earth Connection → Bonding Network → Equipment → Protective Device/Installation — rather than a collection of individual earth connections.
Inspection of the accessible condition and installation environment of the earth electrode, including its connection to the earth conductor and applicable test records.
Inspection of the earth pit and associated components for structural condition, cleanliness, water ingress, drainage, and safe accessibility to the earth connection/test point.
Inspection of protective earth conductors for physical and mechanical condition, insulation/protective covering, routing, identification, and termination connections.
Inspection of bonding conductors for condition and continuity arrangements between metallic components across the AGL installation.
Inspection of protective earthing connections on AGL electrical equipment, including equipment-to-equipment bonding between metallic components where applicable.
Inspection of applicable bonding arrangements associated with AGL base cans, including the earth/bonding connection at the base-can assembly.
Inspection of applicable bonding arrangements associated with isolating-transformer installation, where fitted.
Inspection of the CCR protective earthing arrangement, including cabinet bonding and door/panel bonding where applicable.
Inspection of applicable protective earthing arrangements for illuminated airfield signs, including bonding between metallic components.
Verification of the availability and condition of earth-continuity test arrangements, and review of continuity results for signs of deterioration or discontinuity.
Inspection of connections associated with the applicable lightning-protection system, including a check for damage following lightning events or suspected strikes.
Inspection of applicable surge-protection devices (SPDs) for physical condition, status indication, and correct connection to the protective earthing system.
Common inspection parameters, classification scheme, workflow, and records that apply across all 12 Division 13 topics.
Standard Earthing & Bonding Inspection Parameters
| Parameter | Inspection Status |
|---|---|
| Earth Electrode | Good / Damaged / Corroded |
| Earth Pit | Good / Deficient |
| Earth-Pit Cover | Good / Damaged / Missing |
| Earth-Pit Water | None / Present |
| Earth-Pit Drainage | Good / Restricted |
| Earth Conductor | Good / Damaged |
| Earth Conductor Routing | Correct / Deficient |
| Earth Connections | Secure / Loose / Damaged |
| Earth Lugs/Clamps | Good / Corroded / Damaged |
| Bonding Conductor | Good / Damaged |
| Equipment Earth | Good / Deficient |
| Base-Can Bonding | Good / Deficient |
| Transformer Bonding | Good / Deficient / N/A |
| CCR Earth | Good / Deficient |
| Sign Earth | Good / Deficient |
| Earth Continuity | Acceptable / Deficient / Test Required |
| Corrosion | None / Present |
| Lightning Protection | Good / Deficient |
| SPD | Normal / Defective / Requires Replacement |
| SPD Indicator | Normal / Failed / N/A |
| Water/Moisture | None / Present |
| Test Records | Available / Missing / Deficient |
| Defect Status | Normal / Defective / Unsafe / Immediate Action Required |
Every observation should be assigned an appropriate status:
NormalProtective earth/bonding path intact and satisfactory.
DefectiveAbnormality identified that requires correction but does not by itself compromise protective effectiveness.
UnsafeCondition compromises the effectiveness of the protective earthing/bonding path and should be treated as unsafe pending correction and/or test.
Immediate Action RequiredCondition presents an immediate electrical-safety or lightning/surge risk requiring urgent escalation.
The following sequence applies across all Division 13 topics:
Each earthing/bonding inspection record should include:
Earthing & bonding inspection is intended to
It does not replace
A visually intact earth conductor does not by itself demonstrate an effective protective-earth system.
General protective path
AGL-specific attention chain
Quick answers about earthing & bonding inspection in the AGL Inspection Handbook.
Division 13 contains 12 published topics (Level 2, technical and periodic). It gives a standardized methodology for assessing the protective earthing, bonding, earth-continuity, lightning-protection and surge-protection arrangements associated with AGL installations.
It covers earth electrodes, earth pits, earth and bonding conductors, equipment earthing, base-can bonding, isolating-transformer bonding, CCR earthing, airfield-sign earthing, earth continuity, lightning-protection connections and surge-protection devices.
This division uses Normal, Defective, Unsafe and Immediate Action Required. Normal means the protective earth or bonding path is intact and satisfactory. Defective means an abnormality needs correction but does not by itself compromise protective effectiveness. Unsafe means the condition compromises the protective earthing or bonding path and is treated as unsafe pending correction and/or test. Immediate Action Required means an immediate electrical-safety or lightning/surge risk requiring urgent escalation.
The checklist includes earth electrode, earth pit, pit cover, water and drainage, earth conductor and routing, connections, lugs and clamps, bonding conductor, equipment, base-can, transformer, CCR and sign earthing, earth continuity, corrosion, lightning protection, SPD condition and indicator, moisture and test records.
No. It does not replace earth-continuity testing, earth-resistance testing, bonding-continuity testing, lightning-protection testing, SPD performance verification or manufacturer-schedule replacement, or engineering investigation of recurring or suspected earth faults.
Yes. This handbook is an uncontrolled educational reference, not an approved procedure. The airport's approved inspection schedule, SMS procedures, ATC instructions, NOTAM procedures and local aerodrome regulations always take precedence, and the current revision of any official document should be verified before use.
Yes. Each inspection topic has a Download as Word option that produces an uncontrolled Word checklist template (description, a tick-box inspection table and an inspector sign-off block) for personal reference and internal training, to be reviewed and adopted under the user’s own document control.
Earthing and bonding inspection is where fault-protection and equipotential condition awareness begins. Go beyond identifying defects and build the technical knowledge to understand why abnormalities occur, how they affect system serviceability, and when further testing, troubleshooting, maintenance or corrective action is required.
Develop structured knowledge across:
Learn to connect the inspection process with the wider AGL engineering lifecycle.
Inspect with purpose. Understand the system. Act with technical confidence.
Please read before relying on any content on this page or on any record downloaded from it.