Are lithium battery fires a safety concern?

While BESS technology is designed to bolster grid reliability, lithium battery fires at some installations have raised legitimate safety concerns in many communities. BESS incidents can present unique challenges for host communities and first responders:

What are the OSHA standards for lithium-ion batteries?

While there is not a specific OSHA standard for lithium-ion batteries, many of the OSHA general industry standards may apply, as well as the General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970). These include, but are not limited to the following standards:

Are thermal runaway reactions possible in lithium ion batteries?

Because lithium-ion batteries combine a flammable electrolyte with a significant amount of stored energy, thermal runaway reactions are possible. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction where the heat released from the failure of one cell damages nearby cells.

What are lithium ion batteries used for?

They power devices such as mobile telephones, laptop computers, tablets, cameras, power tools, electric vehicles, and machinery, and are also used in large Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Lithium-ion batteries may present several health and safety hazards during manufacturing, use, emergency response, disposal, and recycling.

Are lithium ion batteries dangerous?

Lithium-ion batteries contain various components that present different chemical hazards to workers, such as lammability, toxicity, corrosivity, and reactivity hazards. These chemicals may enter the workplace as raw materials or recycled materials.

What solvent is used in lithium ion batteries?

Lithium hexafluorophosphate, the most common salt used in lithium-ion cells, can react with water to form hydrogen fluoride (HF). The most common solvents used in lithium-ion batteries include ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC).