So how should a lithium-ion battery fire be handled? First, we should understand more about the battery, how and why it burns, and what combustion bi-products we should be looking for. The IH wrote a protocol that assumed maximum hazards even though it was unsupported by the data. This information would have been very helpful to have prior to writing the personal protection plan, as it would dictate the actual hazards and necessary precautions. The IH did not take any wipe samples to determine that any by-products of the batteries were left behind by the fire.
Lithium battery fire full#
The cleaning protocol which was then written required all the employees to wear full PPE (Personal Protection Equipment), vastly increasing the labor, time, expertise, and ultimately the cost required to mitigate the damage and restore the facility and equipment following the loss.
The results of the air sampling did not reveal any lithium or other air-borne contaminants that would have been harmful to the mitigation workers. The IH inspected the loss site, took air samples, and had the air sample analyzed for lithium and other contaminants that would be harmful to the employees cleaning up after the fire. An industrial hygienist (IH) was brought in to determine the appropriate protocol for remediation and worker safety. This fire caused damage to the structure, equipment, and general contents. In one case, a stack of old lithium batteries was piled on top of each other waiting for disposal when they caught fire. Many times, old batteries are not stored properly. The actual chemical reaction that causes the fire can end after a short time, depending on the size of the battery and severity of the failure however, the chemical fire may ignite nearby combustible material and can cause a more involved fire. Unfortunately, as the batteries age and their construction materials degrade, cracks can form in their coatings, or internal components can short and lead to a fire. Lithium-ion batteries continue to become more prevalent in today’s marketplace. and Camden Henderson, PhDGarnet Solutions Group
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