Lithium-Ion Batteries in Use: Ensuring Safe Fire Protection, Storage, Transportation, and Disposal
The same battery can be a piece of equipment during operation, a hazardous material during shipping, and a used battery at the end of its life. If fire safety, storage, hazardous materials management, transportation, and water protection are organized separately, gaps often arise precisely when the battery’s status changes. A unified decision-making process brings all stakeholders together. An article by Donato Muro.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in power tools, industrial trucks, e-bikes, vehicles, machinery, and stationary storage systems. The operational risk associated with them depends on cell chemistry and design, energy capacity, state of charge, age and condition, usage, charging process, environment, and potential malfunctions.
Therefore, neither a blanket storage rule nor a concept based solely on fire safety is sufficient. The risk assessment must reflect activities and operating conditions and integrate occupational safety, fire safety, maintenance, environmental protection, hazardous materials, and disposal. It leads to measures, assigned responsibilities, and effectiveness monitoring.
From Inventory to Usage Scenario
The first step is to establish a reliable inventory. The following information should be recorded: location of use and storage, model, rated energy in watt-hours, number of units or total energy capacity, state of charge, manufacturer’s specifications, age, visible condition, charger, and responsible party. For permanently installed storage systems, this information is supplemented by system interfaces, shutdown options, and information for emergency responders.
The data is then organized not only by battery type but also by situation:
- Intended use and charging
- Reserve or temporary storage
- Return, repair, shipment, or internal transport
- batteries that appear abnormal, are damaged, or cannot be safely assessed
- Used batteries for disposal or recycling
This separation is important because a battery that has been dropped, deeply discharged, or has exhibited abnormal heating must no longer be handled according to the rules for normal operation.
The state transition is the critical control point
Deformation, bulging, discoloration, unusual heat, odor, leaking fluid, hissing, smoke, or a fault message from the battery management system are warning signs. Operations require clear criteria for stopping work in such cases: cease use and charging, secure the hazard area, notify responsible personnel, and follow the established emergency procedure. In the event of rapid heating, gas release, or smoke development, personal safety takes priority; improvised handling or relocation may increase exposure.
Whether a battery is damaged or defective should be assessed based on the manufacturer’s criteria or by a technically qualified person. For the transport of hazardous materials, the BAM lists, among other things, gas, fire, or electrolyte leakage; physical damage; misuse; short-circuit protection; and the condition of safety devices as criteria.
A quarantine area is not merely a marked box. It requires a defined location, appropriate separation from flammable materials, protection against short circuits and mechanical impact, controlled access, monitoring, and a process for professional assessment and disposal. The design depends on the type of construction, energy content, condition, quantity, and environment.
Planning Fire and Water Protection Together
Effective fire protection begins before a fire breaks out. Using appropriate, undamaged chargers; ensuring proper heat dissipation; protecting equipment from mechanical or thermal stress; maintaining a safe distance from flammable materials and escape routes; and designating clear charging areas all reduce the likelihood of a fire occurring. Depending on the risk, physical separation, automatic detection, alarm transmission, or other technical measures may be necessary.
The fire scenario does not end at the warehouse door. Factors to consider include electrolyte leakage, smoke and fire residues, fire suppressants, reignition, and contaminated firefighting water. Whether the Water Resources Act (WHG), the Water Protection Ordinance (AwSV), or containment measures apply cannot be determined solely based on the word “lithium.” The decisive factors are the substances, quantities, facilities, location, drainage routes, and the realistic scenario. Fire safety and environmental officers should jointly document the decision and, if necessary, coordinate with authorities, the fire department, or insurers.
Hazardous materials management is also involved: An intact battery is not automatically treated like an open container of hazardous material. However, for leaking electrolyte, fire gases, or contaminated residues, exposure, protection, cleanup, and disposal must still be clarified in advance.
Emergency Response, Transportation, and Disposal as a Single Process
The emergency plan must specify who raises the alarm, who evacuates the area, what information is provided to the fire department, and how the spread of the incident is contained. Information on the location, design, approximate amount of energy, notable features, and shutdown options should be readily available. Afterward, considerations must be given to reignition, temporary storage, release, and disposal.
The next mistake often occurs during shipping: A damaged battery is not a typical return item. Before transport, the condition, applicable UN number, packaging, labeling, documentation, and, if applicable, special transport conditions must be professionally clarified. Used batteries must be tracked separately and routed to the designated take-back or disposal channels. This closes the loop from the initial receipt of goods to the final removal.
In summary: Even the safest individual measure remains ineffective if it is applied to the wrong scenario or if the handoff to the next function is not properly regulated. A shared, documented decision-making process transforms parallel technical issues into a robust operational system.
Book Recommendation:
Donato Muro, Lithium-Ion Batteries: Risk Assessment, Fire Safety, Storage, Accidents, Transportation, and Water Protection; 2026, 344 pages in German language
