Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all employers are under a statutory obligation to take reasonable steps to safeguard against the risk of fire. More specifically, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to virtually all premises. Employers are required to undertake a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. This should be reviewed and updated regularly to coincide with structural changes, as well as any adjustments to work activities or equipment.
When it comes to using, handling, storing, or charging lithium-ion batteries, employers are obliged to include this in their fire risk assessments.
Fire Safety Guidance for Employers
The current recommendations for handling lithium-ion batteries are:
- Use batteries/chargers supplied by the manufacturer and/or reputable manufacturers.
- Create pre-use checklists, carry out frequent inspections, and discard any damaged batteries.
- Ensure that the batteries are charged in a well-ventilated and dry environment.
- Check the battery handling/charging area is free from combustible and flammable materials.
- Ensure that battery charging is handled by trained staff who are familiar with emergency fire procedures.
- Promptly remove lithium-ion batteries from their charging unit once they are fully charged.
- Store unused batteries in metal cabinets of fireproof safety bas. If they are stored externally, they should ideally be at least 3m away from any walls, and kept away from any combustible or flammable materials.
- Ensure you have adequate smoke and fire detection systems in place.
Professional Health & Safety Support
Lithium-ion batteries serve a very useful purpose, but they need to be handled, stored, and charged correctly. Although the known risks are minimal, the potential of a fire can have a devastating impact on business and human life. The guidance above should be incorporated into daily safety procedures and included in fire risk assessments to minimise risks and protect your staff.
If you require professional health and safety support – including assistance with creating or updating pre-existing fire risk assessments for your business, you are advised to call the H&S Helpline for FREE on 0116 274 9193.
