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Spring 2023 39 www.hae.org.uk www.eha.org.uk All work with an EV, or hybrid, requires the people involved to have a higher level of awareness and competence and should have completed specific training – which should be recorded and reviewed regularly as required by best practice or legislation. With any ‘bad’ battery, it should be removed from the product (where possible) and stored in a suitable fire proof and sealed storage container. However, adding multiple ‘bad’ batteries together can greatly increase the risk of thermal runaway. A real, and significant problem when it comes to an EV fire is in trying to put it out. Electric vehicle fires are known to reignite hours, days or even weeks after the initial event, and they can do so many times. Once a battery fails or ‘runs away’ the cells usually start to give off smoke. Thermal runaway, the chemical process within the lithium-ion battery, produces heat and flammable toxic chemical gases very quickly, often before any flame appears. It is important not to try to cool, or extinguish flames, with water as this can react with the toxic gases produced by the battery, which include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, sulphur dioxide, and multiple hydrocarbons – up to and including hydrogen cyanide. The causes of thermal runaway can be numerous: • Overcharging • Overheating • Damage on impact • Short circuit CONTROLLING A FIRE Controlling a fire is a specialist operation and requires specialist extinguishers, or blankets, as this type of fire can spontaneously reignite several days later. A lithium-ion battery fire blanket is designed for use on lithium-ion battery fires, although it may also be used as a precautionary measure whilst charging, transporting, or handling batteries and battery- operated devices. AVD (Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion) – a nontoxic and revolutionary extinguishing agent, is contained within each Lith-Ex extinguisher and is deployed as a mist. When sprayed over the battery, it then creates a film over the surface which instantly dries to cool down the flames, prevent reignition, and creates an oxygen barrier so that the fire burns itself out. DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES Batteries should be collected by a professional waste management company, and regularly removed from the premises to avoid substantial accumulation. Lithium-ion batteries have been linked to hundreds of waste fires after being disposed of as standard household waste. SAFETY ADVICE Many businesses in the hire industry rely on tools and equipment charged by lithium-ion batteries. Advice from Risk Managers at HAE Insurance Services and EHA Insurance Services includes: • Put in place reasonable fire safety precautions. • Review and update existing fire risk assessments. • Purchase specific fire extinguishers designed for use on fires involving lithium-ion batteries. << HAE Insurance Services and EHA Insurance Services offer risk management consultancy and training to try and protect your business from fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. For more information call: 03300 182 299 or email: insuranceservices@hae.org.uk or: insuranceservices@eha.org.uk .