Success may breed further success, but it also attracts competition that may cut corners. The business risk of lithium-ion batteries has always been there. However, many companies were unaware of it consciously, until substandard counterfeit products arrived in large numbers. Facing up to this reality begins with assessing the risk.
How Big Is the Business Risk of Lithium-Ion Batteries?
One or two portable lithium-ion batteries on a phone or laptop are acceptable, provided they come from a reputable source. However, a shop full of customers or a busy office adds a multiplier factor. An apartment building with several electric scooters could be cause for concern.
These risks, as Insurance Business Mag points out, have been with us since commercial lithium-ion proliferated. However, the website continues, the knowledge is only beginning to ‘trickle down’ to managers, many of whom are still not consciously aware of thermal runaway.
Managing the Risk Down to Acceptable Proportions
There is a risk attached to every business. However, business managers can moderate this by implementing this simple strategy:
Intelligent Charging of Lithium-Ion Products
Lithium-ion batteries should be safe, provided we treat them with caution. However, they may overheat if we charge them with the wrong current. Therefore, small devices should only he charged on business premises with their original battery chargers.
The magnitude of a thermal battery fire increases with larger batteries, that contain more lithium. Electric vehicles may occasionally catch fire while charging. But e-bikes and e-scooters are wild cards, because of the danger of counterfeit chargers, and batteries without adequate management systems.
It therefore makes sense to charge lithium-ion batteries under supervision outside buildings, to reduce the business risk of lithium-ion fires. Electric vehicles of all kinds should be charged in open yards, where any fire would damage them, and hopefully nothing else.
More Information
Thermal Runaway and Personal Safety
Choose the Right Battery Charger Here’s How
