The General Product Safety Regulation covers safety aspects of a product, including lithium batteries, which are not covered by other regulations. Although there are harmonised standards under the regulation, we could not find any that specifically relate to batteries.
The requirements include: The Inland Transport of Dangerous Goods Directive requires that the transportation of lithium batteries and other dangerous goods must be done according to the requirements of the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).
Emergency response plans and training sessions would also be developed to ensure personnel is prepared in the incident of a fire. These measures collectively enhance fire safety design and reduce the likelihood of hazard escalation. Lithium-ion battery manufacturing is a complex process that faces inherent fire hazards.
Although manufacturing incorporates several safety stages throughout the aging and charging protocol, lithium-ion battery cells are susceptible to fire hazards. These safety challenges vary depending on the specific manufacturing environment, but common examples include:
Lithium batteries are subject to various regulations and directives in the European Union that concern safety, substances, documentation, labelling, and testing. These requirements are primarily found under the Batteries Regulation, but additional regulations, directives, and standards are also relevant to lithium batteries.
The intent of this guideline is to provide users of lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium polymer (LiPo) cells and battery packs with enough information to safety handle them under normal and emergency conditions.