ESFI Program Manager Daniel Majano was recently interviewed by CBS Austin about lithium-ion battery safety. Watch the interview here.
“As lithium-ion batteries become more widely used, Daniel Majano with the Electrical Safety Foundation says these kinds of fires are becoming more common.
“In certain states, you’re seeing more than… 10 fatalities a year, caused by these fires from lithium-ion batteries,” Majano said. “But in terms of fires, in some states, it’s the leading cause of fires within cities.”
Majano says it’s important to be wary of after-market batteries and chargers, which may not have the same safety certifications as reputable brands.
“Making sure they stand behind their product, because sometimes when you buy things online, even from large name retailers, they may have third-party sellers using those platforms,” Majano said. “you may not be able to track where those devices actually come from.”
Majano also says if a battery is no longer being charged, it should be disconnected and unplugged.
“You want to make sure you’re using a charger that’s manufacturer-approved,” Majano said. “Same with the battery, you want to make sure it’s approved by that manufacturer.”
Finally, recycling the batteries at authorized centers after use is important as well, since they can be fire risks just sitting in the trash too.
“At the same time, it’s also good for the environment, because you can recycle the metals in those batteries to make more environmentally friendly batteries in the future,” Majano said.”
