02/07/23: Lithium Batteries: Understanding the Technology, Hazards, and Safety Risks

Recorded on Tuesday, February 7, 2023

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Lithium Batteries: Understanding the Technology, Hazards, and Safety Risks

About the webinar:

Lithium battery technologies are in widespread and growing use in many manufacturing and commercial applications, and incidences of explosions, fires, and injuries are on the rise. OSHA issued a safety and health bulletin in 2019 to raise awareness about the hazards and controls of lithium batteries. In addition, fire, electrical, and building codes, as well as other standards (e.g., Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)), continue to evolve to reduce the risks around the design, use, and transportation of these batteries.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Discuss the system design of lithium battery technologies

  • Describe the different chemistries and associated hazards of lithium battery technologies

  • Identify applicable standards for use and disposal through the battery’s life cycle

  • List resources for best practices to reduce, control, and mitigate risks

Speaker: Paul Harper, MBA

Paul Harper is Principal and Owner of Harper Consulting, LLC in Scottsdale, Arizona. Paul has over 35 years of experience in areas connected to Product Stewardship and Sustainability, including environmental, occupational health and safety and risk management. He has served in corporate and senior consulting roles working with numerous global companies across a broad spectrum of industries, most recently as Chief Sustainability Officer with a global leader in recycling and energy transformation. Paul’s experience with batteries spans the life cycle of a battery. He has worked in mining and extractive industries producing battery raw materials, for a global manufacturer of batteries producing virtually every battery chemistry available today, in data centers, telecommunications and power management defining the safe use of batteries, and finally in the recycling of batteries for metal value and plastic reclamation and reuse.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Certificates of Completion

Certificates of Completion will be available to webinar participants who are present for the complete, live webinar, and logged in with their registered email address. Call-in attendees are not eligible for certificates at this time - Please download the Zoom app to log in via email on your smartphone whenever possible.

In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

If you're not able to attend the live presentation, no problem! We record most presentations and will host them on our website provided we have permission to do so. Presentation recordings are not eligible for Certificates of Completion.

Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety

About Northwest Center Occupational Health and Safety (NWCOHS):

The Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety (NWCOHS) prepares graduate students for careers in occupational health and safety through training programs, significant financial support and community-engaged research opportunities.

ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.