Batteries are increasingly being used in a vast array of business and consumer applications and as usage has grown, so too, has the number of fire incidents associated with them.
To address this growing threat, NFPA is consulting about whether there is a need for a new comprehensive standard that provides the full spectrum of battery safety management requirements.
Currently, NFPA 855, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems, provides minimum requirements to mitigate risk associated with stationary energy storage systems (ESS) and the storage of lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries. But as the battery industry and use continue to evolve, NFPA 855 is being used as the primary place within the NFPA standards process to raise general battery safety issues. This has resulted in an expansion of its scope beyond the initial purpose and has identified a gap in guidance for general battery safety throughout the lifecycle of batteries beyond the use in a given installation.
In response to this gap, the NFPA is considering the development of a comprehensive standard, proposed as NFPA 800, Battery Safety Code, to provide uniform, minimum requirements to address fire, electrical, life safety, and property protection from battery hazards. It is the intent to reference existing related standards, by NFPA and other standards developing organizations, where applicable, and focus on developing requirements where there are gaps. Requirements are anticipated to include fire, explosion, and other dangerous conditions related to battery technologies as experienced through the lifecycle of a battery: raw materials and battery production through storage, use, and end of life.
NFPA is now seeking comments from all interested organizations and individuals to gauge whether support exists for such a standard. The consultation deadline is July 12 2024 and more details can be found here.
