Protect Your People, Property, and Operations
Lithium-ion batteries have become essential to modern workplaces—but they also introduce new fire, electrical, and regulatory risks that many organizations are not prepared to manage. Improper charging, damaged batteries, inadequate storage, and poor emergency planning can quickly become costly safety incidents.
Improper charging, damaged batteries, inadequate storage, and poor emergency planning can result in thermal runaway, fires, explosions, electrical hazards, environmental contamination, and costly operational disruptions.
IEA helps organizations safely manage lithium battery risks through practical consulting, facility assessments, regulatory guidance, and customized safety programs designed to protect employees, facilities, and business operations.
Whether you’re responsible for a manufacturing facility, healthcare campus, warehouse, municipality, school district, commercial building, or industrial operation, IEA provides the expertise needed to reduce risk while strengthening safety and compliance.
Common Lithium Battery Risks
Facility Risk Assessments
Organizations using lithium-ion batteries face a variety of safety, fire, and regulatory challenges. Without proper planning and controls, these risks can lead to injuries, property damage, operational downtime, and costly compliance issues.
Common risks include:
- Thermal runaway and battery fires
- Damaged, swollen, or overheating batteries
- Improper charging practices
- Inadequate battery storage
- Electrical hazards
- Combustible material exposure
- Improper disposal or recycling
- Lack of employee training
- Emergency response preparedness
- Fire code and Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) compliance
IEA helps organizations identify and reduce these risks through comprehensive lithium battery safety consulting services tailored to each facility.
Comprehensive Lithium Battery Safety Services
Facility Risk Assessments
Our consultants evaluate how lithium batteries are used throughout your facility to identify hazards before they become incidents.
Services include:
- Battery inventory evaluations
- Facility risk assessments
- Hazard identification
- Charging area evaluations
- Storage assessments
- Fire risk reviews
- Operational recommendations
Battery Charging Safety
Charging lithium batteries incorrectly is one of the leading causes of battery fires.
IEA evaluates charging operations to reduce fire hazards while improving employee safety and operational reliability.
Our evaluations include:
- Charging station locations
- Electrical loading
- Ventilation
- Safe operating procedures
- Housekeeping
- Equipment inspections
Battery Storage Evaluations
Proper battery storage is critical to preventing thermal runaway and minimizing fire spread.
IEA reviews storage practices to determine whether batteries are being stored safely and in accordance with applicable fire code requirements.
Services include:
- Storage room evaluations
- Fire separation recommendations
- Battery cabinet assessments
- Combustible loading reviews
- Damaged battery storage procedures
- Environmental considerations
Emergency Planning
Every organization using lithium batteries should have a clear emergency response plan.
IEA assists organizations with developing practical procedures for responding to battery failures, overheating events, smoke conditions, and fires.
Services include:
- Emergency response procedures
- Evacuation planning
- Incident reporting
- Fire department coordination
- Business continuity planning
OSHA Safety Programs
Strong written safety programs help organizations remain compliant while protecting employees.
IEA develops customized programs that support safe battery handling throughout the organization.
Services include:
- Written procedures
- Employee training
- Hazard communication
- PPE guidance
- OSHA compliance support
- Safety program development
Fire Code Compliance & Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) Coordination
Lithium battery installations are subject to evolving fire code requirements.
IEA helps organizations understand applicable fire codes, identify regulatory obligations, and coordinate with the Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) throughout planning and implementation.
Our consultants provide guidance regarding:
- Fire code considerations
- Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements
- Battery room design considerations
- Fire protection recommendations
- Coordination with local fire departments
Disposal & Recycling
Damaged or end-of-life lithium batteries require specialized handling.
IEA helps organizations establish safe disposal procedures while minimizing environmental and regulatory risks.
Services include:
- Disposal procedures
- Recycling guidance
- Vendor recommendations
- Damaged battery handling
- Incident investigations
- Corrective actions
Employee Training & Awareness
People remain the first line of defense.
IEA provides practical training that helps employees recognize hazards before they become emergencies.
Training topics include:
- Battery hazards
- Thermal runaway awareness
- Safe charging practices
- Safe storage procedures
- Emergency response
- Incident reporting
How IEA Can Help
Risk Assessments
Evaluate charging, storage, battery handling, and facility hazards.
Storage & Charging Reviews
Identify safer storage locations and charging practices that reduce fire risk.
Emergency Response Planning
Develop practical procedures for damaged batteries, evacuation planning, and coordination with local emergency responders.
OSHA & Fire Code Support
Assist organizations with workplace safety expectations and applicable fire code considerations.
Employee Training
Help employees recognize warning signs and safely respond to damaged or overheating batteries.
Disposal Guidance
Support compliant disposal and recycling practices for end-of-life and damaged batteries.
Industries We Serve
IEA provides lithium battery safety consulting services for organizations across a wide range of industries. Whether you operate a manufacturing facility, healthcare campus, school district, municipality, warehouse, or commercial building, our team helps identify hazards, improve compliance, and reduce operational risk.
- Manufacturing
- Warehousing & Distribution
- Healthcare
- Education (K-12 & Higher Education)
- Municipal & Government Facilities
- Commercial Buildings
- Energy Storage Facilities
- Data Centers
- Utilities
- Transportation & Fleet Operation
Why Organizations Choose IEA
For more than 40 years, organizations throughout Minnesota and across the Midwest have trusted IEA to identify workplace hazards, improve regulatory compliance, and reduce operational risk. Our multidisciplinary team combines practical field experience with engineering, industrial hygiene, and safety expertise to deliver practical, facility-focused solutions that help organizations reduce risk, improve compliance, and protect people, property, and operations.
Our multidisciplinary team includes:
- Certified Safety Professionals (CSP)
- Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH)
- Professional Engineers (PE)
- Environmental Health & Safety Consultants
- Regulatory Compliance Specialists
Our recommendations are practical, facility-focused, and tailored to your operations—not generic checklists.
Download the Lithium Battery Safety Checklist
FREE RESOURCE
Protect Your Facility Before an Incident Occurs
As lithium battery use continues to expand across every industry, organizations need practical strategies to safely manage charging, storage, transportation, disposal, and emergency response.
Whether you’re implementing your first battery charging station or managing hundreds of lithium batteries across multiple facilities, IEA can help reduce risk, improve compliance, and protect what matters most—your people, your property, and your operations.
Contact IEA today to learn more about our Lithium Battery Safety Consulting Services or schedule a facility assessment.
