NYPD Pulls 3,000 Body Cameras After Lithium Battery Fire
Add “exploding lithium batteries” to the list of occupational hazards that law enforcement officers face every day.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has pulled nearly 3,000 police body cameras out of service after a Staten Island officer’s camera began smoking and ultimately burst into flames.
Luckily no one was injured. The affected model of camera has been removed from use by NYPD officers.
Learn the latest lithium battery rules for ground, air, and vessel transport in 2019. The Shipping Lithium Batteries online course will prepare you to ship batteries big or small, in-equipment, with-equipment, or standalone, in bulk or non-bulk packages, by any mode of transport.
New! Do you only ship excepted lithium batteries? Now, Lion offers Shipping Excepted Lithium Batteries training to simplify the rules for handling, packaging, marking, and labeling these small lithium batteries.
The most common hazard associated with lithium batteries is fire. This is often caused by internal short circuits but can also be traced to other sources. A fire could be the result of a poorly manufactured battery, but it could also come from any type of mechanical damage (such as dropping or crushing a battery).
When a battery is faulty, it can lead to a hazard cycle known as “thermal runaway.” If a battery begins to overheat beyond what can be vented off, it will increase the temperature inside the cell. This rise in temperature results in increased current, which then causes an increase in chemical reaction rate. As the chemical reaction rate increases, more heat is produced, which starts the cycle all over again. Just think of this like a snowball effect that continues to get bigger and bigger.
Before long, the increase in temperature and pressure becomes too much for the cell, and the battery can “explode” and vent its contents. This can then lead to a chain reaction where nearby cells or batteries go into thermal runaway as well. If there is a large number of batteries being stored together, you could have an entire pallet or storage area with batteries going into thermal runaway.
Do your employees work with lithium batteries or battery powered devices? Make sure workers know the risks associated with these batteries, and how to protect themselves—and your business. Check out the Lithium Battery Safety Online Course and be confident your workers know what to do if they experience a smoking, flaming, or exploding lithium battery.
Build in-depth expertise on how to class, package, mark, label, loading, unload, and document lithium battery ground, air, and vessel shipments.
Plus, get free lithium battery safety training at Lion.com when you enroll now!
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has pulled nearly 3,000 police body cameras out of service after a Staten Island officer’s camera began smoking and ultimately burst into flames.
Luckily no one was injured. The affected model of camera has been removed from use by NYPD officers.
Learn the latest lithium battery rules for ground, air, and vessel transport in 2019. The Shipping Lithium Batteries online course will prepare you to ship batteries big or small, in-equipment, with-equipment, or standalone, in bulk or non-bulk packages, by any mode of transport.
New! Do you only ship excepted lithium batteries? Now, Lion offers Shipping Excepted Lithium Batteries training to simplify the rules for handling, packaging, marking, and labeling these small lithium batteries.
Lithium Battery Fires and Thermal Runaway
The most common hazard associated with lithium batteries is fire. This is often caused by internal short circuits but can also be traced to other sources. A fire could be the result of a poorly manufactured battery, but it could also come from any type of mechanical damage (such as dropping or crushing a battery).When a battery is faulty, it can lead to a hazard cycle known as “thermal runaway.” If a battery begins to overheat beyond what can be vented off, it will increase the temperature inside the cell. This rise in temperature results in increased current, which then causes an increase in chemical reaction rate. As the chemical reaction rate increases, more heat is produced, which starts the cycle all over again. Just think of this like a snowball effect that continues to get bigger and bigger.
Before long, the increase in temperature and pressure becomes too much for the cell, and the battery can “explode” and vent its contents. This can then lead to a chain reaction where nearby cells or batteries go into thermal runaway as well. If there is a large number of batteries being stored together, you could have an entire pallet or storage area with batteries going into thermal runaway.
Lithium Battery Safety Training
Do your employees work with lithium batteries or battery powered devices? Make sure workers know the risks associated with these batteries, and how to protect themselves—and your business. Check out the Lithium Battery Safety Online Course and be confident your workers know what to do if they experience a smoking, flaming, or exploding lithium battery.
Shipping Lithium Batteries Online Course
Build in-depth expertise on how to class, package, mark, label, loading, unload, and document lithium battery ground, air, and vessel shipments.Plus, get free lithium battery safety training at Lion.com when you enroll now!
Tags: batteries, battery, hazmat, lithium, safety, shipping, training
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