Industrial Health and Safety: Batteries

(asked on 21st July 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Health and Safety Executive have taken to assess the risk of fire and explosion associated with large scale lithium-ion battery storage.


Answered by
Mims Davies Portrait
Mims Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 6th September 2021

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been closely studying battery safety for several years, using its bespoke battery testing facility to help customers and research partners understand how best to manage the fire and explosion risks during battery manufacture, storage, transport, and use. HSE’s scientists and engineers are at the forefront of the Energy Storage Health and Safety Governance Group and have been involved with the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems and the Energy Institute’s Guidance Note on battery energy storage system fire planning and response.

The fundamental principle of health and safety law is that those who create risks are best placed to control them so far as is reasonably practicable. Designers, installers, and operators all have a duty to ensure this is the case. HSE regulate Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), within a robust regulatory framework, expecting the duty holder to assess the specific situation and implement necessary control measures.

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