April 6, 2022

Dear UAF community,

In general, lithium batteries are part of our standard business operations — built into laptops and other technology devices, research field equipment, and other battery-powered or portable items used on a daily basis. Last week, we had an incident on the UAF Troth Yeddha’ Campus that serves as a good reminder for safe practices and proper care when lithium batteries are involved. 

On Friday, April 1, 2022, there was a battery reaction and resulting fire involving a lithium-type battery pack in the Akasofu building on the West Ridge. The room in which the fire was located was empty of all occupants at the time, and thankfully no one was hurt. The reaction in this case was forceful and some building occupants reported hearing an “explosion,” which has understandably triggered some questions. 

UAF firefighters immediately responded to the incident and extinguished the fire, which was contained to one portion of one room. The event required building evacuation and produced some lingering smells that caused occupants to stay out of the facility through the weekend so the air-handling system could address the issue and clean-up could be started. The incident is under investigation by the UFD Fire Marshal with assistance from UAF Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management (EHSRM), in addition to UA’s Risk Services team. 

It is important that we recognize the need to properly care for, maintain, store, and handle lithium batteries, especially in larger portable devices or equipment. In the event handling these devices requires laboratory space separate from an office location, please reach out to your unit Dean, Director, or to UAF Facilities Services through our space process, so we can better assist with options to accommodate space needs or other support. 

To help improve our awareness, UAF EHSRM also provides resources to educate our staff, faculty, and students. We welcome feedback in this area to further improve our guidance and training materials. Below, please see some best practices, with respect to lithium battery management. 

Thank you and be safe,

Julie Queen, VCAS

Battery handling, use, storage and disposal recommended practices

New batteries

• Read the owner’s manual to ensure that you are using the correct battery for your equipment.

• Never mix and match different brands of batteries.

• Store new batteries in their original packaging until you need them. Keep batteries away from sources of heat and protect against water damage.

Best practices

• Regularly check your equipment and batteries for damage and signs of damage, including corrosion and swelling.

• Always use the correct charger for your electronic devices. An incorrect charger can have the wrong resistance and cause the battery to overheat, causing a fire or damage to your device.

Storage of batteries 

• Never store lithium batteries in a flammable or corrosive cabinet.

• Larger quantities of lithium batteries, such as might be needed for research equipment, should be stored in laboratories rather than in spaces designed as offices. Labs have more robust sprinkler capacity in the event of a fire.

Used batteries

• Do not throw used lithium batteries in the regular trash. The battery may become damaged during routine garbage handling and cause a fire.

• A used or “dead” battery can still have enough residual energy to start a fire or cause an injury.

• Used batteries can be disposed of in the used battery pails present in most buildings on campus. To prevent fires, tape battery terminals before disposing into a used battery bucket. Please use clear tape as this is required by UAF’s disposal contractor (i.e., no duct tape or electrical tape). Place each battery in a Ziploc-style plastic bag.

Damaged batteries

• Do NOT place bulging or damaged batteries in a used battery pail. Call EHSRM hazmat at 474-5617 immediately for disposal assistance. This is especially true for laptop batteries.

• If you notice batteries that are smoking or hissing, or if there is a metallic odor in the area, pull the fire alarm immediately to evacuate the building and leave. When in a safe location, call 9-1-1 and report specific information of the problem to first responders.

For more information, check out the Avoid the Spark website.