Property managers should be concerned because they create a fire risk, a risk that increases if they are improperly used or managed. Luckily, there are steps you can take to manage that risk.

Each contains it’s own risk, and minimizing the risks for each is essential to safe usage. Luckily, there are steps you can take for each component of the device and its risk profile.

All lithium-ion batteries present risks. This is no different than other flammable or combustible materials. Like those materials, how the batteries are purchased, used, stored and maintained can determine how much risk they present to a user or facility. There are a number of ways to reduce and manage the risks they present.

Any device that does not have UL or EN certification presents significant risks as there is no way to know if it was properly made or maintained. The flaws that make a battery unstable can not be seen or found by consumers, so without certification, one cannot know how risky that device may be. There have been numerous cases of poorly made batteries exploding inside their packaging before they are charged or used.

Lack of Certification: Certification means a device was properly made to minimum standards. A non-UL or EN certified device can be unstable from the point of manufacturer, meaning it doesn’t even need to be used to fail and catch fire. We have seen non-UL devices catch fire in.

Improper charging

Improper use

Device size

Storage location

If fire spreads to the device, it will fail and catch on fire. The amount of fire produced by these devices is significant, so extension to a e-MM device can cause a fire to get much larger and more dangerous quickly.

Maintenance and repairs can make a device more vulnerable to failure and should only be conducted by certified professionals. At home repair kits and other consumer repairs should not be considered.

New technologies are being explored as we speak. None of them are yet available or proven in consumer devices. Millions of e-MM devices have already been manufactured and sold, and will be in the consumer market for some time, so learning to use, maintain and store these safety is essential for any user or property manager.

Risk can increase at any stage in a battery life cycle. Risk reduction should happen at every stage of a battery life-cycle.

Like e-MM, the size of the battery is of particular risk, as is the all weather usage. However, while EVs do have fires and the fire service is still studying this risk, they differ in a couple critical ways. One, they are all extremely well-made from know manufacturers who prize certification and safety. While there are some e-MM devices that are in a comparable category, they are rare compared to the proliferation of cheaply made, uncertified e-MM devices. Lastly, and most importantly, cars are rarely charged inside a home. Many e-MM devices charge inside homes, often next to beds and exits. This makes them far more likely to cause a deadly fire than a device charging outside or in a parking structure.

All of these items are powered by lithium-ion batteries. They differ in ways that are significant to safety. One, because these devices are smaller so are their batteries. That makes any resulting fire smaller and less risky. Two, they are made by a small number of known manufacturers who put a premium on certification and safety. Not only are they all made with UL certification, but the negative attention of a small number of fires in these devices early in their development caused the manufacturers to increase their safety oversight of these devices. e-MM devices have exploded in popularity, and so has the number of fly-by-night manufacturers who cannot be held accountable for producing unsafe devices. There are goo manufactures of e-MM devices, but they are vastly outnumbered by cheap and uncertified device manufacturers. Lastly, the use of e-MM devices on the streets makes them prone to post-production damage (dents, salt and water exposure, overheating) that can increase their fire risk.