NFPA Journal - Winter 2024 - 31

facilities that handle lithium-ion batteries. Guidance
and considerations for emergency response to
battery incidents are also likely. In December, the
Standards Council is expected to review and vote
on the proposed technical committee roster for the
new code and finalize its proposed scope.
While much of the proposed code remains speculation,
one thing is certain: the committee tasked
with its development faces a herculean task. Lithium-ion
batteries' vast range of uses and locations,
combined with the complex nature of their hazards,
present a seemingly unlimited number of scenarios
to consider. As a result, experts say that any guidance
will most likely exist on a spectrum, rather than
as a one-size-fits-all approach. Tools and charts will
be critical for helping users assess their situation
and apply the best option.
" Instead of just saying 'here is the recommendation,'
I imagine they will develop decision-making
frameworks for how to apply a hazard mediation
analysis, " said Hutchison, who served as an advisor
during the creation of the code's proposal. " We envision
it as trying to give people the tools they need,
based on the research, to understand the problem
and understand their options, while recognizing
they're going to have to largely apply a lot of this to
their specific circumstances. "
Another challenge for the proposed code, as well
as for researchers, is the speed at which battery
technology is evolving. In the race to make batteries
smaller and more powerful with faster charging
times, manufacturers are continually tweaking
chemistries and designs. As innovation improves
efficiency and lowers costs, more novel uses for batteries
emerge, as do new questions.
" The goalposts keep moving, " Meacham said. " The
battery makers are developing new technologies as
we're still learning what to do with the existing technologies. "
Because of this, it is critical that whatever
new standard emerges is " a living document " that
is nimble and responsive to the ever-evolving state
of play, Meacham said.
For that to be possible, and for the existing gaps
to be erased, the research will have to continue
at its current frenetic pace. For researchers like
Hutchison, that means the Whac-A-Mole game will
seemingly continue indefinitely. Perhaps the more
apt metaphor is that fire safety researchers are
trying to bail water out of a boat that keeps springing
leaks. Will it sink, or stay afloat?
" It's not easy, but I would say we are making progress.
We're not going backwards, " Hutchison said.
" Luckily, we're not the only ones conducting this
work. There are a lot of researchers around the world
working on the problem. "
JESSE ROMAN is senior editor of NFPA Journal and host of
the NFPA Podcast.
NFPA .ORG/JOURNAL * NFPA JOURNAL | 31
Workers at a
lithium-ion battery
recycling facility in
China. Every aspect
of the technology
continues to evolve
at a rapid pace,
posing challenges
to stakeholders
across the safety
continuum. " The
goalposts keep
moving, " one
observer says.
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