Mitigating the Risk Factors in Electric Vehicle Battery Manufacturing

Electric vehicle battery manufacturers must mitigate risks from hazardous chemicals and high-voltage systems through comprehensive safety assessments, worker training and adherence to evolving regulations.

• By Hamid Abuzaid
• Oct 11, 2024

As the search for more clean energy transportation solutions continues, the demand for electric batteries such as those in electric vehicles (EVs) also increases. However, the production of these batteries is a delicate process involving multiple chemicals, with each factory using their own secret recipes. So creating standardized safety across the industry is difficult. Complicating matters, each state has different regulations for EV production facilities, making it even more challenging for manufacturers to ensure the safety standards for the production of electric batteries are met.

The Dangers of EV Manufacturing

As with any type of manufacturing, EV batteries come with different risks. At the base level, EV batteries are made of a mix of hazardous chemicals, each carrying their own risks. For example, an unbalanced or improperly handled chemical mix can cause severe injuries to workers. Additionally, since these chemicals are highly reactive, fire hazards are another serious risk. The majority of lithium-ion battery fires are caused by thermal runaway, where one chemical triggers another and causes an uncontrollable increase in temperature. These chemical fires can be difficult to extinguish and potentially threaten the workers at the manufacturing plant and those further down the line, such as transportation and recycling facilities. Manufacturers should also be concerned about the potential for electrical hazards since EV battery packs operate at such high voltages. If a worker comes in contact with the high-voltage parts, it can result in severe injury or death.

What Companies Can Do to Mitigate Risk

There are two main steps that manufacturers should take to understand the risks facing their production facilities.

First, they should conduct an in-depth risk assessment, which is key to understanding all the potential threats that could come up throughout the process of manufacturing EV batteries, from handling and mixing the chemicals, all the way to proper storage and shipping. A risk assessment starts with a few basic questions, such as who are the key stakeholders and what regulations must be followed in compliance with state, federal and OSHA laws. All stakeholders should be involved in the conversation so that everyone has a say in how things will operate and fully understands all the risks involved, even in areas they might not necessarily touch.

A thorough risk assessment will also cover facility design and how the batteries and their components are stored prior to assembly. Factors like temperature, humidity, air quality, fire-resistant materials and proper ventilation all impact the safety standards of a facility. Some facilities were specifically built to manufacture EV batteries, allowing them to incorporate risk mitigation systems in the initial design. However, manufacturers working with older facilities retrofitted to manufacture EV batteries need to consider the availability of a clean room to prevent contamination, proper storage space between batteries to limit the spread of fires, and additional safety features such as eye wash stations and showers.

Once the risk assessment is complete and the manufacturing plant is properly set up to mitigate safety risks, the next step is to create a comprehensive safety plan for workers, including proper training. Employees need to understand the variety of risks resulting from the dangers of chemicals they are handling on a daily basis and the proper measures to take if they are exposed. Proper training on the use of the equipment is also essential – not just in the manufacturing process but also the equipment used in an emergency. Accidents can always happen, but a lack of training and understanding of the manufacturing process and the dangerous chemicals used all create a higher level of risk that can be easily mitigated through proper employee education and training.

To keep procedures and safety top of mind for employees every day, manufacturers should implement safety talks during their daily stand-ups at the beginning of each shift. This keeps employees updated on any new regulations or procedures, along with allowing time to ask questions. It is important that employees understand the manufacturing process from a holistic perspective. This extends to not only their jobs but how their role functions within the broader process, the hazards behind each material and what to do in different types of emergencies. Training is only effective, however, if it meets the employees where they are. An effective training program considers the language or languages spoken at work, along with the culture and environment of the workforce.

Stay Vigilant on Safety Trends

Staying on top of safety regulations should be top of mind every day and regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with the latest trends in OSHA regulations. Regular audits and inspections, whether done by someone in-house at the factory or an external group, are important to ensure standards are met. If conducting these audits with an in-house member, the findings should be well documented, and the company can be prepared to implement any necessary changes. If an external group inspects the facility, the company receives the additional benefit of having an outside perspective on best practices and might have new considerations and feedback for the team to consider. As OSHA continues to provide new guidelines for the manufacturing of EV batteries, companies should be ready and waiting to implement the new best practices to ensure the safety of their job sites.