Any potential hazard introduced into the workplace could present a risk to employees and visitors and should be assessed for risk potential, according to the British Safety Council. It’s published a guide for employers to manage risks posed by storing and charging lithium-powered e-bikes and scooters. As a starting point, the guidance recommends a five-steap framework to assess hazards and introduce control measures to reduce risks:
Identify the hazards
Decide who might be harmed and how
Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures
Record your findings and implement them
Review your findings and update them routinely.
Phil Pinnington, Head of Audit and Consultancy, British Safety Council, said: “As with all new and developing technologies, the increasing use of e-bikes and scooters has prompted a wave of new questions, considerations, and challenges – not least for employers, as e-bikes and scooters have entered the workplace; and are routinely charged at (or under) our desks. British Safety Council’s ‘Introductory Guide’ to Li-on batteries in the workplace offers a series of tips to help employers identify and assess the risks posed, how to put control measures in place, and shows some of the solutions being used around the world.”
You can view the document at the British Safety Council’s website.
Cable compliance
To reduce the risk of fire or explosion, it’s important that the right cables are used to charge the right batteries, ideally those provided by the manufacturer when the bike or scooter was purchased. Where it isn’t possible to source replacement cables from the manufacturer, consider whether cables are mechanically and electronically coded (allowing for two-way communication between the battery and the charging cable as to voltage, charge, and battery capacity) as this reduces the risk of over-heating, over-charging, and thus fire and explosion.
Policies and procedures
It’s important that employers revisit existing policies – or write new ones – to deal with the new challenges presented by Li-ion batteries in the workplace. It’s widely known that damaged cabling presents a risk of fire and electrocution, hence new policies should seek to mirror those already widely used for the replacement of other workplace cables. If chargers are brought into the workplace by employees, this should be agreed by those responsible for maintenance, and all cables should be PAT tested before use. With the risk of fire and explosion, policies should seek to prevent unmanned or unmonitored charging and leaving devices charging overnight should be prohibited. Around socket capacity and overloading, this also presents a fire risk.
Designated charging facility
If the growth in the usage of e-bikes and e-scooters follows its expected trajectory, the need for end-of-trip facilities (for storage and charging) will come to replace traditional bike facilities (in workplaces, on trains, or in residential buildings). Access to safe and secure charging facilities will become an important part of what a workplace can offer its employees. Bringing the management of end-of-trip charging facilities in-house offers employers the ability to reduce risk by having oversight over monitoring, quality control, compliance with PAT testing and regulatory changes, overseen by a responsible person.
