There is growing concern that manufacturing defects over faulty batteries and chargers are the cause of a sharp increase in safety incidents involving e-scooters, e-bikes and other electrical items.
Across the UK, there has been reports of fires related to privately owned e-scooters, with faulty Lithium-ion batteries, imported from China identified as the main cause.
Although the number of incidents is only small, these Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in lots of everyday products such as laptops, mobile phones and tablets.
Earlier this month, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended a fire in Stepney Green, London believed to be caused by the failure of a Lithium-ion battery from an e-bike, which caused damaged to a first floor flat in a three-storey block.
In a statement by LFB, via the Fire Protection Association, a spokesperson said: “When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly, the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.”
Mark Mulhern, Building Safety Manager at Karbon Homes, said: “While there have been no known incidents specifically relating to Karbon Homes or our customers, we want to raise awareness of the dangers these batteries can cause within the home. There is a temptation to purchase batteries online because they are cheaper however, some do not meet the correct safety standards, which could mean you are putting yourself, your family and your home at risk.”
The LFB have provided the following useful tips and advice for owners of e-scooters and e-bikes, which we think is important, in an attempt to prevent more of these incidents occurring:
- Always use the correct charger for the product and buy an official one from a reputable seller.
- Batteries can get warm during their use and it is advisable to allow them to cool down before attempting to re-charge as they could be more susceptible to failure.
- Batteries should always be charged on hard flat surfaces where heat can dissipate.
- Batteries can also pose a risk if they have been damaged, so try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried as spares as this can increase the chance of damage to cells.
- You should always make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging. Always follow manufacturers’ instructions when charging and we would advise not to leave it unattended or while people are asleep.
- Ensure you have smoke alarms fitted in areas where e-bikes or e-scooters are being charged and make sure they are tested regularly.
- Never block your escape route with anything, including bikes and scooters. Store them somewhere away from a main through route.
Ref: www.thefpa.co.uk
There is growing concern that manufacturing defects over faulty batteries and chargers are the cause of a sharp increase in safety incidents involving e-scooters, e-bikes and other electrical items.
Across the UK, there has been reports of fires related to privately owned e-scooters, with faulty Lithium-ion batteries, imported from China identified as the main cause.
Although the number of incidents is only small, these Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in lots of everyday products such as laptops, mobile phones and tablets.
Earlier this month, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended a fire in Stepney Green, London believed to be caused by the failure of a Lithium-ion battery from an e-bike, which caused damaged to a first floor flat in a three-storey block.
In a statement by LFB, via the Fire Protection Association, a spokesperson said: “When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly, the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.”
Mark Mulhern, Building Safety Manager at Karbon Homes, said: “While there have been no known incidents specifically relating to Karbon Homes or our customers, we want to raise awareness of the dangers these batteries can cause within the home. There is a temptation to purchase batteries online because they are cheaper however, some do not meet the correct safety standards, which could mean you are putting yourself, your family and your home at risk.”
The LFB have provided the following useful tips and advice for owners of e-scooters and e-bikes, which we think is important, in an attempt to prevent more of these incidents occurring:
Ref: www.thefpa.co.uk
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