A Swollen Li-ion Battery—A Reminder for All of Us

Li-ion Storage - Do not forget where it is or what is in there

A colleague from another institution recently contacted me with a concern. One of their team members had discovered a Li-ion battery that was enlarged and misshapen. After walking through the appropriate safety steps together, he mentioned that the failure likely occurred over the summer. It had gone unnoticed until staff pulled the device out of storage months later.

This scenario highlights three important lessons for all of us working with Li-ion batteries in schools, labs, and workplaces:

1. Your entire staff needs to know the proper safety protocols. It’s not enough for just one or two people to understand what to do. Everyone who may encounter a battery—whether in storage, in use, or during disposal—should be trained in how to identify and respond to a potential failure.

2. Regular inspections matter. Batteries left in storage can degrade over time, especially in environments that aren’t climate-controlled. Make routine inspections part of your safety procedures so that you catch warning signs early before they escalate into hazards.

3. Don’t guess—ask for help. If you encounter a situation where you are uncertain, it’s better to pause and reach out for expert guidance than to take a chance. At Kevin Doyle Consulting LLC, we provide training, protocols, and ongoing support to help you handle these situations safely and confidently.

Li-ion batteries are powerful tools that make our lives and classrooms more efficient—but only if we treat them with the respect and precautions they require. Don’t wait for a near-miss to highlight gaps in your safety practices.