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5 minute read
Lithium batteries and how to keep you and your home safe
Written by Vicki Crawford, marketing advisor
Lithium-ion batteries play an essential part in everyday life. They can be found in mobile phones, laptops, scooters/e-bikes, e-cigarettes, and toys. When lithium-ion batteries overheat, are misused, or are defective, they can be prone to explosions. This can result in injuries and fires.
We want to make sure that you stay safe and have the best advice to help prevent an incident involving lithium-ion batteries. Here are some tips to help keep you and your home safe:
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
- Avoid charging your device around flammable materials, such as a bed, pillow, couch, or paper
- Charge your device with the power cord that comes with it
- Charge your device on a hard flat surface where heat can dissipate
- Never keep li-ion batteries near heat sources or in high temperatures such as direct sunlight
- Unplug your charger once it’s finished charging
- Do not charge them whilst asleep
- If a battery is warm, allow them to cool down before charging them
- If you notice your battery is damaged, make sure you replace it
- Never throw lithium-ion batteries in the rubbish. Take them to a battery recycling location
- Ensure smoke alarms are fitted in areas where e-bikes or e-scooters are being charged
- Never block your escape route with anything, including bikes and scooters. Store them away from a main through route
A reminder, if you are a home group customer, you can report a broken or missing smoke detector.
In an emergency call 999.