210- BATTERIES PROGRAM

210.1 PURPOSE A. To establish safety protocols to protect Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) employees when working with lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries. 210.2 SCOPE A. This program applies to all CNM employees who are authorized/assigned to work with LiPo batteries. 210.3 DEFINITIONS A. (lithium- polymer battery) - is a of lithium-ion technology. Unlike cylindrical and prismatic cells, LiPos often come in a soft package or pouch, which makes them lighter but also less rigid, thus making them more susceptible to damage. 210.4 RESPONSIBILITIES A. Manager/Supervisor/Instructor/Lab Coordinator is responsible for: (1) Understanding, implementation and maintenance of the program. (2) Replacing and disposing of LiPo batteries. (3) Developing and implementing standard operating procedure (SOP), ensuring each affected employee/student is familiarized with it. B. Affected Students/Employees are responsible for: (1) Reporting to supervisor of any damaged LiPo batteries. (2) Following all procedures discussed in this program as well as departmental SOPs. C. Safety Director/Designee is responsible for: (1) Developing and maintaining the Lithium Polymer Batteries program and reviewing it, annually. (2) Ensuring proper disposal or LiPo batteries. 210.5 GENERAL HEALTH & SAFETY A. In the unlikely event that the in the cells gets on your skin, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, rinse at emergency eyewash station for 15 minutes with cool water and seek immediate medical attention. B. Avoid inhaling smoke and fumes of a LiPo battery that is on fire since the smoke is toxic. Leave the area and call 911 on any CNM phone or (505)224-3001 on your cellular phone. C. Never solder directly to any LiPo battery. D. Never charge, discharge, use or store damaged or “puffy” LiPo battery. 210.6 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE A. Each affected department shall create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for charging, discharging and all other relevant tasks. The SOP must: (1) Reference the manufactures procedure for charging/discharging/disposal. (2) Be reviewed and approved by the safety department before being put in place. (3) Be reviewed by each employee/student authorized to work with lithium polymer batteries. 210.7 CHARGING PROCEDURES A. LiPo batteries are only to be charged using a balancing charger that meets, or exceeds, the battery manufacturer's minimum safe charging requirements. The departmental SOP must include reference to, and compliance with, battery and charger manufacturer’s procedures for safe charging, discharging, and disposal.

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210-LITHIUM POLYMER BATTERIES PROGRAM

B. Make sure the battery is cooled down to ambient temperature before charging. C. Charge your batteries in an open ventilated area, away from other flammable materials. D. Have a type D fire extinguisher near the LiPo battery charging area and/or a large bucket of dry sand. Never extinguish LiPo batteries with water! E. Never leave battery fully charged for more than 2 days or longer unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer. 210.8 DISCHARGING A. LiPo batteries should never be discharged below 3.0V/cell, unless otherwise stated in manufacturers recommendations or it may permanently damage them. (1) If discharged below 3.0v/cell range or low cutoff is not set properly and battery falls below this range, remove from use. B. In order to discharge packs in series, the charged voltage of both packs must be within 0.01V for the same cell count pack. 210.9 STORAGE A. Store LiPo batteries in a safe non-combustible container away from any flammable/combustible materials. Preferably in a LiPo sack or metal/ceramic storage container. B. Do not store batteries in vehicle or a place with extreme temperature (store between 40 and 80 degrees F) C. When storing batteries for extended periods, store at half charged state unless not required per manufacturer's recommendations. D. Never store battery where it has potential for contact with something made of metal, because that may cause it to short. Do not expose battery pack to direct sunlight (heat) for extended periods. 210.10 DISPOSAL A. Batteries shall be disposed based on manufacturers recharging limits, when damaged or when charger indicates it is no longer safe. (1) Written records of each battery recharge shall be kept for the life of the battery. B. Disposal Steps: (1) If any LiPo cell in the pack has been physically damaged, resulting in a swollen cell or a split or tear in a cell’s foil covering, do NOT discharge the battery. (2) Making sure not to contact battery with bare hand, place a label or write on the battery “DAMAGED DO NOT USE”. (3) Place the LiPo battery in a fireproof container, such as a LiPo sack or a bucket of sand. (4) Connect the battery to a LiPo discharger. Set the discharge cutoff voltage to the lowest possible value. (5) Discharge the battery until its voltage reaches 1.0V per cell or lower after verifying manufacturer’s recommendations. (6) Store the discharged battery in a fireproof container labeled: (a) “Hazardous Waste” (b) “Lithium-Polymer Battery” (c) The start date of spent battery accumulation.

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210-LITHIUM POLYMER BATTERIES PROGRAM

(7) The safety department will ensure the spent batteries are picked up annually and disposed of properly. C. Any questions on disposal contact CNM safety director at (505)224-3002

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