Storing and Transporting Lithium-Ion Batteries Safely in the Workplace
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Workplace WHS
Storing and Transporting Lithium-Ion Batteries Safely in the Workplace
Batteries don't only fail on charge. How you store, isolate and move them is a WHS responsibility — and a containment opportunity.
Conversations about lithium-ion fire risk tend to focus on charging, but a significant share of the danger lives in storage and transport. Damaged, ageing or fire-affected cells can vent and ignite while sitting on a shelf or in transit, and workplaces holding batteries in any quantity carry clear responsibilities to manage that risk (SafeWork NSW, 2024).
01Storage is a WHS duty, not an afterthought
Under work health and safety law, businesses must identify and control the risks of lithium battery storage regardless of quantity (SafeWork NSW, 2024). For sites holding significant quantities, Fire and Rescue NSW (n.d.) considers the risk comparable to manifest-quantity hazardous chemicals and sets out emergency-planning expectations — including a site plan identifying battery type, chemistry and quantity, the fire safety and containment measures in place, and the manufacturer's isolation and extinguishment recommendations. If your workplace stores batteries, these expectations should shape your storage design.
02Principles of safer storage
Good storage comes down to a few durable principles. Keep batteries in a cool, ventilated area away from direct heat and away from your primary exits. Separate them from flammable materials. Don't stockpile damaged or swollen cells alongside healthy ones — isolate them. And keep quantities in any single location proportionate, since concentrating energy concentrates the consequences of a failure. Fire and Rescue NSW (2025) underlines why this matters: a failing cell in a confined, poorly ventilated store can produce toxic gas accumulation and accelerate fire spread.
Never store a battery you know is damaged in an occupied area "until you get to it." Isolate it in a fire-resistant container and, if it shows signs of failure, evacuate and call 000.
03Transporting damaged and fire-affected cells
Transport is its own hazard. Internationally, the carriage of lithium batteries is governed by frameworks including UN 38.3 testing requirements (United Nations, 2019), and damaged or fire-affected batteries demand particular care because of the risk of secondary ignition. The safest approach for moving a suspect cell short distances — from a charging area to isolation, for instance — is to place it in a fire-resistant containment product that limits any failure to the container itself.
04Where a containment bag fits
This is exactly the job a Premium Battery Fireproof Bag is built for. It gives staff a fire-resistant place to isolate a spare, suspect or damaged battery during storage or short transport, containing heat, flame and smoke if the cell fails. It's a low-cost, high-value control that turns an open-shelf hazard into a contained one — and a sensible addition to any workplace battery store.
- Treat lithium battery storage as a WHS risk to assess and control.
- Store cool, ventilated, away from exits and flammable materials.
- Isolate damaged or swollen cells — never mix them with healthy stock.
- Keep per-location quantities proportionate to limit consequences.
- Use fire-resistant containment bags for suspect cells and short transport.
See our lithium-ion containment bags and the broader industrial fire solutions range for workplace storage.
References
- Fire and Rescue NSW. (n.d.). Emergency plan requirements at sites having lithium batteries. Retrieved June 24, 2026, from https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/
- Fire and Rescue NSW. (2025). Management of lithium-ion battery safety risks: A literature review of current knowledge and best practices (Publication No. SRP-001). https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/
- United Nations. (2019). Recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods: Manual of tests and criteria (7th rev. ed., Section 38.3). United Nations.
- SafeWork NSW. (2024). Lithium-ion batteries — Fire, explosion and WHS risks. NSW Government. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/
This article is general information only and does not constitute professional fire-safety, engineering or legal advice. Lithium-ion battery fires are hazardous; in any emergency call 000 first and follow the directions of emergency services. Always use equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and applicable Australian requirements.