5.Lithium Battery Fire - JLG X17JPLUS Operator, Safety, And General Maintenance Manual

MAINTENANCE MUX17JP021602
• Even if this is quite unlikely, there may be fires as a consequence of the explo‐
sion. The ways these emergencies are faced are described in the following para‐
graph.
• The exploded cell may be hot. Allow it to cool down to ambient temperature
before handling it (see Procedure for handling hot cells).
• Wear safety equipment: coat, gloves, mask and filters.
• In case of explosion the area around the cell will be covered by a black carbo‐
naceous material which contains metallic parts of the cell. Cover the carbonace‐
ous residues with a 50/50 mixture of soda and vermiculite or other absorbent
material. Avoid contact between the metallic residues and charged cells, as this
condition may cause a short‐circuit.
• Place the contaminated material in a sealable plastic bag and remove the
excess air. Seal the bag.
• Place a cup of vermiculite in a second bag, place the first bag in the second and
seal it.
• Clean the area with plenty of water and keep cleaning with water and soap.
• Dispose of the hazardous material in accordance with the local legislation in
force.
FOR THE FIRST AID IN THE EVENT OF CONTACT WITH THE
ELECTROLYTE SEE THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH ʺPROCEDURE FOR HAN‐
DLING VENTED CELLS (P. 171)ʺ.
12.18.1.5.Lithium battery fire
All metals may burn in certain conditions, which depend on certain factors such
as: physical state, presence of oxidising atmospheres and severity of the source of
ignition. Alkali metals such as lithium may burn in normal atmospheres. In addi‐
tion, lithium reacts explosively with water to form hydrogen and the presence of
small quantities of water may set fire to the material and the hydrogen gas that is
released. Once metal fires start they are very hard to extinguish with ordinary
equipment. This is partly due to the strong heat produced by the burning metal,
whose temperature may reach 1000°C. In addition, lithium may react with certain
materials commonly used in fire extinguishers, like water and CO2. Special extin‐
guishers are required, designed for controlling and extinguishing lithium fires. In
particular, graphite‐based extinguishers (Lith‐x) are used. Usually these extingui‐
shers work by forming a crust or a layer of material on the surface of the burning
metal. Lith‐x, which is a common graphite‐based agent, may be used with an ex‐
tinguisher or spread over the fire. In the event of lithium fire, the room may fill
with a dense white smoke, mostly formed by lithium oxide and other metal oxi‐
174 Boom Lift Models X17JPLUS