Battery Fire Risks [Part 2]: How to Store and Handle Batteries Safely Onsite

This article is part 2 of a four-part series on battery fire risk in electronics.
Read Part 1: Battery Fire Risks: What Is the Risk and What to Watch For

Rechargeable batteries don’t usually fail in dramatic ways right away. In many cases, the damage that leads to a fire happens earlier — during everyday storage, staging, or handling — long before anything actually ignites.

The good news is that a lot of battery fire risk can be reduced with simple, practical changes to how electronics and battery-containing devices are stored and moved inside facilities. This isn’t about building specialized battery rooms or adding complex equipment. It’s about creating safer habits in the places where devices naturally pass through.

This part of the series focuses on what organizations can do onsite to lower risk while electronics are waiting for reuse, transfer, recycling, or removal.

Where batteries tend to get damaged onsite

Battery-related incidents often trace back to small, unintentional handling issues, such as:

• Devices tossed into boxes, bins or carts
• Electronics stacked under heavy items
• Loose devices rubbing against each other during transport
• Batteries contacting metal objects like shelving, carts, or loose hardware
• Devices left in hot or poorly ventilated areas

Even minor impacts can damage internal battery cells in ways that aren’t visible from the outside. That damage can sit unnoticed until the battery heats up later.

Safer storage habits for battery-containing devices

A few simple storage practices can significantly reduce risk:

• Keep electronics and battery-containing devices in stable, designated staging areas
• Avoid stacking heavy equipment on top of smaller devices
• Separate loose devices from scrap metal or mixed material bins
• Store devices in cool, dry, well-ventilated spaces
• Keep battery-containing items away from high-traffic walkways where they can be bumped or dropped

If devices are being staged for pickup or transfer, minimizing unnecessary movement helps prevent accidental damage during that waiting period.

Why isolating damaged devices matters

When a device shows signs of battery damage — swelling, heat, odor, or visible damage — isolating it early is one of the most important safety steps.

Isolation doesn’t mean leaving it in the middle of a work area. It means:

1. Moving it out of main work zones
2. Keeping it away from other devices
3. Placing it in a location where heat or smoke would be noticed quickly
4. Following internal procedures for escalation and safe handling

This reduces the chance that one compromised battery triggers damage to nearby equipment or creates a larger incident.

Simple packaging practices that reduce risk

When preparing devices for internal transfer or pickup:

• Avoid packing battery-containing devices tightly together
• Use padding or spacing to prevent rubbing or pressure
• Do not tape over damaged batteries or attempt makeshift “fixes”
• Keep terminals from contacting metal or other batteries
• Label containers clearly so staff know batteries are present

Clear labeling and consistent packaging practices help ensure everyone involved understands that these items need more care than typical scrap electronics. Check out SEAM’s guidance on safe handling and staging of lithium batteries. 

How long devices should sit onsite

Batteries are most at risk when devices sit in uncontrolled environments for long periods. Extended staging in high-traffic or high-heat areas increases the chance of unnoticed damage or deterioration.

If electronics are waiting for pickup:

• Avoid letting battery-containing devices accumulate for long periods
• Keep storage areas organized so devices aren’t buried or forgotten
• Build regular removal schedules into operational routines

Reducing how long batteries remain onsite lowers the window of exposure.

Building battery safety into everyday routines

Battery safety doesn’t need to be treated as a special project. It works best when it becomes part of normal equipment handling habits.

Small changes — designated staging areas, clearer labeling, basic training on what damaged batteries look like — go a long way toward reducing risk without slowing operations down.