IAS Webinar on Reducing Risk When Performing Energized Work on Batteries

Abstract

Electrical safety guidance in NFPA 70E for work on batteries can be substantially improved. Article 120, Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition was originally developed to manage electrical sources that can be de-energized, e.g., facility ac/dc power circuits. Some have inappropriately attempted to apply electrical safety practices intended for power distribution circuits to battery work. This includes attempts to de-energize batteries, verify zero energy, or establish an electrically safe work condition, none of which can be applied to batteries. However, the principles of the control of hazardous energy, including lockout tagout, can and need to be adapted to work on batteries. This talk explores the modifications required to develop a battery hazardous energy control procedure that can protect workers and avoid accidents. The talk also covers several physical properties and engineering controls common in battery systems that affect the battery risk assessment required by NFPA 70E. Lastly, it will present a list of changes proposed to electrical safety practices, including those outlined in NFPA 70E, that clarify how to control hazardous energy in batteries, helping to avoid future misapplication of power distribution circuit electrical safety practices to batteries.

Speaker Bio
David Rosewater is a grid energy storage researcher at the Sandia National Laboratories. He received a B.S. and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Montana Tech of the University of Montana, as well as a PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He holds a professional engineering license in the state of New Mexico and currently chairs the IEEE P2686 working group developing a recommended practice for design and configuration of battery management systems in energy storage applications. David is the chair of the IEEE PES Energy Storage Applications and Technologies (EESAT) conference. He has been cited more than 450 times for his work in battery system integration and safety. Fundamentally, David’s scientific career has focused on the careful design of interfaces between batteries, other technologies, and the people who depend on both.

Paper Citation: D. M. Rosewater, “Reducing Risk When Performing Energized Work on Batteries,” in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 60, no. 2, pp. 2732-2741, March-April 2024, doi: 10.1109/TIA.2023.3332828.