In 2022, there have been nearly 200 fires and six deaths in New York City caused by lithium-ion batteries used in mobility devices such as electric bikes and scooters.
The New York City Council held a hearing last month to gauge the danger posed by poorly made, refurbished, or improperly charged batteries. The city currently limits five large lithium-ion batteries to a single residence.
Other cities including San Francisco also have experienced fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. Concerned over an uptick in fires, landlords in New York City such as Glenwood Management are reportedly considering bans on electric bikes and scooters.
If the batteries are damaged from being dropped or hit too hard, or are improperly stored or poorly manufactured, they can create excessive heat when being charged, resulting in a fire, according to a fire protection engineer at the National Fire Protection Association.
Related Stories
| Sep 7, 2012
Business, labor groups push for easing of California’s Environmental Quality Act
Business and labor groups have combined forces to push for a change to California's Environmental Quality Act, specifically its complex review process for building and construction projects.
| Sep 7, 2012
Twenty years later, Florida contractors cite Hurricane Andrew as construction game-changer
Remarking on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, which devastated south Florida; contractors are noting the storm’s impact on their industry—including the state’s adoption of tougher building codes.
| Sep 7, 2012
At risk for nine types of natural disasters, Texas trails most coastal states on building codes
Texas has the most diverse weather risk in the country, with exposure to nine different types of natural disasters.
| Aug 30, 2012
OSHA plans new crane-safety standards for demolition and underground work
The new rule will streamline OSHA’s standards by eliminating the separate cranes and derricks standard currently used for underground and demolition work.
| Aug 30, 2012
Federal government cancels defense contracts worth $2.15 billion
This action may foreshadow federal spending cuts scheduled for year's end if Congress takes no action on the federal budget.
| Aug 30, 2012
Public comment period is open for CRRC-1 standard
The CRRC-1 standard covers specimen preparation and test methods for measuring the initial and aged solar reflectance and thermal emittance of roofing products.
| Aug 30, 2012
LEED system's footprint reaches 2 billion sf, with 7 billion sf in the pipeline
About 7 billion more sf of commercial space is expected in the pipeline.
| Aug 30, 2012
Georgia drops LEED wood source standard on state projects
Currently, LEED green building standards only accept timber products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
| Aug 21, 2012
AGC offers second edition of the Federal Government Contractor: Ethics & Compliance Programs manual
This publication helps contractors appreciate the grounds for an alleged violation of the expected standards of business conduct and ethics, and to develop, implement, and document an effective ethics and compliance program.
| Aug 21, 2012
Federal Safe Building Code Incentive Act’s bipartisan support, no notable objection, bodes well for passage
The Safe Building Code Incentive Act would give states a little extra post-disaster federal funding if they enacted and enforced nationally recognized building codes for businesses and residences before disaster strikes.