Agenda item

Minutes:

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that this paper was seeking the Authority’s support and endorsement for the Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Bill, which had its first and second reading in the House of Lords. Electrical Safety First, a UK Charity dedicated to reducing the deaths and injuries caused by electricity was promoting ‘The Safety of Electric-Powered Micromobility Vehicles and Lithium Batteries Bill.’

 

Many national organisations were already supporting the bill, including the National Fire Chiefs Council, many fire and rescue services, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and the Royal Society for Public Health.

 

The bill covered a number of clauses, Clause 1: Safety Assurance - this clause mandated a third-party safety assessment, conducted by a government-approved body, for all e-bikes, e-scooters, and their lithium-ion batteries before they enter the UK market. This process mirrors safety measures in place for other high-risk products like fireworks and heavy machinery.

 

Clause 2: Responsible Disposal - this clause required the Government to make regulations ensuring the safe disposal of lithium batteries once their lifecycle ends.

 

Clause 3: Comprehensive Fire Safety - this clause assigns the Government the responsibility of comprehensively addressing fire-related concerns. This involved enhancing safe usage, charging, and storage practices for these devices. It included setting standards for conversion kits and charging systems and considering a temporary ban on the sale of universal chargers that heighten fire risks.

 

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that in addition to what was in the cover report, the Bill now had an additional provision: Before approving a planning application for stand-alone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that consist partly or wholly of lithium-ion batteries, a planning authority must consult— (a) the Environment Agency, (b )the Health and Safety Executive, and (c) the local fire and rescue service for the relevant area.’

 

A Member advised that education was really important, informing people of the dangers so that it can be proactively prevented, were officers able to do that.

The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that it was a matter of concern for the Service and already formed part of its Prevention Strategy. It was also interwoven as a risk in the draft Community Risk Management Plan and would feature as part of the prevention offering to the public going forward.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.                  That the Safety of Electric-Powered Micromobility Vehicles and Lithium Batteries Bill proposed by Electrical Safety First intended to ensure greater safety in the use and disposal lithium-ion batteries, which would hopefully have the effect of ensuring greater safety for both members of the public and Firefighters when attending such incidents, be supported.

2.                  That the position that any measures which have the potential to increase awareness, the safety of all along with protecting the environment is something Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority actively supports, be endorsed.

3.                  That the position that the Authority would like to see regulation and legislation to go further in respect of influencing building regulations for example and appreciates that the National Fire Chiefs Council is engaging with government departments to this end on behalf of UK fire and rescue services, be endorsed.

Supporting documents: