New UK guidance on lithium battery fire, explosion and smoke hazards from asecos
Iain Hoey
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New lithium battery whitepaper for UK workplaces
asecos has published a new lithium battery safety whitepaper for UK workplaces, responding to requests from safety professionals for clearer guidance on emerging risks.
The company announced the document on Wednesday 26 November 2025 from Derby, UK.
Titled “Lithium-Ion Batteries – Fire, Explosion and Smoke Hazards You Must Address,” the whitepaper focuses on workplace hazards associated with thermal runaway.
The publication is intended to help organisations understand and manage the rise in lithium-ion battery incidents being recorded by UK fire services.
According to asecos, the document is designed to bring together evidence, legal context and practical measures in a single reference for duty holders.
Rising incident rates and thermal runaway hazards
The whitepaper highlights what asecos describes as a marked increase in lithium-ion battery fires attended by UK fire and rescue services.
The company reports that fire services are now dealing with at least three lithium-ion battery incidents a day.
It links these incidents to hazards arising from thermal runaway, including the potential for fires, explosions and heavy smoke generation.
asecos notes that these hazards affect a wide range of equipment powered by lithium-ion cells in workplace environments.
The company positions the paper as a resource to help safety professionals interpret these developing risks in the context of day-to-day operations.
Legal duties and support for organisations
asecos states that the whitepaper sets out how existing legal frameworks apply to lithium-ion battery use and storage in workplaces.
The document refers to the Health and Safety at Work Act, DSEAR and the Fire Safety Order as key sources of duty-holder obligations.
According to asecos, the paper explains how these laws influence the need for risk assessment, hazard control and documentation around lithium battery management.
It also discusses legal exposure where organisations fail to implement protective measures that regulators and insurers are increasingly expecting to see.
The company says the whitepaper outlines practical steps aimed at achieving what it describes as a “gold standard” approach to lithium battery safety.
asecos adds that the publication draws attention to the support it offers through free site surveys, its Derby showroom and annual maintenance plans.
Les Day, Commercial Director at asecos, said: “The lithiumion revolution has transformed how we work but it’s also created a complex, fast-evolving safety challenge.
“This whitepaper offers professionals the evidence, legal clarity and technical guidance needed to act decisively before an incident occurs.”
Practical relevance for battery risk management and compliance
Fire safety officers can use the whitepaper to align existing lithium-ion storage and charging arrangements with legal expectations linked to DSEAR and the Fire Safety Order.
Facility managers across industrial, commercial and public sites gain a single reference for checking whether lithium-ion powered tools, devices and systems are covered by suitable controls.
Risk assessors can draw on the incident data and thermal runaway discussion when reviewing workplace assessments that currently treat lithium-ion batteries in the same way as conventional batteries.
System installers and fire-protection contractors may need to consider how the “gold standard” measures described by asecos influence specifications for cabinets, ventilation and fire-detection interfaces.
Procurement officers can reference the legal and insurance sections when evaluating investment in containment products, maintenance plans or site surveys related to lithium battery hazards.