2 of 9

Swollen Batteries

The lithium ion batteries that power our laptops and other handheld electronic devices are a consumable and won’t last forever. Keep an eye on laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other devices for signs of a swollen battery.

Warping on the surface of the device, uneven bottoms, lifted keyboards, and splitting of the seams on the enclosure are all indicators of a potentially swollen battery.

3 of 9

Swollen Batteries are a Safety Concern

Swollen computer batteries can catch fire or explode; you must take action immediately:

Turn off the device & unplug it.
Do not continue to charge it
Do not attempt to remove the battery, even if it is “user serviceable”, as there are many safety concerns involved.

Video: Examples of Lithium Battery Fires

Whom to Contact:

IT Help Desk; help@lbl.gov
Your Division Safety coordinator

In the event of any fire immediately call 911 for Fire Department response

4 of 9

Examples of Thermal Events

5 of 9

Hardware Repairs/Modifications

All computer hardware repairs/modifications are to be performed by authorized personnel only. If you have a swollen battery or your device is in need of repair, please utilize the following contacts:

CSIT: cshelp@lbl.gov
IT Workstation Support: help@lbl.gov

Being authorized on a WPC work activity for laptop/desktop computer use only authorizes standard computer use (ie, typing, mousing, video conferencing) and does not authorize hands-on work such as hardware repairs and modifications.

6 of 9

Concerns with Unauthorized Repairs

What could happen if one of these loose screws or the weight of the trash can was to puncture the battery?

A few examples of insufficient hardware repairs have surfaced recently and we’ve also seen an increase in the number of swollen batteries disposed of inside or near the green battery buckets.

Note: Should you sustain an electrical shock, you must report the incident to Health Services and your Division Safety Coordinator immediately. Electrical shocks, no matter how minor, must be reported to LBNL and DOE.

7 of 9

Disposal of Swollen Batteries

If you come into possession of a damaged user serviceable battery, please reach out to your safety team to dispose of it. Do not put these inside or on top of the green battery collection buckets.

Swollen batteries need to be processed as hazardous waste.
Non-swollen batteries can be processed as universal waste in the green collection buckets.

Contact ETA Safety Coordinator, Ron Scholtz X8137 (rgscholtz@lbl.gov) for proper disposal of swollen batteries.

Do not dispose of personal items onsite. For assistance disposing of personal batteries/devices contact your local e-Waste recycling center.

8 of 9

Best Practices For Battery Health

Unplug when fully charged, allow device proper airflow and cooling (such as cooling fans) while using/charging, and store it in cool/dry place. If your monitor also charges your laptop, consider working “off-monitor” for a bit to let your battery exercise.

Always use the appropriate Wattage power supply for your device. If the charge cables get frayed or damaged, reach out to CSIT and they can help provide a replacement and safe disposal.

Check out these tips and recommendations for each hardware vendor:

Find this from System Settings > Battery > click on the “i” on the “Battery Health” line

9 of 9

Personally Owned Devices

Repairs

From a safety and technical perspective, we still strongly advise against any self-repair due to how Li-Ion batteries are currently designed. Contact the manufacturer or an authorized repair center immediately.

Disposal

Do not bring personal items onsite for disposal.

Contact your local e-Waste recycling center for further guidance. Select stores such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Staples also accept certain batteries and electronics. Below are a few resources:

1 of 9