Battery Producers / Recyclers / Users
Chemical first aid for battery manufacturing, EV, recycling and fleet maintenance
Batteries power modern life — from the electric vehicles transforming the automotive industry, to the forklift trucks in warehouses and logistics centres, to the energy storage systems being built at scale to support the UK's net zero infrastructure. As battery technology evolves and the shift away from fossil fuels accelerates, the sector is growing faster than almost any other in UK manufacturing. And with that growth comes a chemical hazard profile that most sites have not yet fully addressed in their COSHH risk assessments or first aid provision.
The chemical risks in the battery sector vary significantly by battery type, but across all technologies the common thread is electrolyte exposure — and electrolytes cause serious burns.
Lead-acid batteries remain widely used in industrial vehicles, backup power systems, and forklift trucks. They contain sulphuric acid at high concentration. Maintenance operations — including checking and topping up cells with de-ionised water — create routine splash risk for operators. The charging process can also generate corrosive gases. Chemical burns from lead-acid battery maintenance are among the most common occupational chemical injuries in logistics and warehousing environments, and they are almost entirely preventable with adequate first aid provision at the point of work.
Nickel-cadmium batteries contain potassium hydroxide — a caustic alkali that causes rapid, deep burns on skin and eye contact. Alkali burns are consistently more serious than acid burns of equivalent exposure because they do not self-limit at the surface; they continue diffusing into tissue until they are actively stopped.
Lithium-ion batteries introduce the most serious chemical hazard in the sector. The electrolyte — lithium hexafluorophosphate dissolved in organic carbonate solvents — is both corrosive and systemically toxic. When lithium hexafluorophosphate contacts water or water vapour, it generates hydrofluoric acid. This matters enormously for first aid planning. HF at low concentrations can cause initially painless burns while fluoride ions diffuse into tissue and disrupt calcium metabolism — affecting the heart and potentially causing fatal arrhythmia from a burn that looked minor at the scene. Thermal runaway — a rapid, uncontrolled overheating event — releases HF gas and other toxic compounds that create simultaneous inhalation and contact hazards. Chemical burns represent 39% of all injuries arising from battery accidents.
This HF risk extends well beyond battery manufacturers. EV fleet operators, vehicle workshops handling accident-damaged electric vehicles, battery recyclers, and any facility replacing or servicing lithium-ion battery cells must consider HF as a realistic hazard and have a specific response protocol in place.
Chemical first aid for battery environments requires a two-tier approach.
For sulphuric acid, potassium hydroxide, battery electrolytes, and the full range of corrosive solvents and irritants present in battery manufacturing and maintenance, Diphoterine® is the primary active decontaminant. Its amphoteric and chelating action renders all seven major classes of chemical aggressor harmless — including the acids, alkalis, oxidisers, and solvents encountered across all battery types. Portable and requiring no plumbing, Diphoterine® can be stationed at charging points, maintenance bays, production lines, and recycling stations — wherever the chemical risk exists, rather than at a fixed location the worker must travel to after a splash has already occurred.
For hydrofluoric acid exposure from lithium-ion battery electrolytes — whether from routine cell handling, electrolyte leaks, or thermal runaway events — Hexafluorine® is the dedicated Prevor decontaminant. Hexafluorine® is formulated specifically for HF and should be used as part of a specific HF response protocol that also includes topical calcium gluconate gel, trained responders, and immediate emergency services notification for any significant exposure. Used in combination with Trivorex®, Polycaptor®, Le Vert® / Le Vert HF® and Safurex®, DipHex can provide comprehensive coverage for all chemical splash, spill, and HF-specific incidents across a battery site.
Chemicals of note in this industry:
Sulphuric Acid (lead-acid batteries), Potassium Hydroxide (NiCd batteries), Lithium Hexafluorophosphate and Battery Electrolytes (lithium-ion), Hydrofluoric Acid (from LiIon electrolyte on contact with water or water vapour), Organic Carbonate Solvents.
COSHH and compliance
Battery manufacturers, recyclers, and fleet operators must ensure their COSHH risk assessments explicitly address the HF risk from lithium-ion battery electrolytes — whether from routine handling, electrolyte leaks, or thermal runaway scenarios — and specify decontamination provision accordingly. For sites where multiple battery chemistries are present, a single broad-spectrum Diphoterine® provision combined with dedicated Hexafluorine® provision for HF-identified risk areas provides a fully documented, compliant response. Diphoterine® systems conform with EN15154 Parts 3 and 4 — the European Standards for Emergency Eye and Skin Decontamination Equipment.
Contact DipHex on 01622 851000 or at enquiries@diphex.com to discuss provision for your battery site.