Americase launches lithium-ion battery safety book in Annapolis

Americase International debuted Mastering Lithium-Ion Battery Safety at a June 18 industry event in Annapolis, Maryland, drawing 114 in-person and virtual attendees. The launch paired a panel of former regulators, OEM leaders and safety experts with practical guidance on battery transport, storage, containment and fire risk as lithium-ion use expands across data centers, EVs and energy storage.

Why it matters: - Lithium-ion batteries are now central to critical infrastructure, electric vehicles, energy storage systems and data centers. - The event focused on safety practices for transportation, handling, storage and thermal runaway prevention. - The book aims to give industry leaders practical guidance on compliance, containment, recall response and operational risk management.

What happened: - Americase International launched Mastering Lithium-Ion Battery Safety at an industry event on June 18 at Blackwall Hitch in Annapolis, Maryland. - The book debuted as the #1 new release in Amazon’s Technology, Health and Safety category. - The event included author presentations, a moderated panel, audience Q&A, a book unveiling and signing, an Industry Leader Lifetime Achievement Award presentation and a networking reception. - The program drew 65 in-person attendees and 49 virtual participants. - Attendees came from government, manufacturing, engineering, data centers, logistics, insurance, emergency response, compliance and safety roles.

The details: - Mike Pagel of HazMat Safety Consulting moderated the 30-minute panel. - Pagel formerly worked with PHMSA’s Hazardous Materials Information Center and serves on NFPA and SAE battery safety committees. - Panelists included Robby Kinsala, Chris Egloff, Ryan Paquet, Bob Richard, Duane Pfund, John Redman and Dalan Zartman. - Kinsala is CEO of Americase International and a co-author of the book. - Egloff is chief revenue officer at Americase International and a co-author. - Paquet is president of HazMat Safety Consulting, a co-author and a former U.S. DOT/PHMSA official. - Richard is vice president of HazMat Safety Consulting and a former senior PHMSA leader. - Pfund is a senior consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting and a former PHMSA international programs director. - Redman is COO of Americase International and brings 30-plus years of lithium battery safety experience from General Motors and Toyota Motor North America. - Zartman is CEO of Energy Security Agency and a career firefighter and rescue expert. - Discussion topics included the history of lithium-ion battery regulations, regulatory gaps, OEM recall preparedness, UN hazard-based classification and safety at hyperscale data centers. - Panel takeaways included worst-case testing at 100% state of charge, gaps between current regulations and data center fire-code needs, and the value of working with fire marshals and insurers. - The panel also flagged the need to balance containment safety with operational speed. - The book covers regulatory compliance, containment strategies, transportation and storage requirements, packaging, recall response planning, operational risk management and future safety standards.

Between the lines: - The launch reflects how battery safety has moved from a niche compliance issue to a broader infrastructure concern. - Data center growth is creating new risk scenarios that current rules may not fully address. - The emphasis on real-world testing suggests industry leaders want standards that match actual deployment conditions, not just minimum lab requirements. - The mix of former regulators, OEM executives and fire-safety specialists signals a push toward cross-sector coordination rather than siloed compliance.

What's next: - A full recording of the panel discussion is available. - More information about the book is available on Amazon. - Americase International says the book is intended to support ongoing work on battery safety standards and operational practices.