NEW S.F. FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR E-BIKES AND OTHER MOBILE DEVICES
Cynthia Woo, retired San Francisco Fire Inspector and member of our Resilient Diamond Heights Steering Committee provided this summary. Please note that following the requirements may prevent fires started by lithium-ion battery charging.
Cynthia’s summary:
With the popularity of electric bicycles and other portable mobile devices (PMDs), concerns have arisen about fire safety, especially during lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery charging. In July 2023, a scooter charging in an apartment caught fire and two people were hurt jumping out a window, in San Francisco’s 24th lithium-ion battery fire of the year according to the New York Times.[1] A few weeks earlier, a perilous situation resulted from an e-bike battery catching fire in a high-rise apartment at 1:00 a.m., with several injuries including jumpers, multiple SFFD rescues, and eight displaced residents.[2] From 2020 to 2023, San Francisco had 65 lithium-ion battery fires and at least one death.[3]
The Board of Supervisors has passed an ordinance regulating PMD battery storage and charging, which took effect on March 7, 2024 as San Francisco Fire Code Section 325.[4] It applies to private PMD owners and PMD sales or service facilities. Most applicable for the average owner:
- Maximum 4 PMDs may be stored and charged in one dwelling unit; must be Safety-Certified by a testing institute such as Underwriters Laboratories. Separate provisions cover non-residential occupancies.
- Charging of more than 5 PMDs requires additional fire safety systems.
- PMDs, removeable batteries, and chargers must be charged directly at a wall outlet; no extension cords or power strips allowed.
- PMDs must be charged according to manufacturer’s standards with original chargers and batteries.
- If dropped, cracked, or involved in an accident, batteries must be inspected for damage. Damaged batteries may not be used on PMDs.
- Reassembled or reconditioned Li-ion batteries are prohibited on PMDs.
- Li-ion batteries must be disposed of through a battery recycling program; disposal in landfill, regular recycling, or compost is prohibited.
- This section does not apply to wheelchairs or other devices for use by persons with disabilities, or any vehicle capable of being registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
To clarify some confusion about fire suppression with these batteries, it is lithium as an element that is unsafe in contact with water, not the lithium-based electrolyte in the battery. The National Fire Protection Association, the primary U.S. fire research and code development NGO, recommends extinguishing with water.[5] The batteries’ main hazards are the amount of energy they store, which generates high heat that is especially dangerous if released (or a battery is overcharged) and can cause a serious fire; and the potential for explosion and toxic fluoride gas emissions when exposed to fire.[6]
The full regulations are in San Francisco Fire Code Section 325.[7]
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/us/california-escooter-battery-fires.html
[2] https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/5-injured-san-francisco-high-rise-fire-18088096.php
[3] https://www.kqed.org/news/11978862/sf-enforces-stricter-rules-for-batteries-in-electric-bikes-scooters-amid-rising-fire-concerns
[4] https://sf-fire.org/safety-resources-and-information/lithium-ion-battery-safety
[5] https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/lithium-ion-batteries
Diamond Heights Community Association 