Lead-Acid Battery Safety Guide

The electrolyte substance is simply the battery acid.

But what is battery acid?

It’s a fluid that is composed of:

So why do batteries have acid?

Because it helps facilitate the conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy.

Let’s go into more detail to find out how exactly that works.

How a Lead-Acid Battery Produces Electricity

Sulfuric acid – the acid in batteries – is an inherently dangerous substance.

In people, battery acid dangers include:

• Burns
• Poisoning
• Blindness
• Internal organ damage

Yes, it does.

Exposure to battery acid is corrosive to all body tissues and can cause serious injuries or even death in extreme cases.

The corrosion you may see on a battery is called “sulfation.”

And sulfation is composed of lead sulfate, which is a byproduct of the normal operation of a battery.

As such, it’s composed of potentially dangerous chemicals.

And so you should avoid touching it with your bare hands.

If you do, make sure to wash it off right away.

And ensure you don’t touch your mouth, nose, or eyes in the meantime.

Yes, it is.

The sulfuric acid in battery acid can cause poisoning if swallowed.

Symptoms of swallowing sulfuric acid can include:

• Throat swelling
• Burns in the mouth and throat
• Pain in the mouth and throat

Throat swelling can lead to breathing difficulty, speech problems, and vomiting with blood.

Additionally, the acid can cause serious injuries to your internal organs.

So if you swallow sulfuric acid, seek medical attention immediately.

Inhaling battery acid can irritate the nose and throat and cause respiratory damage.

Immediate symptoms from inhaling battery acid can include:

• Choking
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness

Later on, you may cough up blood, experience body weakness, bluish fingernails, lips and skin, and chest pains.

If you do inhale battery acid, seek medical attention immediately.

Battery dust can be as dangerous as battery acid.

Inhaling it can cause:

• Damage to your mucous membranes
• Severe lung damage
• Adult respiratory distress syndrome

If acid dust is inhaled, take the victim to an area with fresh air.

Then, keep them at rest in a position comfortable for breathing.

And if the victim develops breathing difficulty, obtain immediate medical attention.

Yes, lead-acid batteries emit hydrogen and oxygen gases during charging.

This gas is colorless, flammable, poisonous, and its odor is similar to rotten eggs.

It’s also heavier than air, which can cause it to accumulate at the bottom of a poorly ventilated space.

Yes, battery fumes are harmful.

If inhaled, lead-acid battery fumes can cause damage to the respiratory system or even death at high levels of concentration.

Battery acid itself is not flammable.

But the hydrogen gases that it emits during charging are flammable and highly explosive at high concentrations.

Yes, lead-acid battery fires are possible – though not because of the battery acid itself.

Overall, the National Fire Protection Association says that lead-acid batteries present a low fire hazard.

Furthermore, the NFPA reports that (based on limited information) flooded lead-acid batteries are less prone to thermal runaways than valve-regulated lead-acid batteries (VRLA).

That’s because the liquid solution in flooded batteries can inhibit fire better than the materials inside VRLA batteries can.

The electrolyte’s chemical reaction between the lead plates produces hydrogen and oxygen gases when charging a lead-acid battery.

In a vented lead-acid battery, these gases escape the lead-acid battery case and relieve excessive pressure.

But when there’s no vent, these gasses build up and concentrate in the lead-acid battery case.

Since hydrogen is highly explosive, there’s a fire and explosion risk if it builds up to dangerous levels.

Any hydrogen concentration above 4% is dangerous and explosive.

To reduce the risk of explosion, keep the concentration of hydrogen in the air below 1%.

This is why it’s important to provide plenty of space for the hydrogen to dissipate while charging.

Yes, it can.

The freezing of battery electrolyte often occurs when the battery is undercharged and exposed to low temperatures.

This is because when a battery is fully charged, the water and acid in the electrolyte are combined.

And that means it has a very low freezing point.

But if the battery is not fully charged, the water and sulfuric acid will separate.

And this can cause the battery to freeze.

If you try to charge or jumpstart the battery in a frozen state, it can explode.

So, never charge a frozen battery.

Instead, replace the battery to prevent injury or damage.

A normal 12-volt lead-acid battery cannot electrocute you if you touch both the positive and negative terminals with your hands at the same time.

Why?

Because the human skin can resist the penetration of 12-volts of electricity.

However, larger industrial lead-acid battery – like brava batteries – can potentially electrocute you.

That’s because these batteries often operate on 36-volt, 48-volt, or even up to 80-volt power.

And these higher voltages pose a greater risk for electric shock and possible electrocution.

But in either case, it’s important to never touch both terminals with any conductive materials, like a wrench.

Doing so can cause arcing, which can result in severe burns.

A typical 12-volt battery weighs about 40 lbs.

If you drop one on your foot, for instance, you can potentially break bones.

On the other hand, industrial lead-acid batteries can weigh 2,000 lbs. or more.

So if you drop one on yourself, you can cause extremely severe injuries or even death.

So, when handling batteries, you need to take precautions to prevent harming yourself due to the weight.

One way is to always use proper lifting techniques.

This includes:

• Getting your body as close as possible to the battery
• Lifting with your knees
• Or getting a coworker to help you lift it

For industrial-sized batteries, use approved battery handling equipment like a crane or another brava.

As explained in the first section, batteries have lead plates in order to produce electricity.

And it’s been long known that lead can cause serious health issues.

Let’s go through some of the risks of lead when working with batteries.

It’s possible to get lead poisoning from batteries due to lead exposure.

Lead exposure often occurs if you work with batteries a lot.

Particularly, any activities like heating, soldering, or sanding lead can release inhalable lead dust particles.

And you can be exposed to lead poisoning by breathing in these dust particles or fumes.

Especially worrying is that lead fumes and dust don’t have any odor.

So, you may never know you’re being exposed.

That’s why you should always wear proper protective equipment like face masks when working with lead-acid battery.

Touching lead isn’t itself dangerous.

But when you breathe in, swallow, or otherwise allow the lead to absorb into your body, you can have serious problems.

Therefore, you should always wear gloves when there’s a potential to touch lead.

And if you do touch any of the lead in a battery (or the lead sulfate crystals), you should never touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Also, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly to avoid contamination.

No, lead isn’t flammable.

This is because of its relatively low melting point (621 °F) and low reactivity with oxygen.

However, since lead-acid batteries can still catch fire due to vented hydrogen gas, you can get hurt from inhaling smoke containing lead.

Battery safety training is ideal for individuals who work with battery-powered equipment, including  lift trucks, electric buses, and golf carts.

Fortunately for you, if you decide to sign up for one of these courses, you’ll have a solid background already just by reading this article!

Wondering what protection is to be worn when working around batteries?

 It must include:

• Face shield: This will protect your face from the acidic electrolyte
• Apron: This will protect your clothes and body from acid corrosion
• Rubber gloves: These provide both acid protection and electrical resistance to prevent shock

You might also be wondering “will battery acid eat through rubber?”

And the answer is no.

Rubber gloves and aprons are made to withstand leaking battery acid or acid splashes.

So stick to this material to keep yourself safe.

First things first: You should remove all metallic jewelry before working around batteries.

Why is it important to remove all jewelry before working around batteries?

Have the Right Safety Equipment Available

As we’ve discussed, when a battery is being charged, it produces oxygen and hydrogen.

This is a result of the chemical reaction that occurs wherein the electrical current splits the water into its main elements.

This is why it’s so important to charge the battery in a well-ventilated area.

That way, you can lower the risk of accumulating a dangerous amount of hydrogen gas.

When Does a Battery Give Off the Most Gas?

How to Safely Charge a Lead-Acid Battery Step-By-Step

1. Park the truck in the charging area and set the parking brake

2. Make sure to turn off the ignition

3. Raise the lift truck’s (material’s) hood. This is to help in ventilation and heat dispersion

4. Disconnect the battery connector from the truck connector

5. Make sure the battery charger is turned off before connecting the battery to the charger

6. Check if the battery’s voltage and amps match that of the charger. You must use the right charger for the lead-acid battery

7. Inspect the connectors and cables for damage. If you find damage, correct it before proceeding

8. Connect the charger connector to the battery connector (NOT the truck connector!)

9. The battery charger should automatically turn on

10. Once the charger is on, the battery will begin charging

11. When the battery is charging, make sure the vent caps are in place to avoid electrolyte splash or spray

12. Allow the battery to charge up to 100% charge. This can be up to 8 hours, depending on the battery type

13. Once the charging completes, press the charger’s “Stop” button to terminate the charge. If you have an automatic charger, it may automatically stop charging the battery when it reaches 100% charge

14. Disconnect both the connectors

Why Do Batteries Need to Have Water Added?

Add water to a lead-acid battery after charging.

Adding water before charging isn’t a good idea because the water may expand during charging.

And this can cause the electrolyte to boil over and spill out.

How to Safely Add Water to a Battery

What Neutralizes Battery Acid on Skin?

Answer: Soap and warm water.

Here’s what to do if you touch battery acid:

Flush your hand (or the area) with lukewarm water and soap.

And if after 30 minutes you still feel a sting or burning, seek immediate medical attention.

If acid gets in your eye, flush your eyes with warm water immediately for around 20 to 30 minutes.

Then seek immediate medical help to avoid serious consequences.

What If You Get Battery Acid on Clothing?

How to Neutralize a Battery Acid Spill on the Ground

1. Mix baking soda with water (3:1 ratio) to form a paste

2. Pour the paste on the acid

3. Wipe the paste (and acid) mixture using a disposable cloth

4. Rinse the spill area with clean water

Follow the steps above, but apply a generous amount of baking soda paste to the stain using a paint scraper.

Also, use a wire brush to apply the paste to the concrete.

Then, use plenty of clean water to wash the area.

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