The Electrical Safety Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace. To commemorate National Electrical Safety Month each May, ESF spearheads an annual campaign to educate key audiences about the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of electrically related fires, fatalities, injuries, and property loss.

To kick off the 2024 campaign, ESF has released this year’s materials, which strive to educate the public on how to purchase, use, and recycle lithium-ion batteries safely.

“ESF’s 2024 National Electrical Safety Month campaign focuses heavily on the proper way of recycling lithium-ion batteries,” said ESF President Brett Brenner. “There has been a 41% increase in catastrophic losses at material recovery facilities. Recycling lithium-ion batteries is the only proper way of disposing of the batteries. Recycling the batteries helps the environment and is the safest and most efficient way to process a battery at its end of life.”

Also included in the campaign materials is an infographic for transportation professionals to assist with electric vehicle battery identification and transportation after damage, as well as infographics for first responders to assist them in identifying lithium-ion battery fires and how to safely extinguish them. Electrical safety awareness and education among consumers and workers will prevent electrical fires, injuries, and deaths.

Featured National Electrical Safety Month resources include:

• How to Recycle Batteries: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• Importance of Proper Recycling: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• How to Spot Battery Problems: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• How to Store and Charge Batteries: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• Damaged EV Battery: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• First Responder Safety: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
• First Responder Safety – How to Extinguish: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

Additional resources can be found here: NESM – 2024

For ESF’s complete collection of free resources you can share during National Electrical Safety Month and throughout the year, visit esfi.org.