After spending 120 years producing and improving petrol and diesel engines, the automotive sector is on the cusp of a new and entirely electric age in Europe.
According to EU and OEMs current plans, the era of internal combustion engine vehicles will end on the continent by 2035. Central and Eastern European countries are bound to be an integral part of the electrification trend in the industry and some are even projected to become electrification hubs. OEMs have already announced plans for their factories in the region in order to prepare them for the transition to EV manufacturing: Stellantis in Kragujevac (Serbia), Ford Otosan in Craiova (Romania), Daimler in Sebeș and Cugir (Romania) are just a few examples. Als, Central and Eastern Europe has already attracted a number of investments in lithium battery production, with Poland and Hungary leading the race at the moment.
The safety risks of electric vehicles
Automotive workers are at a high risk for experiencing cuts or lacerations while performing their daily activities. They are exposed to glass, dangerous machinery, and other sharp objects and edges where cut and puncture injuries are likely to occur. And with the transition from ICEV to EVs, new risks and new safety concerns rise for all workers inside and outside the factories that will come in contact with the vehicles: fire, rescue and first responders, clean-up crews, waste and recycling facility workers, tow truck operators, car mechanics and other auto trade workers such as panel beaters of spray painters, or installers of aftermarket auto equipment. As demand in the sector continues to grow, expanding production will require more and more people to rely on Innovative EIP to protect them from the often-hazardous conditions present in manufacturing/production facilities. Workers in Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing environments are exposed to a wide array of work place hazards from electric shock to handling sharp or abrasive materials. According to Ansell, the global manufacturer of protection solutions for an array of industries and a significant player in the automotive sector, “in manufacturing or using energy storage systems such as lithium-ion batteries, these vehicles present a set of safety risks that necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to perform against chemical, electrical, and thermal hazards.”
Electrical hazard – EVs store electrical energy, which presents a risk of injury when workers contact the electrical system or its components. A compromised vehicle (including those involved in an accident) may not be sufficiently isolated, causing an additional risk of electrical injury. Some EVs also generate electricity when the wheels are rotated, presenting shock or arcing risk if the vehicle is being pushed or otherwise moved in the event of an accident. A vital part of the maintenance and operation of EVs, the use of charging stations can also present risk in terms of electrical hazard exposure. While cables generally de-energise once the charging is complete, the charging station remains fully energised. Adequate safeguards against unwanted contact must be in place, particularly in residential charging station environments.
Thermal hazard – The high-voltage batteries used in EVs comprise multiple lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells which contain highly flammable electrolytes. As a result, it is not uncommon for an EV collision to result in a fire that can be extremely difficult to extinguish. C
Chemical hazard – In addition to thermal injury risk, workers should mitigate the risk of chemical injury from unwanted contact with battery electrolytes. Care should be taken, particularly post-collision, to avoid skin and eye contact, ingestion and inhalation of vapours. When working with EVs in any capacity, it is recommended that workers use PPE that includes suits offering type 3 or 4 protection against chemical risk, as well as a flame retardant and arc flash-rated protection! Hand protection should incorporate suitable insulation to guard against arc-flash and electrical injury and should also integrate suitable chemical protection to effectively combat any contact with chemical spills arising from compromised vehicle batteries. Eye protection should also be worn to minimise the likelihood of chemical contact.
AnsellGUARDIAN®
The most appropriate PPE solutions to protect against hazards will vary based on each individual company’s unique set of needs, applications and processes. AnsellGUARDIAN® is Ansell’s consultative service to help companies select and implement the right PPE solutions to improve safety, increase productivity and reduce costs. Using the company’s +125 years of experience, proprietary software system, and database of over 35,000 chemicals, Ansell has implemented PPE recommendations in over 15,000 facilities worldwide, reducing injuries by 65% and saving companies a total of $170M since 2010.
