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Posted By Alan Murphy
Could anyone tell me or point me in the right direction of information regarding the specifications if any, of fork lift truck charging areas
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Posted By Martin Hartland
Hi Alan
This is copied/pasted from HSG6 - Safety in Working With Lift Trucks.
When the batteries of battery-powered lift trucks are being charged, care should be taken to avoid a risk of explosion from an accumulation of hydrogen gas. Charging should only take place in a clearly marked area set aside for the purpose, away from the work or storage area and any main thoroughfare. The charging area should be cool, well ventilated, designated ‘No smoking and no naked lights’, and be free from other sources of ignition.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Martin
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Posted By Helen Horton
Just a quick thought - where I used to work we used the trucks on multiple shifts so had to have spare sets of batteries on charge. Batteries were changed each shift so we had to have suitable lifting beams and hoists in the charging bay but fitting this was better and cheaper than trebling our truck fleet!
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Posted By Alan Murphy
Thanks for all replies
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Posted By Caro M
Might be worth checking the manual for your charger. I know ours has some information on distance to keep clear around charger etc.
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Posted By Jerry Lucey
There are a number of risks involved in battery maintenance and include those involved with battery charging which would involve risks associated with explosive gases and working with hazardous substances i.e. battery acid.
Battery charging should take place in an open/ well ventilated environment where there is no opportunity for gases to build up. It is worth remembering that hydrogen gas being lighter than air will rise so the risk of a pocket of explosive gas building up at height needs to be considered. I have encountered a situation in the past where lifttrucks were being charged in what seemed to be a well ventilated area, however there was no facility for air changes at height with the result that there was the risk of pockets of hydrogen gas building close to the roof of the building. The trucks in question were narrow aisle where the operator was raised in the cab of the truck with reports of personnel feeling unwell after working at height for longer periods, possibly due to O2 deficient atmospheres.
Battery acid poses its own risks. Forklift truck training should include the method for checking and topping up of batteries e.g. it is important that the lids of battery cells are never flipped up when attempting to open them as there may be acid residue on the tops of these lids. PPE provided needs to include appropriate safety goggles, PVC gloves (to cover both hands and arms), PVC apron. The battery charging area should include an eyewash station. A strict no smoking policy also needs to be implemented.
Battery water levels should be maintained to cover the battery plates but should not be more than 2-3mm above the plates.
As one of the previous posts outlined there may be the need to use a lift truck on multiple shifts where there will probably be the need for battery changing. If possible this should be avoided, in a previous employment I have encountered a situation where live busbars were incorporated into racking whereby narrow aisle trucks were contiuously being charged while in use. From a manual handling prospective this was the perfect solution as it eliminated the need for manual handling, however the overall risks would need to be assessed for each individual situation e.g. risk of working close to electricity.
Where battery changing is found to be necessary the space requirements need to be examined to ensure that healthy manual handling techniques can be adopted and this operation is not taking placed in a cramped environment.
I hope this helps Alan, and if I can be of any further help please feel free to contact me directly.
Best wishes,
Jerry
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As we move forwards with technology and environmental awareness, we find new hazards. We have just replaced an old diesel FLT with a shiny new electric version which has Lithium Ion batteries. Charging is in a large, open, well ventilated area which usually does not have much in the way of either flammable or combustible materials around. Should I be thinking about an exclusion area around the charging point and if so, of what magnitude?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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That is really a question for a suitable and competent person conducting a Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order risk assessment rather than best guess from the forum. Various insurers pass comment about separate buildings, 10m from main building or critical plant and enclosures with 90 or 120 minutes fire integrity rating so a chat with your insurers is probably a good idea.
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 4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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That is really a question for a suitable and competent person conducting a Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order risk assessment rather than best guess from the forum. Various insurers pass comment about separate buildings, 10m from main building or critical plant and enclosures with 90 or 120 minutes fire integrity rating so a chat with your insurers is probably a good idea.
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4 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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