As a manager, one of your top priorities is the safety of your workers.
OSHA estimates that each year, approximately 85 workers are killed in forklift-related accidents. In addition, 34,900 accidents result in serious injury, with another 61,800 classified as non-serious. One of the hazards workers must contend with when operating forklifts is the battery.
Lead-acid batteries are the more traditional choice for an electric forklift fleet. While lithium-ion batteries have been around for roughly 2 decades, the is still a relative newcomer to the game. Fortunately, Li-ion batteries come with a lot of advantages over lead-acid batteries.
New advancements, however, are making forklifts safer to operate, with more companies in the material handling industry investing in lithium-ion technology to power their equipment.
Businesses that want to improve efficiency and create a more productive warehouse need to consider making the switch to lithium-ion batteries for their lift trucks.
If you’re trying to learn more about the advantages of lithium-ion batteries, look no further. Below we’ll tell you why you should consider using lithium-ion batteries for your lift truck.
If a spill does occur, highly-toxic sulfuric acid within the battery can splash or spill onto the body or in the eyes, causing serious injury.
A major drawback of lead-acid batteries is that they require quite a bit of maintenance. Watering will be required daily and acid spills will happen. Lead-acid batteries typically increase labor costs since it can take time and energy to keep them maintained and changed during each shift.
On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries require zero maintenance. As a result, using Li-ion batteries instead can reduce costs and save time in your warehouse. It can also reduce labor needs, allowing your workers to focus on more important tasks in your business instead.
Save money and space - Lithium batteries eliminate the need for spare batteries and charging rooms. Save time and money by eliminating time spent on watering, cleaning and equalizing forklift batteries.
One of the greatest safety hazards of using lead-acid batteries is overcharging. When this occurs, it can cause the electrolyte solution in a lead-acid battery to overheat. This then causes hydrogen and oxygen gas to form, which increases pressure inside the lead-acid battery.
While the battery is designed to relieve pressure build-up through venting technology, if there is too much gas accumulation, it can cause the water to boil out of the battery. This can destroy the charge plates or the entire battery.
Even direr, if a lead-acid battery overcharges and then overheats, there may not be a way for the pressure generated from the hydrogen and oxygen gas to relieve itself other than by an instant explosion. In addition to causing severe damage to your facility, an explosion can cause devastating consequences for your employees.
To prevent this, crews must carefully manage and monitor the charging of lead-acid batteries by preventing overcharging, providing adequate fresh air through a ventilation system, and keeping open flames or other sources of ignition away from the charging area.
Due to the Lithium-ion battery structure, they don't require a dedicated room for charging. One of the best features of a lithium-ion battery is its battery management system (BMS). The BMS tracks cell temperatures to ensure they remain in safe operating ranges so there is no risk to employees.
Another great thing about lithium-ion batteries is that they also allow for quick and easy charging compared to their lead-acid alternatives.
A lithium-ion battery can be charged from ZERO to FULL in just under 2 hours. There is no “memory effect” and it is recommended that you charge your Li-ion forklift batteries any time it’s not in use. This means that a dead battery won’t slow things down, ever.
Lithium-ion batteries are also more efficient than lead-acid batteries. Lead-acid batteries can experience heavy degradation if they are being charged too often. However, lithium-ion batteries will stay in great shape regardless of how often they’re charged or what the depth of discharge is.
Because lead-acid batteries must be removed in order to be charged, this must happen several times throughout the day, especially if you own multiple forklifts or operate over the course of multiple shifts.
That’s because lead-acid batteries only last approximately 6 hours before they must be charged. They then require about 8 hours to charge and a cool-down period afterward. That means each lead-acid battery only will power a forklift for less than one shift.
Battery swapping in itself can be a dangerous act because of the weight of the battery and the use of equipment to move them. Batteries can weigh as much as 4,000 pounds, and material handling equipment typically is used to lift and swap the batteries.
According to OSHA, the top causes of fatal forklift accidents involve workers getting crushed by tipping vehicles or between the vehicle and a surface. Using material handling equipment each time to remove, transport and reinstall a lead-acid battery after charging increases the risk of an accident for workers responsible for managing the forklift batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, can remain in the vehicle while connected to a charger. They also can be opportunity charged, and typically have longer run times at 7 to 8 hours before requiring a charge.
Though most forklift batteries require material handling equipment for removal because of their substantial weight, some smaller forklift batteries can be removed by crews. In general, lithium-ion batteries typically weigh less than a standard lead-acid battery.
The lower the weight of the battery, the lower the ergonomic risks among workers. No matter the weight, correct lifting and handling are essential to maximizing safety. This includes positioning your body as close as possible to the battery before moving it and bending your knees slightly before lifting or lowering a battery.
It’s also important to get assistance from a co-worker, and if the battery is too heavy, use a lifting device. Not doing so can cause neck and back injuries that can put an employee out of commission for an extended period of time.
Another advantage of using lithium-ion batteries is that you’ll eliminate the need for a dedicated battery room in your warehouse.
Lead-acid batteries require the installation of a battery room, where they will be stored and charged when not in use. While charging, these batteries will emit dangerous hydrogen / sulfuric gas fumes (gassing), so the room will need to be well-ventilated and kept cool which adds significantly to operating costs.
When using lithium-ion batteries, on the other hand, you’ll only need one battery per truck. Since there is no gassing problem, and opportunity charging can be done almost anywhere, there is no need for an expensive ventilated and air-conditioned battery room. You’ll no longer need to worry about storing spare batteries or charging batteries in a special room. In fact, with lithium batteries you can look for the most appropriate places to put chargers throughout your facility, to encourage drivers to put the lift on charge when not in use. This will lower costs and increase uptime.
Ultimately, this means that you’ll be able to return that square footage to your warehouse for storage or production or anything that makes the company money.
If you want your warehouse to be more environmentally friendly, choosing to use lithium-ion batteries in your lift trucks is a great choice. Lithium-ion batteries offer several improvements over lead-acid batteries. They’re less likely to cause damage to your warehouse, your workers, and the environment.
One of the reasons for this is because lithium-ion batteries are 30% more energy efficient than their lead-acid alternatives. By using lithium-ion batteries you’ll reduce energy consumption in your workplace. This can help the environment and will also reduce costs and carbon footprint. If your company has an internal mandate to reduce its carbon footprint, switching to Lithium batteries is a great way to help achieve that goal.
Acid spills can also lead to environmental harm when dealing with lead-acid batteries. Lead-acid batteries can also emit hydrogen / sulfuric gas into the air during charging.
Li-ion batteries, on the other hand, don’t contain toxic substances or emit harmful gasses. This means that they’ll be much safer for both the environment and for employees.
Using lithium-ion batteries instead of lead-acid batteries can also help a business to save money. While they will cost more upfront, the advantages are well worth the cost and will save your business money over time. Once you do the calculations, you’ll see that the total cost of ownership is much lower (usually in the order of 20%-40%) than with lead-acid batteries.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, there is no daily maintenance of Li-ion batteries. This means you’ll also be spending considerably less money on labor. Daily watering, cleanup of the battery & lift compartment in addition to swapping out the lead-acid battery each shift, all take time and manpower. These tasks are required per lift, per shift, every day, whether you execute these tasks in the house or contract out this work to a third-party company.
By switching to lithium-ion batteries, workers will be able to focus on more important tasks and will be much more productive during each day.
Lithium-ion batteries offer many benefits for companies that want to increase efficiency and improve workflow. For companies that prioritize safety in their operations, lithium-ion batteries are especially valuable thanks to their design, which promotes features such as temperature control, simple charging and a lack of watering requirements.
While lead-acid batteries are often the traditional choice, the truth is that choosing to use lithium-ion batteries for your lift truck fleet may just be the best option overall. Be sure that you consider the advantages of using lithium-ion batteries for your own lift trucks. Doing so will ensure your business is operating at maximum effectiveness.
Dozens of companies have already successfully switched their truck fleets to Li-ion and are enjoying the benefits. BSLBATT® offers over 450 models to fit nearly any truck make and model. Moreover, BSLBATT® will customize a battery based on the lift truck application, be it a regular warehouse, food processing, freezer environment, or outdoor conditions.
Still, have questions? Contact one of our regional reps here.
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