Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardSafety Procedures and Environmental Controls

A field support technician is performing hardware decommissioning on several mobile workstations. While disassembling a unit, the technician observes that the lithium-ion battery pack has severely swollen, causing the device chassis to crack and exposing the battery housing. Which of the following represents the safest immediate procedure for handling and disposing of this compromised battery?

  1. Place the battery into a cool, non-conductive, fire-rated container filled with an inert absorbent like sand, and route it to a certified hazardous waste disposal facility.Answer
  2. B
    Discharge the battery completely using a high-drain load device to exhaust remaining voltage before placing it into a standard e-waste collection bin.
  3. C
    Compress the swollen casing using an insulated mechanical clamp inside a ventilated hood to vent trapped gas before placing it in standard trash.
  4. D
    Submerge the swollen battery in a bucket of tap water for 24 hours to cool internal components before depositing it into municipal battery drop-off boxes.

Answer

The correct safety procedure is to place the swollen lithium-ion battery into a cool, non-conductive, fire-rated container surrounded by an inert material such as sand or cell-container filler, and arrange for disposal through a certified hazardous waste recycling facility.
Swollen lithium-ion batteries contain built-up gas due to internal cell damage or overcharging, placing them at high risk of thermal runaway. Placing the damaged battery in a fire-rated container filled with an inert absorbent material insulates it against thermal impact and contains potential flames. Sending the battery to a certified hazardous waste recycling facility fulfills environmental safety guidelines.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the hazard severity of the swollen lithium-ion battery.
Recognize that physical swelling indicates internal gas buildup, cell degradation, and high susceptibility to thermal runaway.
Deformed battery structures are volatile and must be handled with extreme care to prevent fire or explosion.
2
Apply proper physical containment and isolation measures.
Isolate the component in a non-combustible, non-conductive container lined with thermal insulation material (e.g., sand or vermiculite).
If thermal runaway occurs, containment prevents flames and toxic fumes from igniting surrounding workspace materials.
3
Follow environmental compliance regulations for hazardous chemical disposal.
Transport the battery to a designated hazardous waste processing site rather than standard trash or regular e-waste bins.
CompTIA standards and environmental safety regulations mandate specialized processing for dangerous chemical waste.

Key Concept

Handling and Disposal of Swollen Lithium-Ion Batteries
Rate this question

Topics

Safety Procedures and Environmental Controls

More questions from this topic