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Plugged into Safety: A primer on the hazards of working with battery electric vehicles | March 2024
As a first step, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services has undertaken research
in collaboration with industry groups and associations to identify the hazards
associated with working on or around BEVs.
This white paper, written for employers and their representatives, including
engineers and HR professionals, in the auto part supply, automotive dealership,
autobody repair, towing and recycling industries, is intended to be a starting point
for critical conversations in the workplace.
It outlines statistics related to the growth of this market in Ontario, insights from
subject matter experts, general information about lithium-ion batteries, the hazards
of working on or around them, and existing legislation that can help mitigate these
hazards. It also includes a job aid in the form of a checklist developed to support
employers with identifying hazards associated with working on or around EV
batteries in the workplace, with legislative references and recommended controls.
" In the case of battery
electric vehicles (BEV),
there are many trainings
available, but most
of these haven't been
designed to meet a set
industry-wide standard.
Workers who took
these trainings assume
they are completely
safe while conducting
repairs. However, without
a standard in place, no
one can feel confident
that they have all the
necessary skills and
knowledge to remain
safe while working on a
BEV. This is a significant
safety issue that affects
the industry nation-wide.
Our goal at I-CAR Canada
is to ensure that everyone
has the skills and
knowledge they need to
conduct safe and proper
repairs, which is why our
EV trainings have been
built to the European
standard, ECER100, in
the absence of a North
American standard."
— Stuart Klein, VP
Collision Programs,
Automotive Industries
Association of Canada,
and, Executive Director,
I-CAR Canada
