June 17, 2013—Underwriters Laboratories, a safety science company, recently said that it is strengthening its lithium-ion battery standards after a recent string of battery failures.
Underwriters Laboratories said it has developed a more rigorous test to prevent short circuits inside the battery cell that can lead to a fire.
The new testing standards were also created for large format batteries used in hybrid and electric cars.
Underwriters Laboratories said that a growing number of products are expected to use the batteries; by 2014, the worldwide market for lithium batteries is expected to reach nearly $10 billion in annual sales.
According to the report, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has documented more than 350 fires involving lithium-ion batteries since March 2012.
