Advocacy

ASHE task group tackles battery safety in health care

The Battery Safety Task Group is conducting research and surveys to understand and develop practical guidance on the facilities risks associated with battery technologies

May 17, 2026 |

ASHE Staff

Image courtesy of Getty Images

The American Society for Health Care Engineering’s (ASHE’s) Battery Safety Task Group (BSTG) has officially kicked off its work, marking an important step forward in addressing a growing area of risk and concern for health care facilities.

It also has reached a major milestone with the development of two surveys (see “How you can help” below) to engage the wider field in helping to identify current battery safety challenges in health care settings, and to inform opportunities for education, guidance and alignment with codes, standards and best practices.

Breaking down the issue

As battery-powered devices, energy storage systems and emerging technologies continue to expand across the built environment, the importance of clear, practical and evidence-based battery safety guidance has never been greater.

Battery-related incidents — ranging from overheating and thermal runaway to fire and smoke events — have the potential to impact patient and staff safety, and the continuity of operations. Health care environments are particularly complex, with batteries used in everything from medical equipment and information technology infrastructure to emergency power systems and mobility devices.

The task group, chaired by Christopher Bond, project manager at TLC Engineering for Architecture, brings together professionals with diverse experience across facilities management, life safety, engineering and regulatory compliance. They will focus on understanding where risks are emerging and how facilities can better manage them through policy, design, operations and maintenance.

How you can help

As part of this effort, the task group has developed three opportunities for health care facilities to aid in gathering real-world information.

Hospital Battery Equipment Inventory Collection. This survey focuses on how batteries are currently managed in health care facilities, where gaps exist and what resources would be most valuable to the field.

The BSTG is seeking input from members about the types of equipment and batteries currently used throughout their facilities. This information is critical to ensure that the guidance developed by the BSTG reflects the full range of real-world conditions and use cases.

All information collected will be used only to develop aggregated estimates. Data will not be shared or disseminated in any way that identifies individual facilities or the source of the information.

You can submit your information to support this effort in one of two ways. The survey link allows entries to be submitted individually; however, if it is easier, you may download the Excel spreadsheet, complete it offline and then upload the completed file using the survey link.

>> Take the survey

Battery Fire Event Log. Equally important, the BSTG seeks a better understanding of the types of battery‑related incidents that have occurred in hospitals, such as:

Thermal runaway and fire
Flammable gas venting and explosions
Electrical and shock hazards
Exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins
Environmental contamination

Much of the existing research and data models on this topic are based on non-health care occupancies — often involving industrial equipment that would not typically be found in a health care setting. As a result, those models may not accurately reflect hospital environments.

This information will not be shared or disseminated in any way that identifies an individual facility or the source of the information. However, it is critically important to the task group’s ability to develop guidance that addresses the actual issues occurring in the field, rather than relying on broad, one‑size‑fits‑all guidance.

>> Take the survey

Share battery safety policies. In addition, the BSTG is also asking those who have a battery safety policy in place at their organization to share them with the task group so the members can review and learn from existing policies in the field. The insights will help the group understand how facilities are addressing battery risks today and identify common themes or best practices. Please send any battery safety policies directly to Chad Beebe, AIA, CHFM, CFPS, CBO, FASHE, deputy executive director, ASHE Regulatory Affairs.

Participation from the wider field will be critical in shaping the direction and outcomes of this work, and ASHE appreciates any survey participation and feedback that will help drive safety in the physical environment.

Stay tuned for more updates as the BSTG continues its work and engages the field in this important conversation.

Battery Safety Task Group members

ASHE thanks task group Chair Christopher Bond for his leadership and guidance during the task group’s initial phase. ASHE also thanks all the task group members for their contributions.

Christopher Bond (chair), project manager, TLC Engineering for Architecture
Chad Beebe (staff liaison), AIA, CHFM, CFPS, CBO, deputy executive director, ASHE Regulatory Affairs
Udo Allain Ammon, principal/health care planner, Cannon Design
Derrick Campbell, CHFM, CEPSS-HC, CSAF, associate hospital executive director, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Bryan T. Doranski, CHFM, facilities director, Franciscan Health Crown Point
Donavon Edwards, facility manager, Methodist Health System
Alaina Finzer, CIH, department manager, environment health and safety, and building environmental science, Terracon
Bryan M. Galloy, MBA, CHFM, CSP, Donna M. Gerengher, manager of fire protection systems, MetroHealth Medical Center
James (Jim) Grana, director, standards development and interpretation for physical environment, Joint Commission Resources
Patricia Jan Hlavka, compliance manager, Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital
William Koffel, PE, SASHE,president, Koffel Associates Inc.
Edmund (Ed) L. Lydon, MS, CHFM, CHEP, FASHE, senior director of facilities and support services, Beth Israel Lahey Health
Christina Mendez, senior manager, health care brand, W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Alan Mennecke, PE, design engineer III, Mayo Clinic
Donald (Don.) Metcalfe, CIH, CHOP, specialty program manager, DNV Healthcare USA Inc.
Richard L. Parker, FACHE, CHSP, FASHE, associate director, life safety and physical environment, Asociacion Colombiana de Hospitales y Clinicas
Brennan Scott, head of surveyor development, DNV Healthcare USA Inc.
Matthew H. Stiene, PE, CHFM, CHC, senior vice president, construction and facility services, Novant Health
Lauren Thomas, PE, CHOP, fire protection program manager, Advocate Health
Walter (Walt) N. Vernon, PE, FASHE, CEO, Mazzetti

Volunteer with ASHE

American Society for Health Care Engineering volunteers come from diverse professional backgrounds, and the organization is always seeking new talent to join its various task forces/groups and committees. Volunteers do not have to have previous task force/group or committee participation and do not need to be ASHE members to participate. To see a current list of volunteer opportunities, visit the MyASHE community online.