What scoring scale should I use?

Use the plant's existing risk, FMEA, or EHS scale and keep it consistent across all comparisons.

Does a high score mean the lot cannot be processed?

Not by itself. It indicates the lot or process step should be escalated for controls, review, or routing decisions.

What is detection/control weakness?

It reflects how likely current controls are to miss or fail to contain the condition before it becomes a thermal event.

How can I use the result?

Use it to prioritize isolation, discharge, monitoring, spacing, suppression readiness, and management review.

Battery Recycling & Materials Recovery calculator

Battery Fire Risk Score Calculator

Battery recycling fire risk can come from residual charge, damaged cells, shorts, electrolyte, unknown chemistry, poor segregation, and shredder or storage conditions. This calculator gives EHS and operations teams a consistent screening score for prioritizing controls and escalation.

What this calculator does

Score battery fire risk from thermal severity, likelihood of occurrence, and detection or control weakness for a lot or process step.
a recycler needs to rank fire risk for inbound lots, storage areas, disassembly work, sorting, or shredding operations
Returns a weighted risk score for prioritizing battery fire controls.

Formula used

Battery fire risk score = severity score × 40% + occurrence score × 35% + detection/control weakness score × 25%
Use one scoring scale consistently so lots, areas, and process steps can be compared.

Inputs explained

Thermal event severity score: Score potential impact on people, property, operations, environment, and emergency response.
Fire occurrence likelihood score: Score likelihood based on state of charge, damage, chemistry, storage time, history, and process conditions.
Detection/control weakness score: Score how weak current controls are, including monitoring, isolation, spacing, suppression, and inspection.

How to use the result

Use it for inbound inspection, storage decisions, damaged battery handling, shredder readiness, and EHS reviews.
It is a screening tool, not a fire protection design, regulatory determination, or substitute for site emergency procedures.

Common questions

What scoring scale should I use? Use the plant's existing risk, FMEA, or EHS scale and keep it consistent across all comparisons.
Does a high score mean the lot cannot be processed? Not by itself. It indicates the lot or process step should be escalated for controls, review, or routing decisions.
What is detection/control weakness? It reflects how likely current controls are to miss or fail to contain the condition before it becomes a thermal event.
How can I use the result? Use it to prioritize isolation, discharge, monitoring, spacing, suppression readiness, and management review.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.