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EV manufacturing: Protecting worker safety in the gigafactory boom
Matthew Parr from Hughes Safety Showers, explains the necessity for emergency safety showers and eye/face washes within gigafactories as their popularity across Europe is on the rise.
As governments and policymakers recognise the urgency to prioritise sustainability, the shift toward electric vehicles is becoming more evident in Europe.
In March 2023, the European Parliament voted to approve new legislation to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2035. While the legislation awaits approval from the European Council, the momentum toward embracing all-electric vehicles is undeniably gaining speed.
Gigafactories, renowned for their scale of operations in producing lithium-ion batteries, are inherently associated with high-risk environments.
Unit sales of new electric vehicles in Europe are expected to reach 3.44 million by 2028, with a further 1.4-million-unit sales of new plug-in electric hybrid vehicles¹. And where there’s a demand for electric vehicles, a demand for lithium-ion batteries follows.
Currently, there is just one UK gigafactory – AESC UK in Sunderland, which supplies batteries for Nissan’s electric vehicles. Across Europe this figure is expected to rise in the coming years – with Germany, Hungary and France expected to become home to 19 of them².
Gigafactories, renowned for their scale of operations in producing lithium-ion batteries, are inherently associated with high-risk environments due to the nature of the materials and processes involved. Understanding and addressing these risks faced by this growing workforce is paramount to ensuring their safety and well-being.
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EV manufacturing: Protecting worker safety in the gigafactory boom Matthew Parr from Hughes Safety Showers, explains the necessity for emergency
Rhianna Sexton
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