As Lithium Battery Use Expands, HazMat Safety Consulting Expert to Address Regulatory Gaps at CHEMTREC Int’l Summit

Mike Pagel to discuss lithium battery risk pathways, prevention strategies and evolving storage standards for warehouses, distribution centers and facilities.

WAXAHACHIE, TX, UNITED STATES, September 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Americase International, a provider of mission-critical protection, testing and dangerous goods compliance solutions, today announced that Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting (HSC), an Americase International company, will present at the CHEMTREC International Hazmat Summit, September 21–23 at Virgin Hotels Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hosted by CHEMTREC, the Summit convenes emergency responders, hazmat team leaders, shippers, carriers and EHS and compliance professionals for three days of sessions on preparedness, response and regulatory change. Pagel’s presentation, "On-Site Lithium Battery Storage Standards: Navigating Risks, Prevention Strategies, and the Regulatory Gap," is part of the Summit’s Hazmat Preparedness and Safety, Risk & Readiness track.

Unlike transportation, where lithium batteries are subject to established dangerous goods requirements under 49 CFR and international modal frameworks such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, on-site storage requirements can involve a combination of adopted fire codes including newer lithium battery storage provisions in the 2024 International Fire Code, NFPA standards, insurer requirements and determination by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), rather than a single, transport-style regulatory framework.

Battery deployment is also accelerating globally. According to the International Energy Agency, 108 GW of new battery energy-storage capacity was deployed worldwide in 2025, 40% more than in 2024, while total installed capacity reached eleven times its 2021 level. That growth reflects the broader expansion of battery technologies across energy, transportation and other sectors—putting greater focus on how batteries are transported, stored, handled and protected throughout their lifecycle. The regulatory landscape is continuing to evolve. The 2024 International Fire Code introduced dedicated requirements for lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery storage, while NFPA 800, a forthcoming Battery Safety Code intended to address hazards across the battery lifecycle—including warehouse storage—remains under development.

“Transportation has a mature, highly prescriptive regulatory framework. On-site storage is more fragmented,” said Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting. “Facilities may have to navigate fire codes, standards, insurer requirements and local interpretations. Waiting for every requirement to become perfectly aligned isn’t a safety strategy.”

Featured Presentation
On-Site Lithium Battery Storage Standards: Navigating Risks, Prevention Strategies, and the Regulatory Gap
Hazmat Preparedness and Safety, Risk & Readiness track, September 21, 1:30-2:00 p.m.

Pagel will walk through how battery hazards can escalate in storage environments, where conventional emergency plans may fall short and what facilities can do now to strengthen risk assessment, storage practices and hazmat readiness. Key topics will include:

- Primary risk pathways for battery systems, including thermal runaway, off-gassing and secondary fires in on-site storage and fixed-facility settings
- The risks created by fragmented on-site lithium battery storage requirements and what they mean for facilities and response team
- Practical prevention, detection and mitigation strategies that reduce both the likelihood and the severity of a battery incident
- Integration of battery hazards into existing hazmat preparedness frameworks, and the updates traditional emergency plans need
- Actionable next steps for risk assessment, storage configuration and readiness protocols

"Traditional emergency plans aren't always designed around the behavior of a lithium-ion battery event," said Pagel. "Thermal runaway can generate intense heat and flammable gases, propagate to adjacent cells and create the potential for reignition. Once teams understand those pathways, they can make much better decisions about detection, mitigation and response."

Who Should Attend

The session is designed for EHS, safety and compliance professionals; emergency response coordinators and hazmat teams; facility and operations managers overseeing warehouses, distribution centers and battery storage sites; and risk, insurance and corporate safety leaders evaluating emerging battery exposures.

Speaker

Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant, HazMat Safety Consulting — A dangerous goods and hazmat safety expert specializing in lithium battery transportation, on-site storage and regulatory compliance. Pagel began his career at PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Information Center, where he responded to inquiries involving Hazardous Materials Regulations and worked alongside PHMSA Rulemaking, Approvals & Permits and Technical staff. Today, he advises organizations on transportation and storage compliance, special permits, SOPs and battery safety requirements.

Event Details
Event: CHEMTREC International Hazmat Summit, hosted by CHEMTREC
Dates: September 21–23, 2026
Session: September 21, 1:30–2:00 p.m.
Location: Virgin Hotels Nashville, 1 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203

Registration and the full agenda are available at https://secure.chemtrec.com/cihs. For details on Americase International’s participation, visit www.americaseinternational.com/events/

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the CHEMTREC International Hazmat Summit?
A: A three-day summit hosted by CHEMTREC in Nashville, TN, bringing together emergency responders, hazmat professionals, shippers, carriers and EHS and compliance leaders for sessions on preparedness, response and regulatory change across the dangerous goods lifecycle.

Q: Who from Americase International is speaking?
A: Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting, a division of Americase International.

Q: Who should attend this session?

A: EHS and safety professionals, facility and operations managers, emergency response and hazmat teams, risk and insurance leaders, and anyone responsible for battery storage, handling or hazmat readiness at fixed facilities or warehouses.

Q: Why does on-site lithium battery storage matter right now?
A: On-site lithium battery storage can require facilities to navigate adopted fire codes, NFPA standards, insurer requirements and determinations by local authorities having jurisdiction. The 2024 International Fire Code includes dedicated requirements for lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery storage, but applicable requirements can vary by jurisdiction, occupancy, battery quantity and storage configuration.

Q: Is the content practical or theoretical?
A: Practical. Attendees leave with a clear view of real-world risk pathways, where current standards fall short.

About Americase International

Americase International is an integrated enterprise that shapes and delivers protection, containment, and mitigation solutions across the lifecycle of high-value and dangerous goods — through regulatory enhancement and education; expert consultation; risk reduction; customized testing and validation; specialized training; and superior protective packaging. Combining HazMat Safety Consulting, Americase, and and Fulcrum Testing, the company serves leaders across aerospace, defense, energy, medical, technology, and other highly regulated industries. With 200+ years of combined regulatory experience andover 40 years in engineering, testing, and manufacturing innovation, Americase International delivers proven solutions where failure is not an not an option. For more information, visit www.AmericaseInternational.com.

Marina Malamis
Americase
marinam@americase.com
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