Waxahachie, Texas – September 12, 2026 -- Americase International said Mike Pagel, Principal Consultant with its HazMat Safety Consulting subsidiary, contributed dangerous goods and regulatory expertise to a January 2026 Open Compute Project (OCP) white paper setting safety requirements for energy storage systems (ESS) deployed in data centers amid rising AI and high-performance computing power demands.
OCP guidance targets battery risks from rack-level backups to large-scale storage
The white paper, Requirements for Energy Storage Systems Used in Data Centers, covers configurations ranging from rack-level battery backup units and centralized uninterruptible power supply systems to larger battery energy storage systems (BESS). It addresses battery chemistry, testing, fire protection, transportation, emergency response and end-of-life management for lithium-ion, nickel-zinc, lead-acid, sodium-ion and supercapacitor systems.
Testing standards, not chemistry alone, anchor the safety framework
The guidance references NFPA 855 for stationary ESS installation and safety, and ANSI/CAN/UL 9540A 5th Edition (2025) for evaluating thermal runaway and fire propagation. Lithium battery design types must also pass UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, Sub-section 38.3, before transportation.
"Calling something a lithium battery tells you almost nothing about how it will actually behave," said Pagel. "Form factor and chemistry produce materially different hazards, and the only way to know is to test it."
Dangerous goods rules apply across the full battery lifecycle
The paper identifies dangerous goods transportation obligations -- packaging, marking, labeling, documentation and training -- that can apply to lithium batteries and battery-powered equipment at multiple lifecycle points, including initial deployment, replacement, return, repair, redeployment and end-of-life shipment.
Robby Kinsala, CEO of Americase International, said energy storage safety responsibilities extend from transportation and deployment through operation, maintenance, replacement and end-of-life, rather than ending once a battery is installed.
Higher-voltage architectures raise electrical hazard stakes
The guidance also addresses higher-voltage power architectures and the electrical and stored-energy hazards that require specialized controls, training and qualified personnel, alongside Hazard Mitigation Analysis for evaluating thermal runaway and mechanical failure risks.