With more than a decade of experience deploying and operating energy storage systems for our customers globally, the Fluence fleet has delivered more than 7,600 gigawatt-hours (GW-hr) of grid services with a strong safety record.

We see safety as a foundational element of our corporate value of Responsibility — rooted in our heritage of power generation and industrial systems design. Safety is all-pervasive in our company culture and the partnerships we build with our customers, from system design to construction and operations.

Our complete energy storage systems operate as a single integrated system with safety embedded in every layer of controls and hardware. We partner with leading suppliers and adhere to industry standards, such as IEC and UL standards, for all hardware components and subsystems.

Our formal policies on Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) meet the highest global standards, often exceeding local and regional regulations. Ensuring a safe work environment is implicit in every aspect of our business.

Integrated Safety from Cell to System

We design complete energy storage solutions that operate as a single integrated system with safety embedded in every layer of controls and hardware. All systems are built with 24/7 remote monitoring and control capabilities. The Fluence Cube is equipped with comprehensive safety features, including fire detection and suppression, emergency stop, deflagration panels, and more.

Fluence systems are designed to meet UL and IEC standards at the cell, module, rack, container, and system levels, including UL1973, UL9540a, IEC62619, IEC61508, NFPA 855 and more. We partner with leading suppliers and conducts rigorous qualifications and certifications on all hardware components and subsystems.

GROUND FAULT DETECTION

Electrical isolation monitoring devices are present on each DC battery bus to detect faults and disconnect the system before a serious problem occurs.

EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN

E-stop functionality is automatically triggered by Cube safety features in response to incipent gas or smoke detection and sudden changes in battery operating parameters (via Fluence OS). Manual e-stop can also be performed by operators or first responders.

FIRE SUPPRESSION

A fire detection and suppression system is used to detect and extinguish a non-battery fire before it spreads to cells.

DEFLAGRATION PANELS

Deflagration panels compliant with NFPA 68 are used to direct the force of any internal pressure upwards.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY FEATURES

Lockable disconnect switch, open door sensor, gas spring damper, and sliding door lock features ensure the Cube can be safely operated by personnel.

Fluence provides site safety planning templates and industry best practices for use by system owners in preparing customized emergency response plans. We support system owners with operation and maintenance documentation, including required PPE and service protocols, and deliver onsite training for maintenance personnel, such as key hazard identification.

Our Approach to Safety Engineering

Undertake a continual safety engineering process which assesses risk potentially associated with battery-based energy storage.

Consider all phases of a potential event, with mitigations seeking to prevent an event, limit the extent of an event, and safely conclude an event.

Incorporate both design mitigations and procedural mitigations in system engineering and delivery. 

Participate in global standards committees related to safety to both learn from and influence latest industry norms.

 

Meet Barbara LaBarge, Global Safety and Quality Manager

“At Fluence, safety is everyone’s responsibility. All employees have ‘stop work’ authority, a right that helps us prevent accidents and drive continuous improvement across the company. I am working hard to embed a culture of safety and quality so deep into the fabric of the organization that it spills over to other aspects of our lives and has a positive influence at home and in our communities.”

Upholding HSEQ Standards Across Projects Worldwide

The Fluence Safety Committee oversees and coordinates HSEQ programs, which include emergency preparedness, asset management, analysis of job safety and lessons learned, and an Integrated Management System (IMS) to monitor, audit and streamline business practices. Additionally, all Fluence employees have authority to stop work on a project site if a potential safety hazard is recognized.

We continually reinforce our commitment to safety through ongoing education and training. We maintain a Safety Portal as a resource for employees to easily access information on risk assessment, job hazard and incident analysis, training and procedures. This platform is one way, among others, that we promote HSEQ transparency and continuous performance improvement.

OHSAS 18001

Compliance with the OHSAS 18001 international occupational health and safety standard demonstrates our commitment to creating and maintaining management systems that provide our customers and employees with an environment aimed at preventing occupational injuries. Specifically, we monitor, identify and discuss safety risks in monthly all-hands safety meetings. Other compliance activities include on-site safety walks, incident reporting and ongoing online safety training.

Fluence has implemented a Safety Observation System (SOS) called Stop Work Authority (SWA). Everyone in the company is trained to use the SWA, and that Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Fluence Safety Culture encourages reporting of observations and recognizes and rewards teams and individuals for safe practices. Fluence reacts and corrects observations before they become incidents. Fluence is currently in the process of completing OHSAS 18001 certification.

ISO 14001

The ISO 14001 international standard provides a framework for organizations to incorporate environmental management into their other key management systems.

At Fluence, our compliance is reflected in our commitment to minimize and prevent adverse environmental impacts of our projects by conserving resources and improving energy efficiency at the planning and purchasing stages. Fluence is currently in the process of completing ISO 14001 certification.

ISO 9001

Compliance with the ISO 9001 standard ensures that an organization maintains a process-oriented approach to documenting and reviewing the structure, responsibilities, and procedures required to achieve the highest levels of quality management. At Fluence, our compliance with this standard is a key part of our commitment to providing our customers with the highest quality of engineering, procurement, and construction products and services.

Fluence maintains an Integrated Management System (IMS) that drives the continuous improvement cycle process targeted in ISO 9001. We perform regular audits on the procedures and processes we use to conduct our business and set our supplier qualifications. We also perform regular analyses to identify areas for improvement. Fluence is currently in the process of completing ISO 9001 certification.

Our safety philosophy in action.

See how we are safely moving our critical infrastructure projects forward during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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