NFPA's safe-charging list, sorted by what a camera can see

A theme for the second year running

Fire Prevention Week runs October 4 to 10. NFPA's 2026 theme is "Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower," and it is the second year in a row the campaign has centered on lithium-ion batteries.

One detail in the coverage is easy to skip. NFPA said it does not yet track the number of US home fires involving lithium-ion batteries. The concern comes from reports by fire departments, news organizations and other sources, not from a national count.

We have no warehouse statistic to add, so we will not invent one. NFPA's guidance is also written for homes: phones, laptops, tools, e-bikes. A warehouse charges bigger packs, such as the ones in electric forklifts and pallet jacks. The reading below is ours, not NFPA's.

Five items, sorted

Here are five items from NFPA's guidance, and for each, whether a camera over a charging bay could see it.

Use the charger the manufacturer supplied or approved. Not visible. A camera cannot read a part number on a charger.

Charge on a hard, flat surface where heat can dissipate. Visible once. A camera can see what a pack is sitting on. Whether anyone has written a rule that cares about it is a separate question.

Stop using a device that becomes unusually hot, swells, smokes or smells. Smoke is visible. An ordinary camera does not feel heat or smell, and it sees swelling only if the right pack is in view at the right angle.

Unplug once charging is complete. Not visible. A camera cannot tell whether a charger is still delivering current.

Charge larger batteries away from exits. Visible once, as a layout fact. NFPA's reasoning is that larger batteries store more energy and fires involving them can spread quickly.

Of the five, one changes minute to minute and shows up on camera: smoke. The other four are habits, hardware and layout.

What DHI does with that

DHI's smoke, fire and haze use case watches for smoke, flame or a sudden haze in a camera's view, using the cameras a site already has. Over a charging bay, that is a second set of eyes on the one signal on the list that an ordinary camera can see early.

It does not replace code-required detection, alarms or suppression. It does not know a pack is swelling or hot. Our demo clips are test footage, not a live charging bay.

Why we are saying so

A list with one camera-visible item out of five is a smaller claim than "AI watches your charging area." It is also the accurate one. It tells a safety manager where the camera helps and where a person, a procedure or a different sensor has to.

In your charging area, which of the five does a person enforce today, and which does a system?

Sources

• NFPA Fire Prevention Week 2026 theme and dates, via FireRescue1, June 15, 2026
• Occupational Health & Safety, "Fire Prevention Week Targets Battery Charging Hazards," September 23, 2026