I am looking for some authoritative documents that proves and decribes
the danger of batteries (usual batteries we find in all kind of
consummer products). I need this information urgently because I have
the opportunity to talk to some deciders of my country in a few days
and hope to convince them to do something about this issue. This can
help save lives.
Please help.

Search on:  cadmium minimata

NiCad batteries are pretty nasty

Few things are completely safe and my observation is batteries are
about average. I think the big manufactures have taken all reasonable
precautions as they do not want bad publicity nor lawsuits.
 I like to expreiment, so I have pushed my luck with 10,000 batteries.
I only recal one incident that might have caused serious injury. A
short circuit caused about 2000 watts/100 amps ac to be disapated in a
AA cell. Some of the peices hit the wall with conciderable force.  
Neil

A friend of mine told be about an AA battery that fell into the frame
of an aircraft seat. It welded itself in place.

We had an incident with a 6v dry Lead acid battery which was placed
upside down on an airline bar cart - the darn thing glowed yellow.
Instead of knocking it over, the stewardess let off a fire
extinguisher, very messy, and it caused quite a furore.