I think it is more likely to depend on the airport as it's usually their staff doing security screening, not the airline's, and they do currently stipulate that batteries are made safe, just not a specific method of how that needs to be achieved.
In particular, major international airports in first world countries, and especially those that might be considered a terrorism target, are far more likely to have regular training courses and updates for their security staff than those with lower profiles. That was certainly the case at Heathrow when I was working there a few years ago, although I have no idea whether they'd specifically cover things like battery protection options. That said, if you are outsourcing your airport security to rent-a-cops who work for a company that's mostly in it to make money or come in under budget, then all bets are off.
Either way, we *are* flying with potentially hazardous items and, in the unlikely event that anything should go wrong, we're going to be pretty close to it when it does. In that light, spending a little time and money to reduce the odds even further just seems like common sense to me.
