Digitizer Replacement Battery Snag

I'm in the process of replacing the digitizer on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (7 in) that was donated to my non-profit. One of the screws holding the battery in is incredibly stripped and won't budge, and I've tried everything. Nothing I need to access is under the battery. Would it be safe to continue to remove the old digitizer with a hair dryer as a heat source if the battery is disconnected but NOT removed?