|
A Cryptome DVD is offered by Cryptome. Donate $25 for a DVD of the Cryptome 10+-years archives of 39,000 files from June 1996 to December 2006 (~4.1 GB). Click Paypal or mail check/MO made out to John Young, 251 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024. Archives include all files of cryptome.org, cryptome2.org, jya.com, cartome.org, eyeball-series.org and iraq-kill-maim.org. Cryptome offers with the Cryptome DVD an INSCOM DVD of about 18,000 pages of counter-intelligence dossiers declassified by the US Army Information and Security Command, dating from 1945 to 1985. No additional contribution required -- $25 for both. The DVDs will be sent anywhere worldwide without extra cost. |
27 March 2007
[Federal Register: March 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 57)]
[Notices]
[Page 14167-14169]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr07-115]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2007-27493; Notice No. 07-02]
Advisory Guidance; Transportation of Batteries and Battery-
Powered Devices by Airline Passengers and Crew Members
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.
ACTION: Safety advisory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is
issuing this advisory to inform the traveling public and airline
employees about the importance of properly packing and handling
batteries and battery-powered devices when they are carried aboard
aircraft. Thousands of batteries and battery-powered devices are safely
carried aboard passenger aircraft each day, but several recent
incidents involving batteries in checked or carry-on baggage illustrate
the risks of overheating and fire that can occur when the regulations
are not followed. Federal regulations require that
[[Page 14168]]
electrical storage batteries or battery-powered devices carried aboard
passenger aircraft be properly packaged or protected to avoid short-
circuiting or overheating. In this safety advisory, we suggest various
practical measures for complying with the regulations and minimizing
transportation risks. Recommended practices include keeping batteries
installed in electronic devices; packing spare batteries in carry-on
baggage; keeping spare batteries in their original retail packaging;
separating batteries from other metallic objects such as keys, coins
and jewelry by packing individual batteries in a sturdy plastic bag;
securely packing battery-powered equipment in a manner to prevent
accidental activation; and ensuring batteries are undamaged and
purchased from reputable sources.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hazardous Materials Information
Center, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, PHMSA, Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20590-0001.
Telephone: (800) 467-4922 or (202) 366-4488.
I. Introduction
Technological advances and the demands of a mobile society have
made the use of portable electronic equipment and other battery-powered
devices an established part of the modern American lifestyle. Americans
increasingly own--and travel with--portable telephones, computers,
cameras, camcorders, entertainment devices, and medical equipment--even
cordless power tools. The batteries that power these devices are
increasingly as varied as the products themselves: they are
manufactured by many different companies, foreign and domestic, rely on
a variety of power-generating technologies, established and newer; and
come in all manner of shapes and sizes.
Portable battery-powered devices and batteries are safe for
transportation when packed properly. But like many other materials that
are part of daily consumer use, they must be handled and packaged
appropriately to prevent unsafe conditions. A power tool that can be
safely used for its intended purpose can cause damage if it is
unintentionally activated inside a closed suitcase. Similarly, a
battery can cause damage if it is improperly charged, abused, or short-
circuited.
II. Safe Transportation of Electronic Devices and Spare Batteries
As the Federal regulatory agency with responsibility for the safe
movement of hazardous materials by all modes of transportation, it is
PHMSA's job to establish safety standards for the safe transportation
of batteries and battery-powered devices. Our goal is to minimize risks
to persons, property, and the environment, while keeping these
materials moving in commerce. We apply the highest standards to
transportation by air, recognizing that any fire aboard a passenger
flight is unacceptable.
A. Passenger Regulations
PHMSA's regulations (Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; Title
49, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 171-180)) prohibit the
transportation of electrical devices, unless the devices are packed in
a manner to prevent sparks or overheating (see Sec. 173.21(c)).
Airline passengers who carry batteries or electrical devices in carry-
on or checked baggage are responsible for ensuring appropriate steps
are taken to protect against dangerous levels of heat that can be
generated by inadvertent activation or short-circuiting of these
devices while in transportation.
B. Recent Transportation Incidents
Over the past several years, we have received a number of reports
of transportation incidents involving various kinds of batteries and
battery-powered devices, including incidents involving passenger
airline operations. The most recent incident occurred on February 10,
2007, aboard a flight originating at JFK International Airport. Shortly
after takeoff, a fire ignited in a passenger bag stowed in an overhead
bin. Fast and appropriate action by the crew brought the fire under
control and prevented injury to passengers and crew. The flight crew
promptly extinguished the fire and the flight returned to JFK for an
emergency landing. Although the fire is still under investigation by
PHMSA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), preliminary reports indicate
batteries were involved in the incident.
Other incidents have occurred on the ground. Last May, we received
a report of a fire involving a spare lithium ion battery that had been
stowed in a passenger's notebook computer carrying case. A flight
attendant removed the burning case from the passenger cabin, and tossed
it onto the ramp, where the fire was extinguished by ground personnel.
On April 18, 2004, at Chicago's Midway Airport, a power drill with
an installed nickel cadmium battery activated while in checked luggage.
This caused a fire that spread to other bags on a luggage cart waiting
to be loaded onto a passenger aircraft.
In June 2003, we received reports that an overheated battery had
been discovered in a routine baggage inspection of a flight departing
from Logan Airport in Boston. The battery had been loosely packed in a
toolbox, along with various metal tools. We believe the heat build-up
was caused by short-circuiting when the battery's exposed terminals
came in contact with metal objects in the toolbox.
C. Battery Operation and Risks
By design, all batteries operate through a controlled chemical
reaction, which generates electrical energy and, in the process, some
degree of heat. Batteries are designed to generate an electrical
current and transmit power through terminals made of a conductive
metal. It is their capacity to perform that basic function that makes
them useful but, if not properly handled, designed or manufactured,
poses a risk of overheating and fire.
External short-circuiting of a battery can occur from contact or
close proximity of metal objects or other batteries near exposed
terminals. The newest generation of batteries using lithium metal or
lithium ion technology pose particular risks, based on their energy
density and chemistry, and because fires involving these batteries are
more difficult to extinguish or suppress. Even nickel cadmium and
nickel metal-hydride batteries can generate large amounts of current
and heat when short-circuited.
As with any product, manufacturing defects also can cause safety
problems. Last summer, several major notebook computer manufacturers
initiated recalls of their lithium ion batteries after learning of
overheating and fires caused by a production defect in the batteries
installed in the notebooks. According to the Consumer Product Safety
Commission, manufacturers have voluntarily recalled over 10 million
lithium-ion batteries in the last few years. We are also aware of risks
associated with overcharging and internal short circuits that have led
to battery recalls.
D. Measures for Safe Transportation of Batteries
We are aware that travelers want to take appropriate measures to
ensure their safety and that of their fellow passengers and may need
reminders or assistance to know how to travel safely with batteries. We
recommend the following measures to ensure battery terminals are
effectively insulated and
[[Page 14169]]
batteries and equipment are protected from damage and accidental
initiation:
(1) Keep batteries installed in portable electronic devices.
Passengers can safely carry electronic devices with installed
batteries, such as, cellular phones, notebook computers, cameras,
camcorders, entertainment devices, and medical equipment, in the
passenger cabin of an airplane. When replacing with a spare battery
during flight, handle batteries with care and pack spare batteries
safely.
(2) Pack spare batteries in carry-on baggage. Conditions that could
lead to an incident are easier to detect in the passenger compartment
of an aircraft. Flight crews have access to fire extinguishers in the
event of an in-flight incident involving batteries.
(3) Keep spare batteries in the original retail packaging.
Batteries purchased from retail stores are packaged in plastic and
cardboard packages intended for the transport of those batteries. This
packaging prevents unintentional activation and short-circuiting by
effectively isolating the batteries from contact with each other and
other objects.
(4) If original packaging is not available, effectively insulate
battery terminals. Effective insulation of battery terminals will
ensure batteries do not short circuit from an external source.
Travelers can effectively insulate battery terminals by isolating spare
batteries from contact with other batteries and metal objects. If the
original packaging is unavailable or damaged, place each battery
individually in its own protective case, plastic bag or package. A
sturdy, resealable plastic bag (e.g., a freezer bag or sturdy
resealable sandwich bag) is suitable for this purpose. Covering the
battery terminals with insulating tape, such as electrical tape, is
another effective method. We recommend using both measures in
combination for batteries that have protruding or sharp terminals
(e.g., standard 9-volt batteries).
(5) Do not carry recalled, damaged, or counterfeit batteries.
Do not carry aboard a plane recalled, damaged or counterfeit
batteries. Information about recalled batteries can be found at the
manufacturer's Web site or from the Consumer Product Safety Commission
(http://www.cpsc.gov.) Passengers should only use batteries purchased
from reputable sources.
(6) Prevent inadvertent activation of battery-powered devices.
Leaving batteries in battery-powered devices is an effective means
of insulating the terminals and protecting against internal short-
circuiting. However, battery-powered devices with installed batteries
must be packaged to prevent inadvertent activation. Cordless power
tools, for instance, should be packed in a protective case, with a
trigger lock engaged.
E. Next Steps
The publication of this safety advisory is one of several measures
PHMSA is taking, in consultation with FAA, the NTSB, manufacturers of
batteries and consumer products, airlines, testing laboratories, the
emergency response and law enforcement community and other
stakeholders, to respond to the battery-related incidents.
The Air Line Pilots Association, in conjunction with the
International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations, plans to
simultaneously publish to their members a Safety Alert and Safety
Bulletin respectively, concerning the hazards associated with in-flight
passenger electronic equipment fires, and steps crewmembers should take
in the event of a fire.
Over the next few months, PHMSA, FAA, and other interested public
and private sector organizations will move ahead with actions to
enhance battery transportation safety through development and revision
of safety standards and public education and outreach.
In the meantime, airline passengers and crew members are reminded
of their existing obligations under PHMSA's regulations. As noted
above, airline passengers are prohibited from carrying batteries and
battery-powered equipment aboard an aircraft unless the device and
batteries have been packaged or protected against short-circuiting and
overheating.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2007.
Theodore L. Willke,
Acting Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. E7-5562 Filed 3-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P