Shipping lithium power units by air is legal if you follow vital regulatory guidelines that prioritize passenger, aircraft and personnel safety. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forbids shipping stand-alone lithium batteries as cargo on a passenger airplane. However, you can ship these power sources using a passenger plane if they’re inside the electronics they power and you’ve used safe packaging.
What Makes Lithium Power Units Unsafe?
While lithium batteries — lithium-ion and lithium metal — power many modern electronics, they have high energy densities and contain flammable electrolytes. A fire will ensue if a manufacturer assembles a lithium battery-operated device incorrectly or a short circuit occurs. Short circuits happen when you fail to package lithium batteries properly. If you package lithium power sources incorrectly and they suffer damage that impairs their internal circuitry, a thermal runaway will occur, leading to a fire.
Due to their chemical components, the Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies lithium power units as Class 9 dangerous goods.
How to Prepare Batteries for Shipping
Before shipping lithium power sources, execute these steps first:
Check the State of Charge (SoC)
According to the IATA, you should only ship lithium-ion batteries with a SoC of less than 30%.
Select a Strong Packaging Material
To ship lithium power units, select strong packaging materials like fiberboard, wood or metal. Rigid materials are ideal for lithium battery shipping because they can withstand mechanical handling, loading and jolts. The package you choose depends on the power source’s watt-hour rating. If the watt-hour rating is high, use the strongest and most rigid material.
Isolate the Batteries
When packing batteries in a box, isolate them to avoid short circuits and ensure they’ll remain still during transportation. Also, separate power units from other hazardous materials.
Mark and Label Boxes Correctly
Label packages appropriately so that anyone handling them can comply with safety regulations. Use durable labels or print the relevant details directly on the package, and include the identifying lithium battery sticker.
Sign Air Shipping Paperwork
Sign the harmful goods declaration document and the air waybill for proper documentation.
Safety Advice
Follow this advice to help your team prepare and ship lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries properly:
- Prioritize training: Sign your Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) employees up for courses that qualify them to handle lithium power sources.
- Provide emergency guidelines: Give cargo aircraft operators guidelines on suppressing fire if an incident occurs.
- Create retraining reminders: Remind your personnel to refresh their lithium battery shipping training every two years.
Choose Hazmat School for Lithium Battery Training
If you’re looking for a comprehensive online lithium battery air shipping course, look no further than Hazmat School. Our interactive class will teach your staff how to handle lithium power sources safely. We’ll also issue HAZMAT certificates that comply with IATA regulations.
Learn about our module now and register your employees.
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
