[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 57 (Monday, March 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14167-14169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5562]


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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.

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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