Alerts Aircraft Operators About New Research Concerning The Transportation Of Lithium Batteries As Cargo

The FAA issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) on Friday alerting operators to results of new research on the risks associated with transporting lithium batteries as cargo on aircraft, and recommended actions air carriers can take to reduce those risks.

In the SAFO the FAA summarized recent research which shows that lithium metal (non-rechargeable) and lithium-ion (rechargeable) batteries are highly flammable and capable of igniting during air transport under certain circumstances.  The research also indicates that Halon 1301, the suppression agent found in Class C cargo compartments, is ineffective in suppressing lithium metal battery fires.

By way of background, the FAA pointed out that testing conducted by the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center (FAA Tech Center) indicates that particular propagation characteristics are associated with lithium batteries. Overheating has the potential to create thermal runaway, a chain reaction leading to self-heating and release of a battery’s stored energy. In a fire situation, the air temperature in a cargo compartment fire may be above the auto-ignition temperature of lithium. For this reason, batteries that are not involved in an initial fire may ignite and propagate, thus creating a risk of a catastrophic event. The existence and magnitude of the risk will depend on such factors as the total number and type of batteries on board an aircraft, the batteries’ proximity to one another, and existing risk mitigation measures in place (including the type of fire suppression system on an aircraft, appropriate packaging and stowage of batteries, and compliance with existing requirements contained within both FAA and PHMSA regulations).

It was also noted that the cargo of United Parcel Service Flight 006, which went down in the United Arab Emirates on September 3, included large quantities of lithium batteries. While the investigation of that accident is still underway, and its cause has not been determined, the agency says it feels it is pertinent to advise operators of that fact.

The FAA recommends that that all air carriers institute additional procedures for safely transporting lithium batteries by aircraft. The agency says operators should:

• Request customers to identify bulk shipments of currently excepted lithium batteries by information on airway bills and other documents provided by shippers offering shipments of lithium batteries.
• Where feasible and appropriate, stow bulk shipments of lithium batteries in Class C cargo compartments or in locations where alternative fire suppression is available.
• Evaluate the training, stowage, and communication protocols in your operation with respect to the transportation of lithium batteries in the event of an unrelated fire.
• Pay special attention to ensuring careful handling and compliance with existing regulations covering the air transportation of Class 9 hazardous materials, including lithium batteries.

These recommendations are limited to lithium batteries transported in the cargo hold of an aircraft (including cargo holds that are not distinct from the flight deck), and do not apply to lithium batteries carried onboard by passengers and crewmembers, or otherwise stowed in the passenger cabin of the aircraft. The FAA says these recommendations are not exclusive, and it hopes that carriers will use the information provided in the SAFO and the Tech Center study, together with any other available information, to consider other reasonable measures they believe appropriate to mitigate the risk of transporting lithium batteries by air.

FMI: www.faa.gov