Page 123 - Lindens Handbook of Batteries

4.20 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

In the United States, this responsibility for regulating the transport of goods rests with the
Department of Transportation (DOT) through its Research and Special Programs Administration
5
(RSPA). These regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR49), which
include the requirements for the shipment and transport of batteries under all modes of transporta-
tion. Under the DOT, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for the safe operation
6,7
of aircraft and has also issued regulations covering the use of batteries in aircraft. Similar organiza-
tions are part of the governments of most countries throughout the world.
Internationally, transport is regulated by such organizations as the International Civil Aviation
8
9
Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the International
Maritime Organization. Their regulations are guided by the United Nations (UN) through their
Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, which has developed recommendations
for the transportation of dangerous goods. These recommendations, which also include tests and
criteria, 10,11 are addressed to governments and international organizations concerned with regulating
the transport of various products. Currently, the UN Committee of Experts has developed guidelines
covering the transport of lithium primary and secondary batteries. The quantity of lithium or lithium
equivalent content in each cell and battery determines which specific rules and regulations are
applied concerning the packaging, mode of shipment, marking, and other special provisions.
As these standards, regulations, and guidelines can be changed on an annual or periodic basis, the
current edition of each document should be used.

NOTE

It is imperative that only the latest version of each standard be used. Due to the periodic revision of
these standards, only the latest version can be relied upon to provide reliable enforceable specifica-
tions of battery dimensions, terminals, marking, general design features, conditions of electrical
testing for performance verification, mechanical tests, test sequences, safety, shipment, storage, use,
and disposal.

REFERENCES

1. Society of Automotive Engineers, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096, www.sae.org.
2. Battery Council International, 401 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, www.batterycouncil.org.
3. Battery Council International, Battery Replacement Data Book.
4. Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062.
5. Department of Transportation, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Research and Special Programs
Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590.
6. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW, Washington,
DC 20591.
7. RTCA, 1828 L St., NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036, info@rtca.org.
8. International Civil Aviation Organization, 1000 Sherbrooke St., W., Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
9. International Air Transport Association, 2000 Peel St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
10. United Nations, Recommendation on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, New York, NY, and Geneva,
Switzerland.
11. United Nations, Manual of Tests and Criteria, New York, NY, and Geneva, Switzerland.