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Air Freight Packaging Must be Approved by FAA

Tom Ferguson, senior technical consultant for the Council On Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles, addresses lithium battery risks related to packaging and shipping airfreight.

At the BioLogistics Summit in San Francisco, Tom Ferguson, senior technical consultant for the Council On Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles, will make a presentation entitled, “Lithium Battery Risks Shipping Air Freight.” In this Q&A, Healthcare Packaging talks with Ferguson.

Healthcare Packaging (HCP): What is the key issue regarding lithium battery risks in temperature-sensitive air distribution?

Tom Ferguson: The real issue in this industry is that many data loggers today may not be approved by air operators to operate during transport. This is due to a failure to understand that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a final say over devices active in transport. Whether it be a refrigerated container, a small logging device placed inside or on the outside of a box, package, or container, if the device has not been specifically approved to be active during transport by the air operator, then it is not permitted in air cargo.

The transportation regulations regarding lithium batteries have changed significantly over the last five years, largely due to high-profile incidents in Philadelphia in 2006 and Dubai in 2010, and the troubles encountered on the Boeing 787 in 2013. However, in these cases, battery construction, design, packaging, or misuse may have contributed to the failures. Therefore, understanding the transportation requirements is paramount to safety.

However, transportation is not the only concern. Many cargo-monitoring systems (data loggers, time and temperature devices, etc.) are utilizing lithium batteries for power. While the size of the batteries may comply with lithium battery transportation regulations, devices designed for use aboard aircraft must be approved by the individual air operator in cooperation with their FAA Certificate Management Office. The review goes beyond hazardous material transport and addresses electromagnetic field generation and possible interference with navigation systems. 

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