PHMSA 3-07
Contact: Patricia Klinger or Joe Delcambre, Tel.: (202) 366-4831
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Department of Transportation Offers Advice on the Safe Transportation of
Batteries and Battery-Powered Devices by Airline Passengers and Crew
Air travelers flying with the kinds of batteries used in many cell phones,
laptops, cameras and other portable electronic devices should take precautions
to reduce the risk of fires on aircraft, according to a new safety advisory
released by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
“We’re determined to keep America’s airlines the safest in the world,” said
PHMSA Chief Safety Officer and Assistant Administrator Stacey L. Gerard.
“Airline passengers can help us do that by following simple precautions in
packing and handling their batteries and battery-powered equipment.”
Passengers should, according to the advisory, keep spare batteries in their
original retail packaging; keep loose batteries covered with insulating tape to
protect them from contact with metal objects; place each battery in its own
protective case, plastic bag, or package; and pack spare batteries in carry-on
baggage, rather than checked baggage. Also, passengers should use only chargers
designed for the battery type and take steps to prevent crushing, puncturing or
dropping batteries.
The agency said it was concerned by two recent incidents on board commercial
aircraft. On February 10, a fire broke out in the overhead baggage compartment
on a JetBlue flight. Preliminary investigation results indicate one or more
loose batteries may have been the source of the fire. On March 18, PHMSA
received reports that a battery had overheated or ignited on board an American
Airlines aircraft flying from Argentina. In each case, airline employees
responded quickly, extinguishing the fire and safely landing the aircraft.
The agency noted that current regulations provide for the safe transportation of
batteries and that it is moving forward with proposals to enhance the safety
requirements, particularly with respect to testing, labeling, and packaging
standards. The agency is working with the Air Line Pilots Association, in
conjunction with the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations,
to send a similar Safety Alert to their 60,000 member pilots. The agency is
working with manufacturers to improve design and packaging for all batteries. It
added that it also is working with the Federal Aviation Administration on the
safe transportation of batteries on aircraft, and with consumer device
manufacturers, testing laboratories, and other federal and state safety
officials to help improve battery safety.
For more information, go to the DOT website:
http://safetravel.dot.gov.
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