UN3481 Class 9 Lithium-Ion Battery Shipping Label
When it comes to shipping lithium-ion battery products, there are a number of laws and regulations companies — including N1 Critical Technologies — must follow before sending such items to a customer or reseller.
Lithium-Ion batteries are considered to be “Dangerous Goods.” Such items are those that pose a health risk when transported and may not be safe for the environment. Dangerous goods are classified according to their immediate physical or chemical effects, such as fire, explosion, corrosion and poisoning, which have affects on property, the environment or people.
Hazardous Materials, abbreviated HAZMAT, are substances that can harm people, property or the environment. HAZMAT substances can appear in either liquid, solid or gaseous states. HAZMAT substances are classified based only on health effects (whether they are immediate or long term).
Transportation companies are obligated to comply with any and all governing laws and regulations pertaining to the transportation of Dangerous Goods or Hazardous Materials.
N1C products are typically shipped to customers via United Parcel Service (UPS) or FedEx. Both companies require pre-approval to ship dangerous goods and lithium-ion batteries (UN 3090 Section IA and Section IB), both within the US and internationally.
N1C warehouse staff have undergone training to become certified to ship “fully regulated” Dangerous Goods, which allows the company to be compliant with Federal International Air Transportation Association and United States Department of Transportation regulations. The certification allows N1C to ship lithium-ion goods via ground, air, rail and vessel via UPS, FedEx and other logistics companies.
Other “shippers” of lithium-ion products — such as resellers of N1C products — must also receive special training and certifications before contracting with or receiving pre-approvals from a transportation company.
US DOT, IATA/ICAO, and the IMDG Code all require HAZMAT training for employees who prepare lithium-ion batteries for transport by ground, air, or vessel.
The rules for shipping lithium-ion batteries by ground, air, and vessel change regularly. Shippers must know the latest requirements to avoid rejected shipments, prevent incidents and short-circuits in transit, and protect against US DOT hazmat fines now as high as ~$80,000 per day, per violation.
Generally, a “Shipping Lithium Batteries Training Course” covers:
- Hazmat general and security awareness
- Current regulations for lithium-ion battery shipments
- Explanations of FedEx and UPS restrictions for “excepted” lithium-ion batteries by air
- Revised requirements for small or excepted batteries
- Latest DOT lithium-ion battery rules under 49 CFR 173.185
- Classifying and naming lithium-ion batteries for transport
- Choosing the right IATA DGR packing instruction (PI) and section for air transport
- Selecting authorized packaging
- Current package marking and labeling rules for lithium-ion batteries
- Placarding requirements for lithium-ion battery shipments
- Properly completing shipping papers and the Shipper’s Declarations
Key objectives of such courses include:
- Satisfy US DOT, IATA DGR, and IMDG code training mandates for lithium battery ground, air, and vessel shippers (49 CFR 172.704, IATA DGR 1.5, & IMDG Code 1.3.1)
- Develop a step-by-step approach to classify, name, package, mark, label, handle, load, unload, and document lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries shipments.
- Build knowledge and skills to navigate and apply the complex, ever-changing lithium battery regulations to shipments to bulk or non-bulk shipments.
For more information about shipping Lithium-Ion batteries, please call our service department: 877-226-3311.
