Guidelines

Undeclared shipments of dangerous goods pose a significant risk to transporters. Employers must be diligent when managing the transport process of lithium batteries.

Monitoring

Employers must also ensure that those involved in the process, including consigners and freight forwarders, are adhering to IATA guidelines.

Throughout the process, employers should periodically conduct inspections of goods for transport to identify potential issues, as follows:

• Undeclared dangerous goods
• Lithium batteries in checked luggage
• Damaged lithium batteries being carried on, placed in checked luggage, or shipped

Any problems that are identified during the monitoring process must be immediately fixed.

Record keeping

Record keeping provides a resource for communicating hazards in the workplace. An airway bill gives detailed information about the nature of dangerous goods being transported, such as lithium batteries. This paperwork is designed to educate workers involved in the transport process of lithium batteries.

This document may be in any form provided it contains all the appropriate information and accompanies the consignment. For example, the document may be provided separately to the carrier or in a pouch attached to the package.

Reporting

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) work together to conduct comprehensive investigations following aircraft incidents such as those caused by lithium battery fires. The reports are led by The Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention and aim to make air travel safer through investigation, data collection, risk analysis, and information sharing.