The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has released a new Addendum and Corrigendum revising the 2015 – 2016 Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, commonly referred to as the ICAO TI or simply TI. The TI are the set of regulations that, together with national regulations like the 49 CFR…
New DOT/PHMSA Interpretation Brings Some Clarity to the Lithium Ion Watts Issue
In a formal Letter of Interpretation dated August 19th, 2015 to Mr. Mike Revis USDOT/PHMSA stated categorically that a Lithium Ion Battery being shipped under the exceptions granted in 49 CFR 173.185(c) may have cells which feature watt hour ratings greater than 20 watt hours as long as the battery itself remains less than one…
Lithium Battery Regulations: Are Retailers Getting Their Shipments Together?
On Friday, August 7, 2015, the US Department of Transportation’s new lithium battery shipping rules went into effect. In the weeks since, retailers have handled the challenges of the new regulations as best they can. Many are still scrambling, as they adapt their shipping operations to rules that never applied to their business before. The…
Lufthansa becomes the latest airline to restrict lithium battery transport—and the strictest
Transporting lithium batteries by air continues to get more challenging. Lufthansa has just imposed restrictions that go well beyond international regulations. Here’s a breakdown of the new restrictions, effective August 31*: Complete embargo of excepted standalone lithium batteries from all aircraft. These shipments will no longer be accepted on any Lufthansa Group passenger or…
10 Reasons to add barcodes to your Dangerous Goods labels
Dangerous Goods (DG) identification and shipping is complex. One way to simplify things is by adding barcodes to your labels. When you make every DG container and package barcode-scanable, you’ll improve processes, reduce human error, cut down on frustrated shipments and carrier rejections, and keep labeling in compliance. Many Labelmaster customers specify labels with barcodes,…
Recap of the ECOSOC Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
A New Biennium With the retirement of Mr. Hart of the UK, a new UN Sub-committee of experts on the transport of dangerous goods biennium began on 22nd June under the chairmanship of Mr. Pfund from the US. Mr. Pfund follows in the footsteps of such luminaries from the US DOT as Mr. Al Roberts…
Boeing Offers Lithium Battery Air Transport Guidance
Seldom does a guidance document from a private business causes much stir in the aviation transport community when it comes to Dangerous Goods; however, that is not the case after the Boeing Company released new guidance on July 17th regarding the bulk carriage of Lithium Ion Batteries (UN3480) on its passenger aircraft. Along with European maker Airbus,…
Airlines/ICAO React to e-cigarette Storage on Passenger Flights
As of June 15, 2015, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has banned passengers and crew from storing electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other battery-powered electronic smoking devices in checked bags on passenger airlines. This final ruling follows an advisory warning to the airline industry issued by ICAO in December 2014 regarding safety concerns related to…
When You Violate DG Shipping Regulations, Fines Can Stack Up
Having mislabeled or incorrectly marked cargo could mean delayed shipments and fines from violations. And with ever-changing rules and regulations, things can get complicated. We can help. We have complied a list of seven types of common violations and how you can avoid them: www.labelmaster.com/common-violations
UPS Imposes New Lithium Metal Battery Restrictions
In an action which is assuredly no April Fool’s jest, United Parcel Service (UPS) today announced new restrictions on and requirements for the transport of Lithium Metal Batteries. Effective July 1st, 2015, shipments of UN3090 Lithium Metal Batteries via UPS Airlines must receive pre-approval from UPS prior to shipment. The announcement indicates that this will…