New Lithium Battery Regulations Will Present Shippers with Challenges in 2013 Additional Training may be required
One of the most noteworthy changes, of
the 2013 International Air Regulations, is the new various
packing instructions for lithium ion and metal batteries and
cells.
ICAO has determined that some lithium batteries currently
assigned to Section II of Packing Instruction 965 (for lithium ion)
and 968 (for lithium metal) will be reassigned to Section IB.
This new designation means these batteries will be regulated as
a Class 9 and subject to all of the applicable provisions of
the ICAO Technical Instructions, mostnotably formal training.
Employees that will be required to ship batteries and cells
assigned to Section I will be required to be trained to ICAO/IATA
Standards, while those dealing with Section II cells and
batteries only need to receive "adequate instructions."
With a little more than six months before these
changes take effect, companies need to ramp up their efforts to
comply with the new requirements. Training employees will be
a challenge and companies should make arrangements to train
employees as soon as possible. Whether Transport Canada
adopts these changes in a timely and consistent manner will not
impact the ICAO implementation on January 1, 2013. In the
meantime, companies that ship internationally by air can't afford
to hold off on revising their processes and policies to ensure
compliance with the new requirements.
Contact us about your training
needs.
BCHAZMAT Management Ltd.
250-656-3382 or info@bchazmat.com