Dangers of lithium batteries in focus

As the dangers of lithium
batteries have once again
hit the aviation news as a
possible factor in the Air
Malaysia tragedy, South
Africa has been described
as an accident waiting to
happen in the air transport
of these highly combustible
products. That's according
to Sean Reynolds, training
manager at Professional
Aviation Services – and a
man who declares himself
passionate about the dangers
of hidden and undeclared
dangerous goods.
He believes they are one of
the most dangerous products
transported by air, and a
rather too frequent cause of
air incidents.
“They were linked with the
crash of a plane in Dubai in
2010 and a fire on an aircraft
in the US in 2006,” Reynolds
told FTW. “Also, the
US-based Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has
said that there were 141 air
incidents globally involving
batteries carried as cargo or
baggage between 1991 and
February this year – which
works out at about six
incidents a year.
“Of these, 44 were in the
US – with the FAA recording
21 in passenger aircraft (16
in carry-on luggage and one
in checked baggage) and the
other 23 in cargo aircraft.”
And the reason for singling
out SA as a particularly
dangerous airfreight
destination related to lithium
batteries is that – while
the National Regulator for
Compulsory Specifications
(NRCS) has been publicising
its efforts to crack down on
non-compliant imports – it
has also said that SA has a
history of being a dumping
ground for “grey” products,
which are often unacceptable
imports elsewhere.
Major imports amongst
these are cheap, and
most often sub-standard,
electronic products like cell
phones and laptops – which
are particularly popular on
the local (and often “black”)
market. It could fairly be
said, according to Reynolds,
that these are also likely to
have equally sub-standard
lithium batteries powering
them. Products, he added,
which could have
an above-average chance of
spontaneous combustion –
particularly as the consignors
are also likely to have
evaded the highly complex
packaging standards
demanded by global aviation
bodies.
“Reputable manufacturers
of lithium batteries, and
equipment that uses lithium
batteries, are very conscious
of the dangers of shipping
these items, particularly as
air cargo,” Reynolds told
FTW. “And the International
Civil Aviation Organisation
(Icao) and the International
Air Transport Association
Iata, along with the industry,
have developed very
sophisticated limitations
and rules, particularly for
packaging, that minimise the
associated risks.
“There are, however,
those ‘grey’ manufacturers
and operators who either
don’t abide by the rules, or
duck under the radar by not
declaring or under-declaring
their dangerous goods cargo
in general, and lithium
batteries in particular.”
Old style portable batteries
carried much lower charges,
and, therefore, would not
cause any great generation
of heat.
“Their newer lithium
brothers, however, because
they basically pack more
muscle, are capable of
generating serious heat in
the event of a short circuit.
And the metal ones can
spontaneously burst into
flame if they are broken or
damaged,” he said.