{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0013","title":"Adrian Shipman — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-06-05","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0013 concerning 171.23, 171.24.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0013.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0013.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0013","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140013.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nJUN 0 5 2014\nAdrian Shipman\n809 E. Moneta A venue\nPeoria Heights, Il 61616\nRef. No. 14-0013\nDear Adrian Shipman:\nThis responds to your December 4, 2013 request for clarification of the packing instructions\nfor lithium batteries under the 2013-2014 Edition of the International Civil Aviation\nOrganization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air\n(ICAO TI) and a previous interpretation (RefNo. 12-0261). Specifically, you seek\nclarification of Packing Instruction (PI). 967 Section II applicable to lithium ion batteries\ncontained in equipment. PI 967 states \"each package containing more than 4 cells or more\nthan 2 batteries installed in equipment must be labeled with a lithium battery handling label.\"\nPI 967 also limits the net quantity of lithium ion cells or lithium ion batteries to 5 kg per\npackage. Your questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:\nQ 1. Does PI 967 Section II limit the number pieces of equipment allowed in a\npackage?\nA1. The current PI 967 Section II requirements do not specifically limit the number of\nlithium ion battery equipment pieces that can be placed in a package. Rather the\npackage limit is based on a 5 kg net quantity of lithium ion cells or batteries per\npackage that are contained in the equipment.\nQ2. In PI 967 Section II, do the limits of 4 cells or 2 batteries refer to the number of\ncells or batteries allowed in the package or the piece of equipment?\nA2. It should be noted that the reference in PI 967 Section II to the 4 cells or 2\nbatteries is only in reference to a lithium battery handling label exception, and does\nnot refer to the allowable number of cells or batteries that can be contained in the\npackage or a piece of equipment. With that said the limit of 4 cells or 2 batteries\nreferenced in PI967 Section II is a package limit. For example, if you have cellular\nphones each powered by a single cell lithium ion battery, up to four cells (i.e. four\ncellular phones) can be placed into this package without a requirement to display the\nlithium battery handling label. However, if five cells (i.e. five cellular phones) are\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nplaced in this package, then you would have to display the lithium battery handling\nlabel.\nQ3. A recent PHMSA Letter oflnterpretation (Ref. No. 12-0261) stated \"[t]he ICAO\nTI provides an exception for equipment containing four or less cells or two or less\nbatteries from the requirement to label packages with a battery handling label and\naccompanying documentation.\" You ask ifthis interpretation (Ref. No. 12-0261)\nrefers to the number of batteries allowed in the equipment with a max net of 5kg per\npackage.\nA3. No, to qualify for the lithium battery handling label and accompanying\ndocumentation exceptions under PI 970 Section II.2 the completed package must not\ncontain more than four cells or two batteries and the total net quantity of batteries in\nthe package must not exceed 5kg. However, it should be noted that there is no limit\non the number of button cell batteries per package to be eligible for these same\nexceptions provided all other provisions of PI 970 Section II are met (including the\n5kg total net quantity limit).\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office\nat (202) 366-8553.\nSincerely,\nRobert Benedict\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 1:25PM\nTo: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: Feedback: General Questions/Comments Regarding the PHMSA Enforcement Program\nHi Carolyn,\nThis a different request from Mr. Shipman. I didn't see either of his 12/4/13 requests in the system.\nThanks,\nVictoria\n-----Original Message-----\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 3:26 PM\nTo: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: Feedback: General Questions/Comments Regarding the PHMSA Enforcement Program\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\n-----Original Message-----\nFrom: PHMSA Webmaster\nSent: Wednesday, December 04, 2013 12:40 PM\nTo: HM-Enforcement (PHMSA); PHMSA Webmaster\nSubject: Feedback: General Questions/Comments Regarding the PHMSA Enforcement Program\nICAO Packing Instruction 967 Section II. Looking for some clarity on this packing instruction with regards to the number of\nequipment pieces allowed in a package. The packing instruction reads \"Each package containing more than 4 cells or more\nthan 2 batteries installed in equipment must be labeled with a lithium battery handling label\"\nDoes the 4 cells or 2 batteries refer to the number of cells allowed in the package or piece of equipment?\nI read an interpretation that made me think it was refering to the number of batteries allowed in the equipment with a\nmax net of Skg per package.\nRef. No. 12-0261\nName: Adrian Shipman\nOrganization:\nEmail: shipmanjerrya@comcast.net\nAddress: 809 E Moneta Ave\nCity: Peoria Heights\nZip Code: 61616\nPhone:3096699000\nFAX:\n1","truncated":false,"body_characters":5209}