{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0188","title":"Alaska Air, SEADG — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-03-12","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0188 response to Alaska Air, SEADG concerning 171.15, 171.16, 173.21, 175.10.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0188.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0188.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0188","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/140188.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\nWashington DC 20590\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nSafety Administration\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nMAR 1 2 2015\nMr. Ron Fink\nSpecialist, Dangerous Goods\nAlaska Air, SEADG\n20833 S. International Blvd., P.O. Box 68900'\nSeattle, WA 98168-0900\nRef. No. 14-0188\nDear Mr. Fink:\nThis letter responds to your September 18, 2014 email regarding the applicability of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180) to lithium metal (cell)\nbatteries. In your letter, you describe an electronic bag tag that would replace the commonly\nused paper bag tags attached to checked baggage of the traveling public. The electronic bag\ntag is powered by a lithium metal (cell) battery that contains 0.08 grams of lithium metal.\nThrough discussions we were informed that the electronic bag tag would be given to or\nacquired by airline passengers, would be attached to the outside of their baggage, and would\nbe used by both the passenger and Alaska Airlines to track and manage movement of the\nbaggage before and after transportațion. Specifically, you request confirmation that\ncarriage of the electronic bag tag aboard passenger aircraft would not be subject to the HMR\nother than the reporting requirements found in §§ 171.15(b)(6) and 171.16.\nElectronic bag tags that are attached to the outside of passenger baggage and that are\ndesigned to be used by both the passenger and the aircraft operator are not subject to the\nHMR including the reporting requirements found in §§ 171.15(b)(6) and 171.16. However,\nthese electronic bag tags must meet all requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration\n(FAA) and the aircraft operator is still responsible for reporting incidents involving fire to\nthe FAA in accordance with 14 CFR 121.703 and 14 CFR 135.415.\nThese electronic bag tags are considered portable electronic tracking devices and are subject\nto FAA policies and guidance for operation. It is the operator's responsibility to ensure that\nthese devices meet FAA policies and guidance prior to allowing their use. For more detailed\ninformation on FAA policies and guidance for such devices please contact FAA's Aircraft\nMaintenance Division at 202-267-1695.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely\nActing Chief, Standard Development\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nBroussard\n$173.185\nI thium Batteries\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\n14-0188\nFrom:\nSent:\nCiccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)\nTo:\nThursday, October 02, 2014 5:09 PM\nSubject:\nHazmat Interps.\nAttachments:\nFW: Confidential Request for Interpretation\ninterp request redacted v.18Sep.pdl\nAlaska Airlines CONFIDENTIAL interp request v.2.pdf; Alaska Airlines CONFIDENTIAL\nShante and Alice,\nI don't see this in the interps database, can you make sure it gets submitted? This guy called the HMIC back to check on\nthe status.\nThanks,\nMike\nSent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 3:28 PM\nFrom: Ciccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Confidential Request for Interpretation\nShante and Alice,\nPlease submit this for a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nMike\nFrom: Ron Fink [mailto:ron.fink@alaskaair.com]\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 2:04 PM\nSubject: Confidential Request for Interpretation\nCc: Rick Nagy; Mike Tobin\nGood afternoon, Sir/Madame:\nWe are requesting confidential review and request for interpretation the attached request (one actual, one redacted\nattached). We appreciate your consideration of the request in advance. Please feel free to contact myself, or Rick\nNagy 206/392-2364 with any questions regarding the proposed use of the electronic baggage tag device on our\ncommercial fleet of passenger-carrying aircraft. Thank-you again for this review, and will wait for your reply or advice if\nany further information is required.\nSincerely,\nRon Fink,\nSpecialist, Dangerous Goods\nAlaska Air Group, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air\n20833 S. International Blvd, Department SEADG\nPO Box 68900\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n• a.\nSeattle, via 98168-0900i\nTel; 206-392-78553\nRon.fink@alaskaair.com\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nAlaska Airlines.\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nEast Building\nAttn: PHH-10\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nCONFIDENTIAL Interpretation Request\nPursuant to 49 CFR $ 105.30, Alaska Airlines hereby requests confidential treatment of our\ninterpretation request because it contains proprietary information that is protected from\ndisclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) pursuant to applicable law, including 49\nU.S.C. 40123, 14 CFR 193, 49 CFR 7.29, 5 USC 552(b)(4), and 18 USC § 1905.\nAlaska Airlines would like confirmation from PHMSA that an electronic bag tag\n0.08 grams lithium metal, is not subject to the Hazardous Materials Regulations,\npowered by one Panasonic BR2230 primary lithium metal battery, which contains\nother than the incident reporting requirements of §§ 171.15(b)(6) and 171.16.\nVANGUARD\nD SVELEMS\nAlaska Airlines\nANCHORAGE\nSTEVE SMITH\nANC\n2 229UG 2014\nSEA\n5\nDCA\nWe are working on permanent bag tags to replace the single-use paper bag tags. The obiect on\nthe left is the top part of the tag, the bottom half of the tag is on the right. We broke this hard\nThe round item on the right with a yellow edge is the Panasonic BR2230 primary lithium metal\nplastic case open to photograph it. Passengers cannot open the tag without rendering it useless:\nPassengers will upload their reservation to their bag tag via their Alaska Airlines smartphone\nThe screen updates with the new itinerary instantly.\napplication by depressing the power button on the lower left hand side of the front of the device.\nPage 1 of 2\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nWe believe this bag tag constitutes \"lithium metal battery contained in equipment.\" But there will\nbe no packaging of the battery other than be installed on a motherboard in a rigid plastic tag.\nThe 0.08 grams is below the threshold in 173.185(c)(1)(i) - but the exception is for \"a package\ncontaining...\n§ 173.185(c) Exceptions for smaller cells or batteries. A package containing\nlithium cells or batteries, or lithium cells or batteries packed with, or contained\nrequirements in subparts C through H of part 172 of this subchapter and the UN\nin, equipment, that meets the conditions of this paragraph, is excepted from the\nsection under the following conditions and limitations.\nperformance packaging requirements in paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (b) (4) of this\n(1) Size limits:\nlithium metal battery.\n(i) The lithium content may not exceed 1 g for a lithium metal cell or 2 g for a\nIn 49CFR 171.8 the terms are defined as:\nradioactive materials, see §173.403 of this subchapter.\nPackage or Outside Package means a packaging plus its contents. For\nPackaging means a receptacle and any other components or materials\nnecessary for the receptacle to perform its containment function in\nradioactive materials packaging, see §173.403 of this subchapter.\nconformance with the minimum packing requirements of this subchapter. For.\nThank you in advance for your reply. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.\nMit fron\nAlaska Airlines - SEADG\nManager Dangerous Goods\nP.O. Box 68900\nSeattle, WA 98168\n206-392-7854\nmike.tobin@alaskaair.com\nPage 2 of 2","truncated":false,"body_characters":7344}