Anyone carried these? Can you just carry them? Ive got a crate on for a wind farm described as turbine spares for refurbs but deep down in the packaging list is 14 lithium ion batteries
They are classed as dangerous goods and are subject to ADR regs. Here’s TNT’s guidance on lithium ion batteries …
Why are Lithium Batteries classified as DG?
Lithium batteries are considered as hazardous goods due to the fact that they can overheat and ignite under certain conditions.Following several serious (fire) incidents during transport, the regulations for this product type were adjusted and the more stringent regulatory requirements were introduced in 2009.
Classification/Identification
All shipments containing Lithium Batteries are subject to dangerous goods regulations for air, road and sea transport.All lithium batteries are Class 9, Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
Lithium Ion Batteries are classified as follows:
Class UN Number Proper Shipping Name Comments
9 UN3480 Lithium ion batteries Batteries (that are not packed with or installed in equipment)e.g. loose mobile phone batteries/laptop batteries/ power tool batteries
9 UN3481 Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment Batteries packed together with equipment but not attached to the devicee.g. mobile phone + loose (spare) unattached battery, power tool with loose (spare) battery)
9 UN3481 Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment Batteries contained in equipment, i.e. installed/integrated in the devicee.g. MP3 player with integrated battery/ Mobile phone with integrated battery/laptop with integrated batter/power tool with integrated battery
Diesel Dave is your man for proper advice, but yI think these are classed as Packing Group III, which means that as long as there’s under 1 000 kg of them in total, you can transport them with no ADR ticket and no orange plates.
Rhythm Thief:
I think these are classed as Packing Group III, which means that as long as there’s under 1 000 kg of them in total, you can transport them with no ADR ticket and no orange plates.
I think they’re actually Packing Group II and are therefore limited to 333kg - over which they would be “in scope” of ADR regs.
Seeing as how there’s only 14 of them I doubt very much if they would even come close to totalling over 333kg and therefore be anywhere near being “in scope”.
If they’re PGII than yes, 333kg would be the limit, as you say. I couldn’t find any definite info about the packing group.
I think - by which I mean I was told on my DCPC course on Saturday - that if you’re carring ADR freight which is out of scope, you need to carry a 2kg fire extinguisher in the cab. I don’t know if that’s true, though … can anyone confirm or deny it? Whatever the legalities, it strikes me as a sensible thing to have on board anyway.
Hi Rhythm, I found the following:-
ADR/RID
Class 9 Packing group II, tunnel category E ADR/RID-Labels 9
Proper shipping name Lithium-Ion batteries, UN 3480
ADR Special Provisions 188, 230,310, 636 will apply and Packing Instruction P903, P903a and P903b.
Source:-
rechargebatteries.org/knowle … transport/
As far as the 2kg extinguisher goes. I am in the middle of the ADR course just now and we covered fire extinguishers today and the only mention of the in cab 2kg extinguisher being necessary was when load was “in scope” of ADR regs. However, like yourself, I would suggest that it’s a sensible piece of kit to have on board regardless.
kevinm1984:
Anyone carried these? Can you just carry them? Ive got a crate on for a wind farm described as turbine spares for refurbs but deep down in the packaging list is 14 lithium ion batteries
Hi kevinm1984,
I’ve read the advice from TNT posted by Rhythm Thief above, but the rules for the carriage of lithium ion batteries are far more complex than the way that TNT have written them, although what they’ve said isn’t actually wrong.
This is what your asking about:
UN 3480 LITHIUM ION BATTERIES, 9, PGII (E)
ADR Transport Category 2.
The rules for carrying these are very complex and convoluted and no less than six Special Provisions are in force.
Sometimes due to the Watt-hour rating being less than 100Wh and adhering to a long list of extra conditions, which aren’t checkable by a driver, the batteries are not subject to ADR.
Sometimes in other cases, there is a ‘freebie’ limit of 333Kg, which can keep you from the full weight of ADR compliance.
My best advice to you is to take the sender’s (consignor) word for it, because they know which type/size/weight of lithium ion batteries they’re sending and the method of packaging that they’ve used. As best practice, ask the sender (via your boss, cos it’s his vehicle after all…) then if they say that their consignment isn’t subject to ADR, then ask them to write that on the paperwork for you.
It would say something like “ADR Special Provision 188 applies, carriage not subject to ADR.”
ADR makes the consignor responsible for this initial info and both you and your boss are allowed to rely on the info provided by the consignor, because ADR says so. 
If the job is pukka, they won’t mind writing on the paperwork for you and signing it. 
From what you’ve written, I’m not feeling a cause for concern.
sonofjamie:
As far as the 2kg extinguisher goes. I am in the middle of the ADR course just now and we covered fire extinguishers today and the only mention of the in cab 2kg extinguisher being necessary was when load was “in scope” of ADR regs. However, like yourself, I would suggest that it’s a sensible piece of kit to have on board regardless.
Hi sonofjamie,
I can tell you that if a vehicle load doesn’t exceed the relevant ADR Transport Category load limit, then an ADR compliant 2Kg dry powder fire extinguisher is a mandatory requirement. (ADR 1.1.3.6.2 and 8.1.4.2)
This should have been made clear, but I can’t comment on whether it was. 
Rhythm Thief:
If they’re PGII than yes, 333kg would be the limit, as you say. I couldn’t find any definite info about the packing group.
I think - by which I mean I was told on my DCPC course on Saturday - that if you’re carring ADR freight which is out of scope, you need to carry a 2kg fire extinguisher in the cab. I don’t know if that’s true, though … can anyone confirm or deny it? Whatever the legalities, it strikes me as a sensible thing to have on board anyway.
Hi Rhythm Thief,
I’m in agreement with your DCPC trainer, he’s spot-on the money with that!!
I’ve put the legal stuff in my answer to sonofjamie just above.
DCPC trainer in “correct information” shock. 
DD, how do you go about becoming an ADR trainer? I’d be interested in doing something like that.
dieseldave:
sonofjamie:
As far as the 2kg extinguisher goes. I am in the middle of the ADR course just now and we covered fire extinguishers today and the only mention of the in cab 2kg extinguisher being necessary was when load was “in scope” of ADR regs. However, like yourself, I would suggest that it’s a sensible piece of kit to have on board regardless.Hi sonofjamie,
I can tell you that if a vehicle load doesn’t exceed the relevant ADR Transport Category load limit, then an ADR compliant 2Kg dry powder fire extinguisher is a mandatory requirement. (ADR 1.1.3.6.2 and 8.1.4.2)
This should have been made clear, but I can’t comment on whether it was.
Hi Diesel, Cheers for that.
The trainer seems to know his stuff, so I wouldn’t say that he said anything wrong, I just think I never took in every last detail of what was being said today (lots to take in!!!). I have still to go back over the stuff in time for the exam on Friday, so I may find it somewhere in the handouts/booklets that he gave us.
Thanks folks the ion batteries only weighed in at 220kg so were ok to go i just couldnt find quick enough the relevent information, i knew i could carry a certain amount but didnt know what it was. The only information i got from our quality planner was its some parts for a new wind turbine. And when i informed him there was lithium batteries amongst the load he couldnt tell me either even though he sits in front of a computer anyway its all good now thanks