EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021

Safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries during transport

Sicherheit von primären und sekundären Lithiumzellen und -batterien beim Transport

Sécurité des piles et des accumulateurs au lithium pendant le transport

Varnost primarnih in sekundarnih litijevih členov in baterij med transportom - Dopolnilo A1 (IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 18-Mar-2021
• ICS: 29.220.10 - Primary cells and batteries
• Technical Committee: CLC/SR 35 - Primary batteries
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 35 - IEC_TC_35
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 19-Mar-2021
• Completion Date: 19-Mar-2021
• Ref Project: SIST EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 - Safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries during transport (IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021)

Relations

• Amends: EN IEC 62281:2019 - Safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries during transport
• Effective Date: 03-Sep-2019

Overview

EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 is a crucial European standard that focuses on the safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries during transport. This amendment (A1) to the base standard EN IEC 62281:2019 was officially approved by CENELEC in March 2021. Its primary objective is to update and enhance safety provisions to prevent risks such as fires, leaks, or explosions associated with the transportation of lithium batteries, which are widely used in various electronic devices and industrial applications.

Developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 35 and its subcommittee on secondary cells and batteries, this standard harmonizes European safety requirements with international benchmarks like the United Nations Model Regulations. It serves as a mandatory reference for manufacturers, transporters, and safety regulators.

Key facts:

• Publication date: March 2021 (Amendment A1)
• Official compliance deadline: December 15, 2021
• Conflict withdrawal deadline: March 15, 2024
• Applicable to both primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (rechargeable) lithium cells and batteries
• Adopted by all CENELEC members across Europe

Key Topics

Transport Safety Requirements

The standard outlines safety measures essential for the secure packaging, labeling, handling, and transport of lithium cells and batteries. It specifically addresses:

• Prevention of short circuits and thermal runaway during transport
• Proper mass and model number identification in test reports for traceability
• Guidelines to evaluate battery types and models uniformly across different manufactured ranges

Testing and Certification

EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 requires comprehensive testing aligned with internationally recognized test procedures:

• Inclusion of test report summaries specifying mass of the cell or battery and model numbers, essential for regulatory compliance and quality assurance
• Reference to the United Nations Manual of Tests and Criteria, Section 38.3 for lithium batteries to ensure compatibility with global shipping standards
• Updates to testing protocols to reflect new risks and mitigate evolving safety challenges in lithium battery technology

Regulatory Harmonization

The amendment helps align European regulations with the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations, twenty-first revised edition (2019), facilitating smoother international trade and consistent enforcement.

Applications

This standard is highly significant for multiple stakeholders involved in the lithium battery supply chain:

• Manufacturers - To certify cells and battery packs meet safety criteria before shipping
• Logistics providers - To handle lithium batteries safely during transit by air, sea, rail, or road
• Regulatory bodies - For national implementation and enforcement of transport safety rules
• Electronics and automotive industries - To ensure components and battery modules used in products are compliant with transport safety norms
• Emergency responders and safety auditors - To assess hazards and risks related to lithium battery shipments

Adhering to EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 reduces incidents related to lithium battery transportation and supports sustainable practices by promoting safer packaging and handling methodologies.

Related Standards

To ensure comprehensive safety and compliance, EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 should be considered alongside these related standards and documents:

• IEC 62133 - Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary cells, and for batteries made from them, for use in portable applications
• UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Section 38.3 - International tests for lithium batteries covering transportation safety
• UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations - Global framework for shipping hazardous materials including lithium batteries
• ISO 9001 - Quality management standards relevant for manufacturing consistency
• EN 62368-1 - Safety requirements for audio/video, information, and communication technology equipment that may include lithium batteries

Ensuring compliance with EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 strengthens product safety throughout Europe and supports international trade through standardized risk management during transport.

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Keywords: lithium battery transport safety, EN IEC 62281 amendment, lithium cells transport standards, lithium battery testing, hazardous materials shipping, lithium battery packaging, CENELEC lithium battery guidelines, IEC lithium battery safety, lithium battery transport regulations Europe

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2021
Varnost primarnih in sekundarnih litijevih členov in baterij med transportom -
Dopolnilo A1 (IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021)
Safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries during transport (IEC
62281:2019/A1:2021)
Sicherheit von Primär- und Sekundär-Lithiumbatterien beim Transport (IEC
62281:2019/A1:2021)
Sécurité des piles et des accumulateurs au lithium pendant le transpor (IEC
62281:2019/A1:2021)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021
ICS:
29.220.10 Primarni členi in baterije Primary cells and batteries
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 62281:2019/A1

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2021
ICS 29.220.10
English Version
Safety of primary and secondary lithium cells and batteries
during transport
(IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021)
Sécurité des piles et des accumulateurs au lithium pendant Sicherheit von Primär- und Sekundär-Lithiumbatterien beim
le transport Transport
(IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021) (IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021)
This amendment A1 modifies the European Standard EN IEC 62281:2019; it was approved by CENELEC on 2021-03-15. CENELEC
members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this amendment the
status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This amendment exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the
responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as
the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 62281:2019/A1:2021 E

European foreword
The text of document 35/1459/FDIS, future IEC 62281/A1, prepared by IEC/TC 35 "Primary cells and
batteries" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2021-12-15
level by publication
...