Course aims & objectives
This Lithium Battery Safety Awareness course provides a clear, practical introduction to the risks associated with lithium batteries and their safe handling within the aviation environment.
Designed for employees at all levels who may encounter lithium batteries as part of their work, the course explains what lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries are, where they may be encountered, and why they present a particular safety concern when transported by air. While lithium batteries are generally safe when properly manufactured, handled and transported, damage, defects, improper handling or abuse can cause a battery to enter thermal runaway, potentially resulting in intense heat, smoke, fire and vapour.
Learners will explore common products containing lithium batteries, the reasons they are classified as dangerous goods for transport, and how batteries may become damaged during warehouse and operational activities. The course also covers the warning signs of a damaged or failing battery and the actions employees should take if a battery is suspected to be unsafe.
The course reinforces the importance of stopping work when appropriate, keeping people safe, notifying the correct person, and following relevant internal procedures. Learners will also understand why lithium batteries must never be concealed, misdeclared or incorrectly declared, and why accurate declaration and reporting are particularly important within the aviation environment.
This is an awareness course and does not provide function-specific dangerous-goods training. Completion does not qualify an employee to classify, pack, mark, label, accept or otherwise prepare dangerous-goods consignments for transport. Employees performing functions that require specific dangerous-goods competency must receive the appropriate training for their role and follow their organisation's procedures.
By building awareness of lithium battery hazards and appropriate responses, this training helps employees recognise potential risks, act safely when a battery is suspected to be damaged or failing, and understand their role in preventing avoidable incidents.
Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Explain what lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries are and identify common products that contain them
- Understand why lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods for transport and why they present particular risks in aviation
- Explain what thermal runaway is and recognise the potential dangers of heat, smoke, fire and vapour
- Identify signs that a lithium battery may be damaged, defective or failing
- Recognise how lithium batteries can become damaged during warehouse and operational activities
- Describe what to do when a lithium battery is suspected to be damaged or unsafe, including when to stop work and who to notify
- Understand why lithium batteries must not be concealed, misdeclared or incorrectly declared
- Recognise the importance of accurate declaration and reporting when dealing with lithium batteries
- Understand the limits of general awareness training and the need for function-specific dangerous-goods training where required
