Top Ten Facts about Lithium Battery Test Summary Regulations

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September 28, 2020

10. Test summary (TS) regulations apply to manufacturers and subsequent distributors of lithium batteries. If your company is distributing lithium ion batteries, or products containing them, for any purpose, this may mean you. Read on to learn more!

9. A TS is a standardized document outlining the series of design tests required to ensure the safety of lithium batteries. These tests are extensive, but this simplified document helps to make the information more available throughout the supply chain.

8. Requirements for a TS document are detailed in the United Nation’s Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III Subsection 38.3 Paragraph 38.3.5.

7. A TS document contains a unique test summary identification number and information on the lab where the test occurred. It also requires a signature.

6. TS documents are NOT necessary for transport! This means they do not need to be provided with shipping documents, but they need to be made “available upon request.”

5. The compliance date for the EU began January 1, 2020. However, in the US, the final rule acknowledged that additional time would be required for fully functional systems and processes to be in place. PHMSA’s final rule was published with a compliance date of January 1, 2022. 

4. Test summaries can be made available electronically through means such as a public website and or a third party.

3. While the UN is requiring test summaries for batteries manufactured from 2003 on, a recent PHMSA ruling is only requiring the documents be provided for 2008 on. Check out CHEMTREC’s blog on the PHMSA ruling here. 

2.  If you manufacture a product that contains a battery you will need to make available the associated test summary information from each brand of battery you may use. This can be quite the undertaking!

1. CHEMTREC has a solution. It’s simple, comprehensive, and customizable. It’s CRITERION.

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