Shortcomings in design and certification ultimately led to the fire in a lithium-ion battery installed on a Boeing 787 jetliner that had just completed an intercontinental flight to Boston, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined in its final report on the incident, which has been released.
The investigation by the NTSB begs a bigger question, one that the Federal Aviation Administration has noted: large quantities of lithium-ion batteries – the ones found in laptops, tablets and cell phones – are shipped by air by manufacturers. A cell phone video of a laptop charging at LAX airport shows what happens when lithium-ion batteries overheat.
Read more on lithium-ion batteries on EHS Today.
EHS Today is an NED companion site within Penton's Manufacturing & Supply Chain Group.