This is a YouTube video titled "Guide to Shipping Lithium Batteries on USPS" created in December 2023. The content is a detailed instructional guide presented by Indy from Kahoot, explaining the regulations and best practices for shipping lithium batteries via USPS. It covers topics such as hazmat declaration, packaging requirements, UN classification codes, labeling, and compliance to ensure safe and legal shipment. The video also promotes Kahoot's shipping software that automates hazmat shipping processes for businesses.
Hi everyone, this is Indy from Kahoot, and today we'll be talking about how to ship batteries in the mail for your business. If you're watching this, you may be wondering, can you even ship batteries in the mail? The answer is yes. Shipping batteries usually entails declaring your shipping hazmat when buying your shipping label, using rigid packaging for the item and applying the right hazard stickers to the package. This way, the package can be transported safely to its final destination. Remaining compliant is important as it disrupts your customer's experience. USPS can open and inspect any hazmat packages suspected to be non compliant. If the item is indeed non compliant, it will either be disposed of or the shipper will need to drive to the inspection site and pick it up. USPS will not be shipping back these non compliant packages to you, so non compliance means customers receive packages late. You lose the money you paid for postage and potentially your item as well. On top of that, there are heavy fines for violating federal hazardous material transportation laws. Now that we know why staying compliant is important, let's talk about the requirements for shipping hazmat. The first thing to identify is what UN code your shipment belongs to. This determines what sticker to use. The UN classification is determined by battery type and how the item is shipped. There are two kinds of batteries, lithium metal and lithium ion. If you are unsure about which one your product uses, check its safety data sheet. How you ship the batteries matters, whether they are installed in the equipment, packed with it in the same box, or shipped loose. There are limitations on how many batteries or weight of lithium can be shipped. There are also restrictions on available shipping services. Feel free to pause or screenshot this video for your reference. Be sure to pack items according to their limitations and follow the services allowed. Remember, when in doubt, check the latest USPS publication 52 on hazardous, restricted and perishable mail. After knowing what UN code to use and how to pack your items, you need to attach the appropriate sticker. Remember, UN stickers require a contact number. Instead of writing these by hand every time, consider ordering stickers pre printed with your contact number to make shipping faster. Before 2023, hazmat shippers needed to add multiple stickers to packages, making warehouse operations complicated. Now, USPS labels already contain relevant hazmat information, so most of the time you'll only need to add the UN sticker before 2023. Once you've prepared all the labels you need, attach them on the address side of your RIDGID packaging. Also, make sure you have plenty of dunnage to prevent your items from moving around. There is one exception. Very small batteries such as button batteries that are installed in equipment do not require shipping in a rigid box. There are many nuances to hazmat shipping regulations. Make sure you take advantage of these exceptions because shipping via bubble mailer may be cheaper than using a box plus dunnage. Okay, so to recap, you can mail items with batteries as long as it meets the requirements 1 declare hazmat information when buying the label. Use rigid packaging and apply a UN sticker 2 your UN sticker may vary depending on battery Type and shipment 3 be sure to comply with mail piece limitations and 4 your UN stickers require a phone number. Lastly, when in doubt, please refer to USPS Publication 52 on hazardous, restricted and Perishable Mail. Buying the Label Staying compliant with hazmat shipping regulations is key to a smooth customer experience. However, the rules are often complicated and difficult to get right the first time. When you ship Hazmat, you might want to use a provider that figures out hazmat shipping for you. Like Kahoot shipping software. Kahoot automatically figures out where you can ship an order at the lowest cost while meeting your customers expectations. It natively supports hazmat shipments and can automate the shipping of hazmat packages. Aside from batteries, Kahoot supports other hazmat items such as flammable liquids or aerosols. With Kahoot, your business is future ready for any changes in inventory or strategy. Head over to Kahoot AI to learn more.
