WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $120,000 civil penalty against Braille Battery, Inc., of Sarasota, Fla., for alleged hazardous materials violations.  

In October and November 2019, Braille Battery offered two shipments of lithium-ion batteries to FedEx for transportation by air. The FAA alleges the batteries did not meet safety criteria for transportation, and therefore were prohibited from being shipped. The FAA further alleges it informed Braille about this prohibition in September 2019. 

Additionally, the FAA in 2016 issued Braille an Emergency Restriction/Prohibition Order that barred Braille from shipping prohibited batteries for air transportation that did not meet safety criteria. In 2018, the FAA collected a $235,000 civil penalty against Braille for similar violations. This order was later lifted.  

Braille Battery has 30 days to respond to the FAA after receiving the agency’s enforcement letter.