The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a safety advisory warning of the hazards of using battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, e-hookahs, personal vaporizers and other electronic nicotine delivery systems) in and around commercial motor vehicles.

The agency said the use of such devices has resulted in incidents that include explosions, serious personal injuries, and fires.

“The explosions regularly involved the ejection of a burning battery case or other components from the device which subsequently ignited nearby flammable or combustible materials,” FMCSA noted.

While Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations do not specifically address the potential safety risks posed by the portable electronic devices, the agency advised that “motor carriers and drivers should be cognizant of the risks associated with these devices and exercise good judgment and appropriate discretion in their possession, storage, and charging or use on, around, or while operating a CMV, and adhere to the smoking prohibitions on, near, or when loading and unloading a motor vehicle transporting hazardous materials in accordance with 49 CFR 177.834(c) and 397.13.”