New regs for Friday: Mattress fires, disability, efficiency

Friday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new regulations to protect against mattress fires while people are sleeping, to promote better access for disabled people and fines for trucking companies that break the rules.

Here’s what is happening:

Mattress fires: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will review its mattress flammability standard.

{mosads}The flammability standard established in 2006 is intended to protect people while they sleep by minimizing the danger if their beds catch on fire. The standard measures the heat release of mattresses.

But the CPSC is considering changes to this policy, the agency said Thursday.

“The mattress standard establishes flammability requirements to reduce deaths and injuries associated with mattress fires by limiting the size of the fire generated by a mattress,” the agency wrote.

The public has 60 days to comment.

Disability: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, better known as the Access Board because it addresses accessibility issues for disabled people, is proposing new information and communication technology standards.

The proposed changes would address telecommunications equipment as well as electronic and information technology.

The agency will hold a public hearing on April 29 to discuss the proposal.

Efficiency: The Department of Energy is withdrawing a proposal to allow manufacturers to build certain electric storage water heaters.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy proposed to exempt manufacturers from certain rules that would have otherwise prohibited them from building these types of water heaters.

But the agency said Thursday it is withdrawing the proposed exemptions, so manufacturers will have to fully comply with the rule.

Renewable fuel standard: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving forward with changes to the cellulosic waiver credit under the renewable fuel standard.

The rule will clarify how the EPA sets the price of the cellulosic waiver credit.

The changes go into effect in 60 days.

Trucks: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is raising the civil penalties it issues to trucking companies that break the rules to match inflation.

“Most of the civil penalties were last adjusted for inflation in 2007, and some have not been changed since 2003,” the agency wrote. 

The changes go into effect in 60 days.