New regs for Wednesday: Garage doors, coal mines, prison sentencing

Wednesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new safety standards for garage doors, protections for underground coal miners and prison sentencing reforms.

Here’s what is happening:

Garage: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is proposing new safety standards for garage doors.

The entrapment protection requirements would apply to automatic residential garage door operators. The rules are intended to protect consumers, and particularly children, from getting stuck in partially open garage doors.

The public has 75 days to comment.

Fruits and vegetables: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing new standards for fresh fruits and vegetables.

The new standards from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service would apply to dozens of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, spinach, mushrooms, cucumbers, celery, cabbage and garlic.

The public has 60 days to comment.

Prison: The United States Parole Commission is moving forward with new parole rules.

The new parole rules comes as part of an effort by the Obama administration to reform prison sentencing. They will allow criminals who violate the terms of their parolee to apply for a reduced sentence.

The changes go into effect immediately.

Coal mines: The Mine Safety and Health Administration is proposing new protections for underground coal miners. 

These underground coal mines would be equipped with proximity detection systems to help identify safety issues.

“Miners working near these machines face pinning, crushing, and striking hazards that result in accidents involving life threatening injuries and death,” the agency wrote.

The public has 90 days to comment.