New regs for Monday: Prison, trains, lambs

Monday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for prison guards responding to fights, safety requirements for trains and livestock reporting requirements.

Here’s what is happening:

Prison: The Bureau of Prisons is proposing to allow guards to use “chemical agents” when responding to fights.

Prison guards would be authorized to use less-than-lethal force, which includes chemical agents, when they believe their safety or the safety of another inmate is threatened.

The public has 60 days to comment.

Trains: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is delaying new safety requirements for trains.

The FRA will give trains more time to implement positive train control systems, which can be used to automatically stop trains and prevent collisions.

The positive train control systems were supposed to be implemented by the end of 2015, but the Federal Railroad Administration is delaying the safety requirements because of a congressional mandate.

Trains will now have until the end of 2018 or later to comply with the safety procedures.

Lambs: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving forward with new livestock reporting requirements for lambs.

The lamb reporting requirements were originally issued in 2001, but are facing changes. The new rules modify the job description of packers and importers.

The changes go into effect in 90 days.