TIMBER PRODUCTS HT News Volume: 12/30/2014

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Export Certification Specialist

Obliteration Update

At their board meeting in November, the American Lumber Standard Committee voted to allow for a tolerance of un-obliterated marks on repaired WPM.  The amendment to the regulations will state "5.6.10.1 Any representative sample subject to obliteration found to contain over 5% quality marks not obliterated shall be corrected."  Going forward, if ready-to-ship WPM is reviewed and found to have un-obliterated marks at or below the 5% tolerance, this will be considered a minor issue by ALSC with no action required.  However, ALSC has also qualified this section by stating "A minor issue occurring on multiple agency inspections point to a facility where an increased visit would be expected.  Similarly, a single inspection where minor excess findings occur in multiple items would also result in a need for increased visits."  This is telling us that multiple occurrences of the same minor issue that are found either during a single visit or on multiple inspections will still qualify as a non-conformance and a 5.3.3.1 will occur if this happens.  Continue to aim for total obliteration of all old IPPC marks and the tolerance should give the needed breathing room for the rarely missed mark.  

New Section in Regulations for Dunnage

The American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) has created a new section in their regulations related to dunnage.  This section will state as follows:

1.5.1 Dunnage, as defined by ISPM 15 is wood packaging material used to secure or support a commodity but which does not remain associated with the commodity.  As dunnage is a wood packaging product available as an individual piece of lumber it is a product with special considerations.  Those considerations are:

1. Dunnage is not intended for use in the construction of wood packaging material pallets, crates, boxes, etc.
2. The seller shall inform its customers of the requirements of its use.
3. When improper use of dunnage is encountered, the agency shall take corrective action with the producer and, if necessary, the customer or owner.  If for any reason the improper use is not corrected, the agency under whose supervision the dunnage ws produced shall, at a minimum, notify the producer and the customer or owner of their responsibilities should any damages and liability arise from the improper use of dunnage.

What is important to take away from this is that it is the facility's responsibility to advise their customers of the proper use of dunnage material.  It cannot be used to build multi-component WPM.  It is meant to be used only as an individual piece of wood for blocking, bracing or support.  There could be liability issues related to the improper use of IPPC dunnage marked material internationally and a facility's customers should be made aware of this when they purchase this material from you.  Please let your inspector know ifyou have any questions related to the proper use of IPPC dunnage marked WPM.