TIMBER PRODUCTS April 2023 HT Newsletter Volume: 04/14/2023

How to Manage an ALSC Visit

The American Lumber Standard Committee, Inc. (ALSC) is commissioned by the USDA to be the oversight authority for the ISPM 15 program in the United States. ALSC accredits agencies like Timber Products Inspection (TP) to perform the field monitoring at facilities and ALSC employs its own staff of Inspectors for monitoring agencies to ensure they are properly enforcing the regulations at operations under their care. In other words, when ALSC performs an inspection at a facility they are checking to see that the agency is properly monitoring them. For this reason, they should be given the same access to facility records and operations that an agency is given. 

When ALSC visits a TP monitored facility, onsite personnel (the QC person and their backup) need to realize the ALSC inspector's needs will be the same as TP's and they should be given access to the facility's QC procedures (also known as the "Process"), shipping and receiving records and heat chamber reports; if applicable. Paperwork must be kept for at least two years and ALSC can review all records for this specified time frame.  

Just like TP, they will also review a facility's operations looking at:

• Received HT lumber for proper marking and segregation from non-HT material.
• Heat chambers to verify they are being properly operated.
• IPPC and HT facility marked material for conformance (bark, obliteration on repairs, mark legibility, etc.).
• Proper segregation of HT & non-HT finished goods.
• All mark inventories.

The above is a general list and, depending on the facility's situation, there may be additional areas of review.  It is always a good idea for program knowledgeable facility personnel to accompany ALSC on their inspection, so they can witness the audit and ask questions while the inspection is in process. If ALSC does not observe any non-conforming issues, they will complete their report and leave. If there is an issue, they will document the non-conformance and request any related material be either quarantined or held. ALSC will then notify TP of their findings, so we can follow up with the facility on the issue. Facilities found non-conforming are placed on an ALSC "Recall List" and another visit will be scheduled by ALSC to ensure the non-conforming issue has been corrected and the related processes modified to prevent future issues.  

If a non-conformance directly related to WPM product is documented by ALSC and a facility disagrees with the finding, it is the facility's right to respectfully dispute the call. The non-conforming WPM in question should then be uniquely marked with ALSC present, segregated, and TP notified, so we can review the material with the facility and advise ALSC of our findings.

If you were not able to accompany the ALSC inspector on his inspection of your facility, it is essential to be specific in your questioning about the audit once it is completed. You will need to ask first, if the audit was conforming and if it was non-conforming, then inquire as to what were the non-conforming issues. Asking in this way will provide you the information needed to properly understand the results of the ALSC inspection.

TP has a strong working relationship with ALSC management and their inspectors; however, it is best to get clarifications and answers to your ISPM 15 questions from your TP inspector or our office. If an ALSC inspector is asked a question, he will typically refer you to TP for more information. TP is always happy to address any questions a facility has regarding the ISPM 15 program. Please offer ALSC inspectors every professional courtesy possible when they visit your facility.