Our Mission Statement
As a responsible partner TP delivers to clients, employees and the industries we serve the confidence to drive value through the effective use of our diverse professional team.
TIMBER PRODUCTS May 2021 HT Newsletter Volume: 05/12/2021
Online Newsletter
Matt McGowan - WPM Program Manager
mmcgowan@tpinspection.com
mmcgowan@tpinspection.com
Office: 770.785.4769
Mobile: 678.480.2451
Mobile: 678.480.2451
For more information on the IPPC program
Please contact:
Matt McGowan
WPM Program Manager
Peachtree City GA
Office 770.785.4769
Mobile 678.480.2451
The unauthorized and/or fraudulent use of the TP IPPC mark is illegal and a situation we take seriously. Anyone with information regarding the misuse of IPPC marks should contact TP's WPM Manager immediately. Thank you for helping to protect the integrity of the ISPM 15 program which is vital to our business and economy.
Wisdom from Our Founding Fathers:
James Madison
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
“Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression. In our Governments, the real power lies in the majority of the Community, and the invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from the acts of Government contrary to the sense of its constituents, but from acts in which the Government is the mere instrument of the major number of the constituents.”
“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”
“Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties or his possessions.”
"The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the State governments, in times of peace and security.”
"The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse."
Will Rogers
Inspector Assistance Appreciated
This is a reminder that TP Inspectors visit multiple locations each day and it is greatly appreciated when they receive assistance to complete their audits. This includes:
- Having records that are accessible (QC procedures, received & shipped logs, HT reports, etc.)
- Forklift assistance to break down stacks of WPM to a manageable height for review.
- Access to all areas of the operation related to the IPPC program.
- Access to all IPPC program related inventory.
- Assistance in flipping pallets to prevent injury.
- Access to all marks to check inventory and condition.
- Access to interior of heat chamber to review probe condition and possibly placement in WPM.
We understand that this can be challenging since inspections are unannounced and can occur during a hectic period of the day, but the more cooperation Inspectors receive during an audit, the quicker they can finish their work so the facility can get back to business as usual. Having representation with the Inspector also gives the facility an opportunity to ask questions if an issue is observed or if there is confusion about a specific area of the IPPC program. Your cooperation during our inspections is always appreciated.
What Happens When ALSC Visits
The American Lumber Standard Committee, Inc. (ALSC) is empowered 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 to monitor agencies to ensure they are enforcing the regulations at operations under their care. In other words, when ALSC performs an inspection at your facility they are checking to see that TP is properly monitoring the facility. For this reason, they should be given the same access to your facility records and operations that we are given.
When ALSC visits a facility, onsite personnel (the QC person and their backup) should understand their needs will be the same as TP's and they should be given access to your QC procedures (also known as your "Process"), shipping and receiving records and heat chamber records; if applicable. Just like TP, they will also review your operations looking at:
- Received HT lumber for proper marking and segregation from non-HT material.
- Heat chambers for proper implementation.
- Bark compliance on IPPC marked material.
- IPPC and HT facility marked material for conformance (obliteration on repairs, mark legibility, etc.).
- Proper segregation of HT & non-HT finished goods.
- All mark inventories.
The above is a very general list and, depending on your situation, there may be additional areas of review. 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 a "Recall List" and another visit will be scheduled by ALSC to ensure the non-conforming issue has been corrected and the related process modified to prevent future issues.
If a non-conformance is directly related to WPM product and a facility disagrees with the ALSC finding, it is the facility's right to respectfully disagree. 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.
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 most likely 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.