PLC Member Weekly Update July 28, 2023
In this Issue
Log A Load Golf Tournament South – Register and Sponsor Now! Only four team spots remain!
The Logger’s Voice Summer 2023 – Now Available!
Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program – Seeking intructors
Skowhegan River Fest – Loggers invited!
Rottne Maine In-Woods Demo Days August 3rd – 4th – PLC Members Invited!
HAIX Work Boot Giveaway – Enter now!
ALC Annual Meeting Oct. 3-6 – Book Rooms Now!
Cost Calculators – Members Only
PLC Store – Many items for sale
Safety Resources – Safety Packs!
Trucking – Latest news
Classified listings – Check them out!
Member Discounts – Many to choose from
Logging News – Latest headlines
Southern Maine Log A Load Golf Tournament 2023
Register and Sponsor Now!
The PLC’s 2023 Log A Load for Maine Kids Southern Maine Golf Tournament is just five weeks away and it’s time to register and sponsor as spots are filling up fast! Only four team spots remain!
This year, the tournament will be held Aug. 25 in Lovell at Lake Kezar Country Club. Register now to help Maine kids and have a blast doing it. There are also numerous sponsorship opportunities still available! Click the link below to learn more or call Jessica at 207-688-8195! See you at the tournament!
Register or Sponsor Now – Aug. 25, Kezar Lake Country Club, Lovell
If you prefer to register by mail, print and fill out the registration form on the pdf below:
Feller buncher volunteer instructors needed! Short-term commitment!
Good Morning PLC Members,
Just a quick update on the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program (MLOFT) and a call for action to all of you.
As you are likely aware, MLOFT began in Milford, ME at Randall Madden Trucking’s garage on Monday, June 26th with 14 students. The last four weeks have been focused on CDL training with a sprinkling of traditional Donald Burr logging fare. The students have completed classroom work and migrated to the woods on Monday to commence training on harvesting equipment.
Donald reports that they currently have three instructors and possibly another part-time instructor but are still seeking 1-2 more with experience on feller buncher and crane/slasher. Feller buncher instructors are needed the most. With operations commencing in the woods, this void has put Donald between a rock and a hard place with not enough instructors for the number of students in the program. I know, many of you will say, welcome to the club.
To assist with this void, I told Donald that I would reach out to the Members to see if all of you, or some of your best buncher operators, could potentially volunteer to act as a guest feller buncher instructor for 2-5 days over the next 10 weeks. If we can get one of you or one of your employees to volunteer to instruct, we could fill this void very quickly. Donald even has funds to help pay for hotel rooms if that would help defer cost.
If you are willing to help or can volunteer one of your better employees to help Donald for a few days, we could quickly take care of this issue and put together a schedule that works for everyone.
If you can do this, please contact Donald at (207) 356-1541, or email myself (executivedirector@maineloggers.com) or Jess (jessica@maineloggers.com) and let us know if this is possible and how many days you might be able to commit to. We can put together a schedule from there. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Loggers invited to participate in Skowhegan parade Aug. 3!
The Town of Skowhegan is celebrating its bicentennial this year and Main Street Skowhegan is taking a lead in planning events and activities. During the annual River Fest celebrations the town is incorporating the theme “200 Years of Logging” and is inviting the logging community to join events in Skowhegan August 1 – 6, 2023!
The town would especially like to invite PLC Contractors and their families to the “200 Years of Logging” parade on Thursday, August 3rd at 6 p.m. If you’d like to participate in the parade, you can register your float, log truck, equipment, or team at https://docs.google.com/forms/
Rottne Maine In-Woods Demo Days August 3rd – 4th Contractors invited!
Hello Professional Logging Contractors of Maine,
Heavy Machines and Rottne Industries’ US distributor (LVF Machines) are hosting a Maine in-woods demo of the Rottne H21D harvester and F18D forwarder.
PLC Member and Master Logger Allen Chartier recently purchased the first H21D in Maine and the first F18D (20-ton haul) in the United States. Rottne is expanding its factory production in Sweden and is motivated to get more high caliber US loggers like Allen’s crew in the seat of blue machines.
The Maine in-woods demo dates are Thursday and Friday August 3rd and 4th at a jobsite location to be determined in the greater Skowhegan area.
Check out the attached flyer and please join us for this event. RSVP form is here: https://forms.office.com/r/V8739azLQs
We all know this is not the best time in the wood markets but maybe that makes it a good time to kick tires for when things turn up.
Hope to see you there —
Jared Clawson / Heavy Machines
(207) 431 – 4905, jclawsome@heavymachinesinc.com
Rikard Olofsson / Rottne USA
(412) 289 – 5088, rolofsson@longviewforest.com
Paul Lang / Rottne USA
(802) 487 – 6289, plang@longviewforest.com
ALC Annual Meeting 2023 in Maine!
Reserve Rooms Now!
Save the Date for the 2023 American Loggers Council Conference and Membership Meeting at the Sunday River Resort in Newry, Maine October 4-6!
American Loggers Council President and long-time PLC Board Member Andy Irish and his wife Kathy look forward to hosting timber industry representatives for the peak “Leaf Peeping” season. More details will be coming soon!
For guests who would like to reserve a room online CLICK HERE
For guests who would like to call to book their reservation lease call 800-207-2365 and refer to Group Code 86B5IN
PLC Members Only!
Equipment Cost Calculators Available
Members,
With expenses rising rapidly in the industry we know you are struggling to get a handle on your costs. This is a great time to utilize the cost calculators created in 2021 for PLC Members.
These new, easy to use, logging equipment and log trucking cost calculators are available on the PLC Members Only section of our web site You may access this private section of the web site with your member login or set up a login HERE.
These calculators allow you to quickly estimate the hourly cost of operation for any piece of your equipment.
DISCLAIMER: These calculators are being made available for your business use as a member benefit. They produce equipment estimates and are not official products of the PLC nor should they be used for negotiation purposes.
PLC Online Store
Looking for great PLC items and apparel? Gifts? First Aid packs, safety items and more? You will find them at the new PLC Online Store on our web site. Ordering is easy.
CHECK IT OUT HERE
Safety Resources
New Small PLC Operator/Driver First Aid Pack!
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PLC Crew First Aid Backpack
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PLC Safety Posters! Are yours up yet?
Posters don’t work until they’re up on a wall, like these at Pope Woods Forestry or the one below at Elliot Jordan and Son! Send pictures of yours to office@maineloggers.com
Members, last winter the PLC developed a series of safety information posters on a range of topics designed specifically for our membership, focused on logging and trucking. These posters were distributed to PLC Members who attended one of our Spring Logger and Fleet Safety Trainings. Thank you to those Members who have already posted them, and if you have not, this is a reminder to please do so.
For Members who were not able to attend a training, the PLC is mailing posters to your companies. If you do not receive them please reach out to Vanessa at office@maineloggers.com and we will send some out to you.
Please put them up at your shop or on the jobsite when you receive them and send along a photo to show us!
Finally, special thanks to PLC Preferred Supporting Members Chalmers Insurance and Whited Peterbilt for sponsoring these posters!
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CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogens certification: Did you know your employees are required to have this training every two years? If your employees need this training in 2023, contact Jessica at Jessica@maineloggers.com or 207-688-8195 and the PLC will schedule training in your area. THIS TRAINING IS FREE TO MEMBERS!
Dear Employer,
Workplace safety requirements can seem complex – join the Maine Department of Labor for no-cost upcoming safety trainings!
Upcoming classes:
- Hazard Communication, Global Harmonization and Chemical Substitution: August 7, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Sanford Adult Education, 668 Main St, Sanford
- Hazard Communication (HazCom) is one of the top-three most frequently cited OSHA standards. It was updated in 2012 to reflect the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Employers must train employees on GHS and on any new hazards identified based on manufacturer’s reevaluation of existing chemicals. Half of this class covers HazCom/GHS and the other half focuses on eliminating and/or substituting chemicals in the workplace. Eliminating a hazardous chemical or substituting it with something less hazardous not only reduces employee health and safety risks but can improve your company’s bottom line.
- Vehicle Ergonomics: August 8, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- Program participants will have an improved understanding of the importance of proper driving posture, varying work activities, stretching and activity breaks, limiting exposures, and how to make regular corrective adjustments to driving positions. Participants will also explore wellness and self-care strategies to reduce stress and back/neck pain and to improve energy levels.
- New safeTALK: August 9, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- LivingWorks safeTALK is a 4-hour training that equips people to be more alert to persons thinking of suicide and better able to connect them with further help.
- How to Conduct a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Assessment: August 10, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Brewer Community Center
- This half-day course is designed to assist you in developing a PPE assessment 1910.132(d). Employers must conduct a hazard assessment prior to requiring employees to use PPE. The assessment provides information needed to select the appropriate PPE for the hazards at the workplace. Learn how to conduct a hazard assessment in this hands-on class.
- Fire Service Respiratory Protection: August 21, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- This half-day class will cover the OSHA respiratory protection standard, state statutes, and agency rules relating to the fire service’s use of SCBAs. Other topics include written programs, medical clearances, fit testing, facial hair, two-in and two-out, annual training requirements, flow and hydrostatic testing requirements, weekly/monthly checks, the OSHA and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) rules for breathing air compressors, licensing, maintenance and recordkeeping.
- Improving Your Safety Training Program: August 22, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- An effective safety training program will lead to positive effects on safety knowledge and the adoption of safe work practices and behaviors. This one-day training assists safety professionals and safety committees learn how to analyze their audience, update on new training techniques, and develop top notch training programs.
- Public Sector Compliance: August 23, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m., Virtual
- This assistance program is for state, county, municipal, and quasi-municipal employers, managers, and employees. The program is an overview of public-sector employer responsibilities including injury/fatality reporting, written programs, training, equipment/facility inspections, and recordkeeping.
- Impairment Detection Training for Employers: August 24, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. at the Portland CareerCenter, 151 Jetport Blvd, Portland
- This one-day training session is designed to help owners, managers, and supervisors recognize and respond appropriately to employee-impairment in the workplace in order to reduce worker accidents and injuries. Participants will be taught procedures to detect impairment regardless of the substance or cause. This class is designed to fulfill the federal DOT requirements for reasonable suspicion training of supervisors. In addition, participants will learn how to develop and implement policies that address impairment in the workplace and are in compliance with Maine’s Substance Use Testing Law.
- A Practical Approach to Electrical Safety: August 28, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- In this half-day class, you will learn how to protect workers from electrical hazards. NFPA 70E requirements will be discussed in layman’s terms.
- Scaffolding and Fall Protection: August 29, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- This course covers the OSHA requirements for scaffolding and fall protection, including the definition of “competent person.”
- NFPA #1 Fire Code: August 31, 2023 from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., at the SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta
- This one-day course provides overview training to fire fighters and emergency response personnel. This multi-part document has 16 sections to safeguard life and protect property from dangerous conditions caused by fire and explosion. Other fire codes including NFPA 101, 57, 58, 30, 13, 25, and 72 are referred to in this code.
SafetyWorks! is also a host site for the Region 1 OSHA Training Institute Education Center. The next class will be:
- August 18: 205 Chainsaw Safety & Tree Felling
To register go to www.oshaedne.com or call 800-449-6742. Please note, these classes have a registration fee to attend.
Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtml
If you have questions about safety or upcoming classes, reach out to SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE-345 or general.bls-safetyworks@maine.gov.
If you have questions about Wage and Hour compliance, please reach out to the Wage and Hour Division at 207-623-7900 or bls.mdol@maine.gov, or visit www.maine.gov/labor/bls/.
Thank you,
The Maine Department of Labor
Trucking
FMCSA has removed four ELDs from the list of registered Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
Motor carriers and drivers using ALL TRUCKERS ELD, GOLDEN ELD, PRIMELD, and SECURE ELD devices have 60 days to replace the revoked devices with compliant ELDs.
On July 25, 2023, FMCSA removed the four ELDs from the list of registered ELDs due to the companies’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A.
Motor carriers and drivers who use the ELDs must take the following actions:
Discontinue using the revoked ELDs and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data.
Replace the revoked ELDs with compliant ELDs from the Registered Devices list before September 23, 2023.
Motor carriers and drivers who continue to use the revoked ELDs listed above on or after September 23, 2023, will be in violation of 49 CFR 395.8(a)(1)—“No record of duty status” and drivers will be placed out-of-service in accordance with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) OOS Criteria.
If the ELD providers correct all identified deficiencies, FMCSA will place the ELDs back on the Registered Devices list and inform the industry and the field. However, FMCSA strongly encourages motor carriers to take the actions listed above now to avoid compliance issues in the event that these deficiencies are not addressed in time.
Questions?
Contact ELD@dot.gov.
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FMCSA has reinstated GOLDEN ELD to the list of registered Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
As of July 25, 2023, the following device is now listed on the list of registered ELDs. The ELD was previously revoked but has been reinstated.
ELD Name: GOLDEN ELD
ELD Model number: GRS
ELD Identifier: GRS199
ELD Provider: GOLDEN ELD
2020/2023 vs 2017 Federal Custody and Control Form (CCF)
U.S. Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 07/05/2023 01:05 PM EDT
The Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) would like to remind urine specimen collectors and DOT-regulated employers of the following:
- The 2023 Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (CCF) has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with no changes to the current 2020 Federal CCF.
- Because the 2023 Federal CCF is the same as the 2020 Federal CCF, DOT-regulated employers, and their service agents (collectors, laboratories, medical review officers) may continue to use the 2020 Federal CCF.
- As of August 31, 2023, the 2020/2023 Federal CCF must be used for DOT-regulated specimens.
- The 2020/2023 Federal CCF can be viewed here https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/workplace/2020-fed-ccf-proof.pdf
- Regarding the expired 2017 Federal CCF:
- The 2017 Federal CCF may be used without a memorandum for the record (MFR) until August 31, 2023.
- As of August 31,2023, if the 2017 Federal CCF is used, labs must treat the use of the 2017 Federal CCF as a correctable discrepancy. A MFR must be completed per §40.205(b)(2).
- Best practice:
- Collectors should use up their existing supply of 2017 Federal CCFs before August 31, 2023.
Logging News
Maine officially becomes home to North America’s first manufacturer of wood fiber insulation
TimberHP employs 70 people at the Madison plant. Over the next few years, it is expected to grow to as many as 140 employees.
Ted Wright awarded outstanding industry advocate by Northeastern Loggers’ Association
OLD FORGE, NY — The Northeastern Loggers’ Association presented Ted Wright with its Outstanding Industry Advocate Award for 2022 at the organization’s annual Loggers’ Banquet in Brewer, Maine.
Member Discounts
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ALC Member Discounts
PLC Members, because the PLC is a member of the American Loggers Council YOU are entitled to special discounts! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
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Fabian Oil Discount
Wallingford’s Discounts
Maine Trailer Discounts
PLC Members get a 5% discount on culverts purchased at Treeline and Frank Martin & Sons
Hale Trailer discounts for PLC Members on new trailer purchases! Call Neal at 207-232-7969 for details!
Cross Arena Discounts for PLC!
Classifieds
PLC Classified Section
Check out the equipment and job opportunities our members have listed at the LOGGING ZONE! If you have equipment for sale, are looking to buy, are looking for employees, or
Preferred Supporting Members
Enhanced Supporting Members