Ongoing Supervision of Lumber Grading Agencies
CLSAB’s Operations Committee oversees the regular review of the performance of Lumber Grading Agencies. This group is made up of CLSAB Directors and representatives of the Lumber Grading Agencies. It reports to the Board of Directors.
Accredited Grading Agencies must report quarterly to the CLSAB on all grading-related activities, including volume of lumber inspected, grade and moisture results, certificate inspections, and any non-compliances.
In addition, the CLSAB has authority to determine how well an accredited Grading Agency is carrying out its responsibilities, through
- unannounced checks of grade reliability at mill facilities
- unannounced checks of grading at destination sites, and
- review of mill reports or other details at the Agency’s offices (e.g. experience record files for inspectors)
The CLSAB conducts a minimum of two random surveys per year on each of the mills under the supervision of each of its accredited Lumber Grading Agencies. At least 10 per cent of the Agency’s facilities in each size group (small, medium and large) are randomly selected. For small Lumber Grading Agencies (less than one billion FBM of shipments), a minimum of three facilities or 15% of the total number is sampled, without reference to small, medium and large facilities.
In these surveys, CLSAB inspectors examine bundles of graded lumber ready for shipment, which represent a sample of the mills’ current production.
If non-compliance is found, the CLSAB takes appropriate enforcement action against the Agency.