Certified Logging Professional (CLP)
Administered by St. Peter Safety Services
Program Summary
CLP Mission
It is the mission of the CLP program to
provide the best possible training and education to people working in the
Maine logging industry. The program is equally committed to recognizing the
skill and professionalism of those who meet and exceed the CLP standard. The
successful CLP candidate will be prepared to work safely, productively, and in
a manner that protects, enhances and sustains the forest. Our program will
evolve to reflect changes in the forest products industry and will provide a
means for continual professional growth.
CLP History
The CLP program offers professional
training and certification for Maine loggers. The program was founded in 1991
as a combined effort of loggers, landowners, environmental specialists and
safety consultants to establish a standard for professionalism in the Maine
woods. An immediate goal of the program was to combat the high rate of logging
accidents and the resulting Worker's Compensation costs for logging
contractors.
Today, under the sponsorship of the
Maine TREE Foundation, the program takes pride in the fact that the accident
rate for conventional loggers is less than one quarter what it was when the
program began. As a result, conventional certified loggers have earned a
Workers Compensation rate up to 55% less than that of non-CLPs. Equally as
important, our participants have helped CLP meet its overall objective of
cultivating skill, knowledge and pride in the Maine woods.
Required Course Work:
To be certified, candidates must attend
a CLP-sponsored four-day (34 hours total) workshop (outlined below) and then
pass a work-site evaluation. The workshop includes three days of classroom
instruction in first-aid/CPR, forest management and silviculture, safe and
efficient wood harvesting, and business. The final day is devoted to on-site
instruction and hands-on tree felling using the nationally recognized Game of
Logging training system. Times devoted to each topic may vary depending on the
needs of the class.
Day
1 Day 3
Introduction
to CLP & SFI - 2.5
hrs.
Forest Management and Silviculture - 2.5 hrs.
Professional
Code of Ethics - .5
hrs. Forest Ecology and Management Systems
Introduction
to Safe & Efficient Harvesting - 4
hrs. Harvesting Laws
Logging Safety rules, OSHA
regulations Conserving Fish and Wildlife - 1.5 hrs.
Transportation
Safety - .5
hrs. Water Quality and Logging - 1.5 hrs.
Introduction
to The Business of Logging
- Best Management Practices
Worker's Compensation - .5
hrs. Water Quality Laws
Independent Contractor Status .5
hrs. Controlled Yarding - 2.0 hrs.
Understanding Insurance - .5
hrs. Safe Skidding and mechanical harvesting
Marketing and Utilization - .5
hrs. Cutting area Layout exercise
Tracking operating costs - .5
hrs. Hazardous Material Training - 5hrs.
Day
2 Day 4
First Aid
and CPR - 8
hrs. Directional Felling - 6 hrs.
Evacuation
Plan Level I Game of Logging
CPR and rescue
breathing Certification Interview Form Review - 1.5 hrs.
First aid for
loggers Ice Storm Damage Harvesting and Safety - .5 hrs.
Blood borne pathogen program
First aid kit inventory
Test (written or oral)
Certification
To be certified, CLP candidates must
pass an inspection at their work site. Evaluators interview each participant,
observe their work practices, and then determine whether the logger adheres to
the principles presented in class. The evaluators recommend either
certification or non-certification to the CLP Board of Directors, which makes
the final decision. If the initial interview does not result in certification,
candidates are allowed as many follow-ups as necessary to meet CLP standards.
CLP
candidates are offered certification in five separate categories:
Conventional
- skidder and chainsaw operators
Mechanical
- harvesting equipment operators
Contractor/Supervisor-
employers and people who supervise loggers
Associate
- people who have an interest in logging but who do not actively log or
supervise loggers. This group includes foresters, truckers, and others who
have a connection with the logging industry.
Apprentice - graduates of
high school and post secondary wood harvesting programs who qualify for the
apprentice program can earn certification once they have six months paid
experience and pass the field interview.
Re-Certification
A one-day re-certification course and
field inspection is required within a year of the initial instruction and
certification, and every other year thereafter for all categories except
Supervisor/Contractor. Because of their added responsibility for the
performance and safety of others, Supervisor/Contractor CLPs must complete an
additional day of job-site supervisor safety training within their first year.
All CLPs are subject to periodic
inspections and are kept abreast of program updates through newsletters,
mailings, and an annual banquet.
Re-certification Classes
Currently, CLP sponsors
re-certification classes in Game of Logging Levels I-VI, Filing and Reduced
Downtime, and Reducing Residual Stand Damage for Mechanical Operators. CLP
also approves outside workshops for re-certification in topics such as best
management practices, business information, estimating timber stand volume,
and controlled yarding. Candidates for re-certification may submit a request
to the Board for approval of outside training classes they have attended or
wish to attend. Conventional CLP candidates must complete Game of Logging
level I-III before any other training will count toward their
re-certification.
Cost
The fee for the initial course and
certification is $500 per person, and $125 for re-certification.
Training Summary:
|
Participants |
Actual # Completing Entire CLP Program in 2000 |
Actual # Fulfilling re-certification requirements in 2000 |
Estimated # to Complete CLP Training in 2001 |
Total # Trained Since 1991 |
|
Logging Contractors |
63 |
136 |
25 |
417 |
|
Logging Employees |
151 Mechanical
299 Conventional |
250 - Mechanical
625 - Conventional |
50 Mechanical
150 Conventional |
743 - Mechanical
2433 - Conventional |
|
Others |
77 - Associates |
86 - Associates |
25 - Associates |
345 - Associates |
|
TOTALS |
590 |
1097 |
250 |
3938 |
CLP Estimates that a total of 1200
participants will complete CLP re-certification requirements in 2001.
Production Data:
In 2000, CLP graduates produced
approximately 5.2 million cords.
The Future of CLP
3938 loggers have attended
the program in the last ten years and the membership is expected to continue
to grow. CLP has been recognized as one of the top logger training programs in
the country and is committed to continuing this success into the new
millennium.
Numbers Dont Lie
Figures from the Maine Department of Labor show a significant decline in the number of logging-related injuries and illnesses since the CLP program began in 1991. While many factors may have influenced this decline, the CLP program's emphasis on safety, and its requirement that CLPs maintain a high professional standard have played an undeniable role in this success.
Maine
Bureau of Insurance statistics reveal a sharp decrease in Workers
Compensation rates for CLPs
FALL 2005 RE-CERT & CERTIFICATION
TRAINING
Dates To Be Announced
Contact
Person:
Mike St. Peter CLP
Director St. Peter Safety Services
P.O.Box 557 Jackman, Maine
04945 Ph. 207/668-2851 E-mail: clp@moosehead.net
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