PLC Loggers Voice Summer 2018

Volume 12 Issue 3 | Summer 2018
A Quarterly Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine
Member Showcase:
Hanington Bros. Inc. 10

Board of Directors
Cover: Hanington Bros. Inc. harvest, June 18 near Medway,
Maine. Story, p.10.
Jim Nicols, President
Tony Madden, 1 st Vice President
Chuck Ames, 2 nd Vice President
Will Cole, Secretary
Andy Irish, Treasurer
Scott Madden, Past President
Aaron Adams
Kurt Babineau
Donald Cole
A quarterly publication of:
The Professional Logging
Contractors of Maine
William Cole
Tom Cushman
Brent Day
Wes Dube
Steve Hanington
Duane Jordan
Robert Linkletter
Andrew Madden
10
110 Sewall St., P.O. Box 1036
Augusta, ME 04332
Phone: 207.688.8195
www.maineloggers.com
Member Showcase
Hanington Brothers Inc.
Ron Ridley
Wayne Tripp
Gary Voisine
PLC Staff
Executive Director
Dana Doran ▪ executivedirector@maineloggers.com
Membership Services Coordinator
Jessica Clark ▪ jessica@maineloggers.com
Safety and Training Coordinator
Donald Burr ▪ safety@maineloggers.com
The Logger’s Voice
Editor and Designer
Jon Humphrey Communications and Photography
▪ jehumphreycommunications@gmail.com
Advertising
Jessica Clark ▪ jessica@maineloggers.com
Email news, notices, and correspondence
▪ jehumphreycommunications@gmail.com
18
Also Inside
Supporting Member Spotlight
Whited Peterbilt of Maine
4 Calendar
5 Updates
6 President’s Report
7 New Members
8 Executive Director’s Report
14 Trucking
20 Annual Meeting
22 Safety
29 High School Logging Programs
30 ALC Updates
33 National Master Logger
34 Guest article: Logger Training:
What Happens Beyond the
Classroom?
This newsletter is printed on FLO Gloss Digital Text paper
produced in Maine and donated by Sappi North America.

Event
Calendar
HO Bouchard/Comstock, Hampden
TBD, Augusta
PLC Office, Augusta
4 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Updates
Do you have news to
share?
The PLC is always seeking
news from our Members that
showcases our industry’s
professionalism, generosity, and
ingenuity.
Send ideas to
jonathan@maineloggers.com
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
5

Hello everyone,
As I write this the weather is warming up and the ground has been drying out nicely as we’ve
made it through another mud season.
I would like to take time to thank everyone for the great turnout and generosity at this year’s
annual meeting.
Thank you to our sponsors, members, and guests who stepped up once again allowing us to
raise a record $46,311 for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Maine, topping the previous record
of $44,000 set in 2017. Thank you to the gubernatorial candidates who took the time to come to our
meeting and share their positions with our members. Thank you to American Loggers Council
President Mark Turner for making the trip across the country to join us for our meeting and address our
luncheon. Thank you to Eastern Maine Medical Center for hosting us on a tour of the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit which we have supported through the Log A Load for Kids program. Lastly, thank
you to President Scott Madden for his two years of dedicated service.
Our 2018 PLC Safety Trainings and the new Fleet Trainings are now complete and we had a
very good year, with more than 1,000 participants representing more than 130 companies.
I’d also like to welcome Donald Burr as PLC’s Safety and Training Coordinator. Many of you
will recognize Don's name, as he has been a logger for 22 years, working mainly as a feller buncher
operator for Madden Timberlands. Don was also the lead instructor and coordinator for the very
successful Mechanized Logging Operations Program in 2017, a role he will return to this summer in
addition to his new role as our Safety and Training Coordinator. He has been doing a great job for us
and I know he will very successful.
The pulp markets seem to be stabilizing somewhat now with the upgrade of the paper machine
at Sappi’s Hinckley mill, and the startup of the machine at Verso. The sale of the mill in Rumford to
Nine Dragons seems to be a positive sign that investors see the potential in Maine’s forest economy
again. Let’s hope for a dry summer and good logging conditions so that we can utilize those markets.
Lastly, I can’t help but think back to 20 years ago when I became PLC’s second president and
how much things have changed for PLC as an association. We have made so many great strides over
the years and grown this organization into a strong voice for Maine loggers and our industry. I
encourage all members to get involved as much as your time allows, however big or small. Your input
is valued greatly. The PLC works for you, the members. I also encourage everyone to get your youth
involved in the PLC. Many of us in the association are getting along in age. Youth and enthusiasm are
what is needed to strengthen us and bring us into the future. For those that get involved, friendships will
be made that will last a lifetime.
I wish everyone to have a safe and prosperous summer.
Thanks,
Jimmy
From the President
By Jim Nicols
6 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Welcome New Members….…….
Marty Ryan Selective Logging of Phillips,
ME joined the PLC as a new Logging
Contractor in May 2018. The company has a
professional staff of one. For more information
contact Marty Ryan at (207) 639-2862 or email
amymartinryan@gmail.com
T. Condon Timber Harvesting of Ashland,
ME has joined the PLC as a new Affiliated
Contractor. The company has a professional
staff of three. For more information contact
Troy Condon at (207) 551-9078 or email
tcondontimberharvesting@gmail.com
McCafferty Logging of Hebron, ME joined
the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in May
2018. The company has a professional staff of
four. For more information contact Garrett
McCafferty at (207) 212-8600 or email
mccaffertylogging@aol.com
NDB Logging of St. David, ME joined the
PLC as an Affiliated Contractor in May 2018.
NDB has a professional staff of three. For
more information contact Nicholas Deprey at
(207) 456-0417 or email
dnleonard2002@yahoo.com
Marquis Logging Inc. of Wallagrass, ME
joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor
in May 2018. The company has a professional
staff of one. For more information contact
Dustin Marquis at (207) 834-7011 or email
dustinandpaula@gmail.com
Vannah Logging of Brunswick, ME joined the
PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor in May
2018. The company is Master Logger certified,
handles logging jobs from stump to roadside,
and has a professional staff of one. For more
information contact Eric Vannah at 631-2475
or email sandevannah@yahoo.com
Modern Woodmen of America joined the
PLC as a Nonprofit Supporting Member in
April 2018. Modern Woodmen is a memberowned
fraternal financial services organization
established in 1883 with more than 750,000
members nationwide. Modern Woodmen sells
life insurance, annuity and investment products
not to benefit stockholders but to improve the
quality of life of their stakeholders, their
members, their families and their
communities. For more information contact
Cynthia Smith at (207) 725-6100 or
email cynthia.r.smith@mwarep.org
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018 7

From the Executive Director
Risk Should Equal Reward
As spring comes to a close across the state
and everyone gets back to work, it is the right
time to look back upon what has transpired
over the last three months, but also look
forward. The future will undoubtedly look
different than the past and it finally feels like
we are on the upswing from one of the
lowest points in our industry’s history. Now
is the time to ensure that the upward
trajectory continues. The question is whether
we are destined to repeat the past or to make
the future a return to greatness for our
industry.
In the last week, the political
primaries for Governor and other statewide
political offices have just taken place. For
the Republicans, Sean Moody achieved a
stunning victory with over 56% support from
the Republican party. Regardless of the fact
that he was not enrolled in the party until the
fall of 2017 and with no prior political
experience except a run for Governor in
2010, his outsider business experience seems
to have resonated strongly throughout Maine.
In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, a
week after the primary took place and the
first dose of ranked choice voting, Janet
Mills was declared the winner. Now with a
Republican, a Democrat and two
Independents, the race is on to see who will
succeed Paul LePage. The PLC will need to
work extremely hard to make sure all of the
candidates are educated on our industry to
ensure we have the support and attention of
By Dana Doran
whomever takes residence at the Blaine
House.
On the same day, Maine House and
Senate candidates also fought it out to see
who would represent each major political
party in the general election this fall. With
razor thin margins in each body (one vote in
the Senate for the R’s and eight votes for the
D’s in the House) the stakes are high for
control of the Legislature.
Over the last three months since the
publication of our last magazine, it has been
a time of growth and celebration for the PLC
and its membership. In late March, we
kicked off our annual spring rite of passage
with our safety training series. After
bringing our roadshow to a record 12
locations over that timeframe, which
included the introduction of our new fleet
safety trainings, we have brought modern,
adaptive and responsive training to over 100
of our members and 1,000 of their
employees. The feedback from the
membership has been very positive and it
appears that training for loggers by loggers is
just what the membership has been looking
for. In the future, look for even more
opportunities to help our industry, lower risk
and gain access to training that is not only
relevant, but lower cost.
In early May, the PLC also
celebrated its 23 rd anniversary with its
Annual Meeting at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.
8 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

PLC members, supporting members and
guests managed to break another record by
raising over $46,000 for the Log A Load for
Kids program and we celebrated those who
do so much for our industry by giving out our
annual awards. The overwhelming support
and generosity of contractors and supporting
members for the Log A Load program and
for the profession in general continues to
astound me.
The spring has also been a great time
to hear from the membership regarding the
past winter season, what is happening with
markets and what is on their mind going into
summer. The members have also been
thinking about policy changes they would
like to see made and are giving me plenty of
ideas to bring forth next session. With this in
mind, I have also been asked three consistent
questions from folks across the state this
spring: 1) When will the Legislature come
back to finish its business and do something
to help our industry? 2) How do I find
qualified labor for my business? and 3) when
will I be rewarded with an increase in price
for the products I deliver to mills on a daily
basis? All three are critical to the future of
logging and trucking in Maine and all three
deserve the utmost respect and attention.
With respect to the first question, as most
know, the Legislature left town in early May
without completing their work on two
primary initiatives that we were involved
with and abdicated responsibility on a third.
One of the PLC’s most important
issues of the session related to wood
energy. LD 1745, An Act to Establish the
Wood Energy Program, would have created
a long-term opportunity to solve our lowgrade
wood utilization issue incentivizing the
use of this fiber through new power and
heating applications. The bill passed the
legislature but was vetoed by the Governor
and then was subsequently killed by one vote
in the Senate on an attempt to override the
Governor’s veto.
Two members of the Senate, one
Republican and one Democrat switched their
votes at the last second and voted to sustain
the Governor’s veto; both had voted in favor
of the bill two weeks prior and both represent
logging contractors in their district. The
Republican member even gave me his word
that we he would vote to override the day
before in an email when he said, “Thank you
for your information and as you may know
that I did vote for it. I will look at this again
and most likely will override the
veto.” Interesting times at the Legislature for
sure but something that won’t be forgotten
easily.
This action effectively killed any
opportunity this session to utilize state policy
to expand the use of wood for energy for
rural Maine. For a Legislature that states
consistently it is pro forest products and
wants to do everything it can to help, it is
sometimes an inconsistent message.
Despite the activity with LD 1745,
there is still hope for success this session and
as I write this, the Legislature is back in
Augusta finishing its work. As you may
recall, there were two major pieces of
unfinished business for the PLC that still
required action.
LD 700, An Act to Give Flexibility
to Employees and Employers for
Temporary Layoffs would make the six
Doran Continued Page 12
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
9

Hanington Bros. President Steve Hanington is greeted by
delimber operator Harry Cottle on a wet day in early June.
M
ACWAHOC PLT - Hollis Hanington, Jr.
started Hanington Brothers Inc. in 1958 with
his brother Willard, logging with horses and
launching a business that has grown into one
of Maine’s largest timber harvesting and woodland
management companies, and which is celebrating its 60 th
anniversary this year.
Any business that lasts for 60 years must be doing
something right, particularly in a profession with as many
challenges as Maine’s logging industry. When Hanington
Bros. started out, and for many years afterwards, the Great
Northern Paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket
would purchase all the wood the company could cut.
Today, not one paper mill remains in the Penobscot River
Valley.
Steve Hanington, who today owns and runs the
business his father started, has seen decades of ups and
downs in logging, most recently the mill closures that
followed years of recession and marked arguably the
biggest challenge the industry has ever faced.
“Success in this business depends on how well you
can embrace change and find new opportunities,” Steve
said recently during a tour of Hanington Bros. operations in
and around Medway and Millinocket. “And the human
resources side is key, it’s all about people, finding the right
people, and establishing relationships.”
For Hanington Bros., the right people includes
employees who have been with the company for decades
like Rick Worster. On the day of the tour he was slashing
wood, but he started out as an inexperienced driver in the
late 1980s, and he’s worked in many roles in the company.
He has a lot of experience, he understands the business, and
you can count on him. Employees like that are critical to
success, and Hanington Bros. has many of them, Steve
said.
Hanington Bros. currently has roughly 34
employees and another 15-18 subcontractors working with
the company. While the company has experienced
10 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

downsizing in recent years, it
has been savvy enough to
make some good moves at the
right times to find new
markets and opportunities as
the traditional ones
disappeared. The company is
more diversified these days
than it used to be. It still
provides tree-length wood to
pulp mills, logs to lumber
mills, and chips for biomass
electricity plants, but also
offers road building and land
management services. It has
invested in timberlands,
currently owning about 25,000
acres. The company has also
branched into supplying
firewood.
Hanington Bros.
operates in most of Penobscot,
Washington, and Aroostook
counties, as well as portions of
Piscataquis. Harvesting is
handled mainly by mechanized
whole tree crews but also one
cut-to-length crew and two
traditional cable skidder/hand
crews. The company has ten
log trucks and another dozen
hired trucks when operations
peak.
Positive business
relationships have been
important to finding new
opportunities. For example,
when a local timberland
management company lost a
paper mill market for small,
sound spruce and fir ground
wood, the company turned to
Hanington Bros. to find a
solution. Hanington Bros.
developed a plan to load,
track, and transport the wood
from the Millinocket area to
the Moose River Mill outside
Jackman using rail cars, then
trucks, tracking the wood by
crew, and weighing it at the
point where it was offloaded
Hanington Brothers Inc.
1958-2018
Hanington Brothers 1989 – 1994. Sharon Sibley, David Russell, Sheldon
Hanington, Irma Hanington (President), Scott Hanington, Cheryl
Hanington, Steve Hanington.
Hanington Brothers 1994 – Present. Back Row: Steve (President), Teresa,
Krista (holding Sadie), Danielle, Peter. Front Row: Eric (holding
Abrianna), Abby, Evan.
Hanington Bros. has diversified into firewood with the purchase of
longtime Medway firewood supplier Arthur York & Son Firewood.
since at that time there were no
scales available on the
Millinocket end. Later, once
scales were installed,
Hanington Bros. also began
handling the job of transferring
the same company’s hardwood
pulp trucked in off-road from
the Telos area to on-highway
transport headed to the
Woodland Pulp mill in
Baileyville. Knowing people in
the business, many of them
now long-time friends, has
helped opportunities like these
happen.
Along with the market
challenges, Hanington Bros.
and many other established
logging firms are facing a
worker shortage brought on by
the combination of an aging
workforce combined with not
enough young people entering
the industry. Even when
replacement workers can be
found, it takes years for them
to acquire the kind of
experience veterans bring to
the job. New programs like the
Mechanized Logging
Operations Program launched
a year ago by the Professional
Logging Contractors of Maine
(PLC) and the state’s
community colleges along
with industry partners are
beginning to address the issue,
but it is going to take a lot of
workers to replace those now
at or past retirement age, Steve
said.
Professionalism,
employee development, and
safety are very important to
Hanington Bros. The company
is Master Logger certified and
a strong supporter and attendee
at the annual safety trainings
offered by the PLC. The
company also took advantage
of the new Fleet training
Hanington Continued Page 12
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
11

Hanington Continued from Page 11 16
offered by PLC this year for truck drivers, loader operators
and mechanics.
Hanington Brothers has been a strong supporter
and member of the PLC from the very beginnings of the
organization, and the company’s work on important causes
like Log A Load for Maine Kids goes back decades and
continues today. The Haningtons have won industry awards
over the years, most recently in 2017, when the family was
awarded the PLC President’s Award for all it has done and
continues to do on behalf of Maine loggers and the PLC.
Hanington Bros. remains a true family business.
Hollis Hanington bought out his brother Willard in 1980,
and at one time every one of Hollis’ children worked for
the company. Today, Steve’s sister Sharon is the office
manager, wife Teresa handles accounts payables, son Eric
oversees all maintenance and inspections of equipment and
trucks, daughter-in-law Krista does clerical work, and
nephew Alex Hanington operates a chipper and log loader.
Steve’s brother-in-law worked for the company until his
retirement last year, and his daughter’s partner Peter is a
harvesting subcontractor.
As you’d expect, Steve gives his father credit for
instilling a strong work ethic in his five children. What you
might not expect is all the praise he also has for his mother,
Irma, who stepped up to run the company after her husband
died of cancer in 1989.
“When he passed away she ended up with the
business and a big debt, and it would have been very easy
for her to liquidate and just let that go by the wayside,”
Steve said.
Instead, Irma Hanington brought the family
together and told her children they were going to keep on
doing their jobs, she’d run the business and service the
debt, and one day when the debt was paid they’d be given
the opportunity to buy the business. If none wanted it, the
family would liquidate it and divide proceeds equally and
fairly. She was true to her word, and when the time came
Doran Continued from Page 9 16
week work search waiver for unemployment insurance
benefits claimants permanent and take away discretion from
any current or future administration. As the membership
knows, the Governor denied the six-week work search waiver
for unemployment claimants for the second straight year and
it is time to give control of the workforce back to the
contractors. The Legislature enacted this bill unanimously
with votes of 116 to 0 in the House and 33 to 0 in the Senate.
It is likely that the Governor will veto this bill so we will wait
until veto day in July to see what he does and work to override
the veto if need be as this policy is too important to the
logging industry to have it left up to the whim and mercy of a
future administration on a year to year basis.
LD 1744, An Act to Create the Hire American Tax
Credit for Businesses that Hire Residents of the United
States. This bill proposes to encourage the employment of
Maine residents in the logging and trucking by providing a tax
credit to landowners located in the United States that employ
Steve bought out the others in 1994.
“I don’t think women get enough recognition in the
Steve Hanington stops to answer a few emails next to rail cars
loaded with spruce bound for the Moose River Mill.
success of a lot of male business people,” Steve said. “All
the things that a mother teaches you are so critical to how
you develop your character and how you address things,
and I know she’s never gotten the credit due her. My
success is due not so much to my father as to my mother,
and I don’t say that to take anything away from my father.”
If you consider that only about 30 percent of all
family owned businesses survive into a second generation,
and half that into a third, the 60 years Hanington Bros. has
kept operating becomes very impressive. Not long ago
Steve was beginning to think about planning for what
would happen to the business when the family members all
reached retirement age. Now that his son Eric has returned
to work in the business after several years and his nephew
is also on board, he hopes to plan a future where Hanington
Bros. continues as a family business for years to come.
Maine residents who are engaged in logging and
trucking. The bill would provide a credit on the forestry
excise tax for employing American workers (logging, trucking
and forest road construction). We need to ensure that there is
a level playing field for those who choose to operate their
businesses in Maine with those who come from Canada. At
the end of the day, if Canadians can work here, then Mainers
should be able to do so in Canada with the same protections.
The bill was enacted by the Senate on a vote of 24 to 9, which
should be a veto proof majority. That said, it is very likely
that this bill will get vetoed and we should be ready in July to
work hard to override the veto and put Maine loggers and
truckers first.
The second question I am hearing often is getting
really hard to answer. How do I find qualified labor for my
business without hiring someone I don’t want or going down a
path of no return by hiring those employed by others?
This is an issue that is impacting every business,
12 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

organization and institution across the state right now and not
just logging and trucking businesses. With an unemployment
rate that is consistently below 3% across the state, it is not
about how you can find the most skilled person at the lowest
cost. With the state at a level of full employment, it is really
about how one finds someone, perhaps anyone that could
work in my business with some type of related experience that
will not damage my equipment too badly and cause
irreparable harm.
In 2015, the PLC worked hard to create a pathway to
train the next generation of logging operators. We secured
funding and support to create our mechanized logging
operations program with Maine’s Community College
System. In 2017, we fought like cats and dogs to get the
Legislature to provide funding from harvesting on public
lands to the vocational high school logging programs for
upgraded equipment. The time to invest in workforce
development is always during challenging times.
The reaction from industry to this approach was, “it
couldn’t have come at a better time”. The market hit bottom
in 2015 and 2016, but loggers knew that at some point the
markets would return. Now, not even three years later,
markets are responding, and the situation is getting worse by
the day with respect to people. I can’t go through a day
without reading a post on Facebook of someone looking for an
operator or hearing from members that they would grow if
they could just find people.
There is too much risk and too much at stake to put
someone with no experience in the cab of a half million-dollar
piece of equipment. We took the bull by the horns just like
every other trade-based industry and decided we needed to
pass the risk on to someone else to help separate the wheat
from the chaff.
In 2017 we started this new approach and graduated
six students that quickly entered the workforce. All six were
gobbled up and are still gainfully employed. In late June of
this year, our program will run once again and will have
twelve students ready to hit the ground running when they are
done.
However, there were also the naysayers who said
there are too many loggers out there and there’s no need to
invest in this type of program. In testimony to the Legislature
in 2016 regarding a bill that would provide funding to the
vocational high school logging programs, Doug Denico,
Director of the Maine Forest Service said, “this is not the time
to try to incentivize more people to enter this profession. The
industry’s retraction of recent months means many in this
industry are looking for other means of employment.” Well, I
can say with great honesty that the voice of industry should be
listened to more often.
In the end this should be a wakeup call to many that
loggers are not a dime a dozen right now. Further, the attitude
that if you won’t do it for this price, then we will just go find
someone else who will is quickly dissipating as logging
capacity has dwindled. With competition from everywhere
and not enough people to do the job, something has to change.
Which leads me to the third question that I have been
hearing a lot lately. When will I be rewarded with an increase
in price for the products I deliver to mills on a daily basis?
The prices being paid for the products we deliver are higher
across the board, but I haven’t seen anything trickle my way.
Over the last year, market conditions have improved
considerably. There is increased demand for certain products.
New investments in mills have led to new market
opportunities and an increase in volume for certain species.
We are not yet back to utilizing the same volume of wood that
was harvested in 2015, but we are getting closer all the time.
At the same time, as a result of increased competition
for wood, prices for products have also increased. It’s a
simple rule of supply and demand. As demand increases, the
supply tightens. To ensure supply, the price rises. With not
enough people to do the job, demand up and supply
constricted, the market has responded by paying more for
wood delivered.
In some parts of the state, contractors have been the
recipients of these price increases. This has been a breath of
fresh air because at the same time that prices have increased,
so has the price of diesel, lubricants, insurance, parts and new
equipment. However, in other parts of the state, there is still a
mentality that there are too many loggers and those loggers
can always be more efficient doing more with less.
Well, this mentality has to change. We are on the
precipice of moving forward or moving backward and unless
there is recognition that the rising tide lifts all boats and not
just those of a few, we may be sliding into that precipice and
not getting over it.
The contractors of the PLC take great pride in what
they do. They take great risk for little reward and having been
doing it for a very long time. In many respects, they had to
because there was always another logger around the corner
who could do the job for less in the proverbial race to the
bottom. However, with the change in markets, both good and
bad, the competition for labor, and the increase in cost for
everything that goes into the operation, the reward is not
outweighing the risk. Loggers are proud of what they do, but
in the long run, their pride will only take them so far and it
generally has no economic value. In the end, the reward must
outweigh the risk for those in private business because if it
doesn’t, there’s no reason to continue to take the risk without
a return.
Construction faced this battle of competition and cost
over the last few decades and inevitably determined that they
cannot do the job unless they get paid what it takes to do it.
This mindset became pervasive and the construction industry
slowly became educated on their costs and started to work
from the same sheet of music, often times working around
hourly rates. Loggers are at that point now and can learn a lot
from what the construction industry has done to ensure its
long-term health and well-being. In the end, the logger should
not be measured against how many tons it produced, but by
how much it cost to produce those tons.
As prices continue to rise all around us, loggers listen,
loggers watch and loggers learn. Inevitably, they will also
speak for themselves to ensure a better way because
information is power.
The rising tide must lift all boats because if they
don’t, the reward will not outweigh the risk and the ship might
just start taking on water.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
13

A
LFRED - Seth McCoy is no
fan of downtime, and he and
his business, Seth McCoy’s
Trucking & Excavating, are
rarely idle.
For Seth, that means being on the move and on the
phone constantly, overseeing a trucking and excavating
business that has grown far beyond its small beginnings. It
also means doing whatever it takes to keep the business
running without interruptions, and taking care
of the employees and the equipment so both
can operate at top efficiency.
For the business, it means excavating
equipment constantly rolling off to jobs across
southern Maine, and trucks running
everything from biomass to asphalt to points
in Maine and beyond. It also means
mechanics working late into the night to fix
machines so they are operating again in the
morning, and sorting out complicated
scheduling that puts workers and equipment where they
need to be when they need to be there for customers
depending on the company.
Meeting at the company garage in Alfred next to
his home recently, only one Western Star truck and two of
his more than 20 employees were at the site with Seth,
everyone else was on the road or at work sites. This is
typical; business has been very good in
recent years, and there is no sign of it
slowing down, Seth said.
It wasn’t always this way. Seth
recalls starting out alone, with smaller
ambitions. He got into excavating in 2003, and he had no
plans to get into trucking at the time.
“I did excavating from 2003 through the recession,
and excavating is still a pretty large portion of my business.
About 2010 I bought one hire truck and it kind
of just spiraled from there,” Seth said. “That
was a General, a dump truck, and we hauled
asphalt with it and I ran that for two years and
then I ordered a new Mack, and I’ve bought
several new Macks and Western Stars since
then.”
In 2006 Seth purchased his current
home and the land where his company is
based, gaining room to grow the business. He
bought his first tractor in 2012 and he still has
it - a 1987 Autocar. Today, he has 12 trucks including
seven tractors, multiple excavators, loaders, graders,
bulldozers, flow boys, skid steers, and more. He owns a lot
of CAT equipment. While the range of equipment has
grown a lot, he considers the business’s capability more
dependent on the technology he has.
The company’s efficiency is helped by technology that
14 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

tracks and improves everything from maintenance to fuel
consumption, and he keeps updating it to stay competitive.
Over the
years, Seth has learned
which equipment is
reliable and how to
maximize that
reliability. For
example, he runs
almost all American
made tires now and
has seen blowouts
drop off to almost
nothing since making
the change. While he
doesn’t run trucks as
fancy and loaded with
options as some
companies do, his Western Stars are good trucks, and he is
also a big fan of Mack trucks, which he has found to be
well made and extremely
reliable.
When it comes to
trucks, he has learned the
value of quality U.S.
made replacement parts
versus cheaper foreign
options, Seth said.
“If you want the
truck to last, you’ve got to
replace parts with parts as
good as those you took
off it,” Seth said. “And
we are aggressive on
maintenance, I try not to
wait for something to
break to fix it.”
Seth McCoy’s Trucking & Excavating operates
within a 100-mile radius of Alfred. The company is a short
haul exemption motor carrier serving southern Maine, New
Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
The company’s trucking business has been
doubling in recent years. In the period from Feb. 2017-
2018 Seth’s trucks hauled 39,827 tons of biomass, over
450,000 tons of gravel, sand, or stone, and 24,885 tons of
salt.
When it comes to the woods business, Seth
McCoy’s Trucking & Excavating has so far stayed out of
roundwood, but his
trucks haul biomass
for some of the best
loggers in the
business, including
M.B. Eastman and
William A. Day Jr. &
Sons Inc. Brent Day of
William A. Day first
encouraged him to join
the Professional
Logging Contractors
(PLC) of Maine, Seth
said.
Seth joined the
PLC in 2016 when he
saw the organization was doing a good job representing the
interests of the logging industry and wood trucking
industries. His company is
also a member of the
Associated General
Contractors and the
Maine Motor Transport
Association. He feels it is
important for companies
to support organizations
representing and fighting
for them, and that the
direct and indirect
benefits of membership
are well worth it.
There are plenty
of challenges in the
business including a
shortage of good truck drivers - many of whom are
beginning to reach retirement age. There are also climbing
fuel and equipment costs, and increasing regulations. It is
also challenging for any business when others in the same
business do not hold to the same high standards and end up
giving the entire industry a worse reputation in the process.
Despite such challenges, the future looks very good
for Seth McCoy’s Trucking & Excavating.
“If the economy stays good I’m putting parking in
for 10 more trucks,” Seth said.
Opposite top: Picking up a load of biomass.
Opposite bottom: Owner Seth McCoy.
Above top: Moving CAT 320 excavator back to the shop.
Above bottom: Dump trucks ready to go.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
Trucking section Continued Page 16
15

Trucking Industry News...
Team Safe Trucking releasing 30 forestry
transportation training modules in 2018…
Team Safe Trucking has been working on developing a
Forestry Transportation Training Program for Forestry
Transportation
professionals since 2015.
Recently it was announced
that the curriculum has
been developed.
There will be
teamsafetrucking.com
three training tracks for the online training: Forestry
Transportation Owners (FTO), Forestry Transportation
Drivers (FTD) and Forestry Transportation Safety
Professionals (FTSP). The curriculum includes 30 class
offerings, each class covers a topic. The classes will cover
the following topics and more: Introduction to Team Safe
Trucking, Driver Qualifications, Driver Selection, Driver
Training, Driver Condition, Maintenance Program/Vehicle
Condition, Alcohol, Fatigue, Medical Clearance, Fleet
Safety Programs, Accountability, Speeding, Distracted
Driving, Right of Way, Turns & Curves, Following
Distance, Rollovers, Clearance, Backing, Passing, Stopping
and Parking, Coupling and Uncoupling, Railroads, DOT
Inspections, Accidents, Breakdowns, Accident
Investigations, Mill General Safety, Loading and
Unloading, Entering and Exiting the Woods.
The classes will range in length from 15-30
minutes. Each training track will be approximately six to
seven and half hours of forestry transportation industry
training. After completing each class, a certificate will be
issued to the student for that topic. There will be quizzes
following each training class, which can be downloaded
and saved to document the student’s completion of the
training session. When Owners, Drivers and Safety
Professionals complete their training tracks, they will
receive a picture ID card certifying the individual as either
an FTO, FTD or FTSP.
Team Safe Trucking’s online training platform has
the unique capacity to store and print each student training
records at any time after completion of a class. Prospective
employers can pay an annual due to Team Safe Trucking to
have access to training records at Team Safe Trucking.
Prospective employers may request permission to request
training records from Team Safe Trucking training records
from prospective drivers. Upon permission being granted,
Team Safe Trucking can release training records to the
member/prospective employer and gain access to the
16 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

drivers training records. Participants training records are
retrieved by the combination of a participants’ driver’s
license number and first and last name.
Learn more at: http://www.amloggers.com/news/
team-safe-trucking-releasing-30-forestry-transportationtraining-modules-in-2018/
FMCSA Announces Extension of Compliance Dates
for the Medical Examiner’s Certification
Integration...
The FMCSA has issued an interim final
rule https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/extensioncompliance-dates-medical-examiners-certificationintegration
that delays several provisions of the Medical
Examiner’s Certification Integration final rule (80 FR
22790, Apr. 23, 2015; 80 FR 35577, Jun. 22, 2015) from
June 22, 2018 date to June 22, 2021. This action was
taken to provide FMCSA additional time to complete
certain information technology (IT) system development
tasks for its National Registry of Certified Medical
Examiners (National Registry) and provide the State
Driver’s Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) sufficient time to
make the necessary IT programming changes after
upgrades to the National Registry.
FMCSA publishes updated guidance for personal
conveyance...
Personal conveyance is the movement of a
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while
off-duty. A driver may record time operating a CMV for
personal conveyance as off-duty only when the driver is
relieved from work and all responsibility for performing
work by the motor carrier. The CMV may be used for
personal conveyance even if it is laden, since the load is not
being transported for the commercial benefit of the motor
carrier at that time. Personal conveyance does not reduce a
driver’s or motor carrier’s responsibility to operate a CMV
safely.
Learn more at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hoursservice/elds/regulatory-guidance-transportation-agricultural
-commodities-including-livestock
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
17

PLC Supporting Member Spotlight:
Whited Peterbilt of Maine
B
ANGOR - Whited Peterbilt of Maine has been
serving loggers from its very beginning.
The roots of the business date back
to 1985, when Bob Whited founded Bangor
Ford with John Linnehan. What started out as
a Ford truck dealership soon began
expanding into a major commercial truck and
trailer sales and service center, with Bob
Whited buying out Linnehan in 1991 and
adding locations in Presque Isle in 1994, and
Auburn in 2001.
When Ford rebranded its big truck
division with the Sterling name in 1998,
Whited became the dealership that buyers
across the region turned to for the classic
brand. Then the recession prompted Sterling’s parent
company to discontinue Sterling in 2008 and Whited built
up its used truck division as it looked for a new direction.
Finally, in 2009 the opportunity arose to become the
northern New England dealer of Peterbilt trucks and
Whited seized it.
Today, as the economy has come
roaring back, Whited Peterbilt of Maine is in a
very good place, with long-time customers
across the region, strong sales in everything
from Ford super-duty pickups to Class 8
Peterbilt tractor trailers, and a reputation for
quality parts, service and accessories. A new
location in Saco opened two years ago, and the
future for the company is bright.
“We sell and service trucks to the
logging industry from Class 4 right up through
8,” Sue McAvoy, Information Technology
Manager and Assistant Sales Manager for Whited, said.
“Loggers are awesome to deal with. They know what they
18 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

want when they come in. Most have been in the industry
for years, so they know they want 550 or higher
horsepower, they know they want an 18-speed, they know
what they want for suspension, so there’s not a lot of
guesswork there.”
Like Whited itself, many logging firms in Maine
are highly diversified these days and are customers for
everything from service pickups to Peterbilt dump trucks to
the many varieties and configurations of trailers sold by the
company.
Whited is the only Stairs log trailer dealer for
Maine. The dealership also
sells Dorsey chip trailers in
multiple configurations. In
addition, the company sells
Etnyre lowboys, Felling
tag trailers, and - recently
added - Trailstar live
floors.
When it comes to
heavy trucks, the Peterbilt
brand needs no
introduction, Sue said.
“Peterbilt’s a
quality truck, it’s been
around since 1939, and it’s
one of the premiers of the
trucking world, with so
many different ways to
customize them. There are
more options available for a Peterbilt than any other truck,”
Sue said.
The dealership can provide any configurations
loggers want for their log trucks, including log loader
mounts which Whited subcontracts out to quality vendors
including Barry Equipment Co. and West Mount Inc.
With locations from Presque Isle to Saco, Whited
can provide great service to its customers across Maine.
Sales of trucks and accessories have been strong
and the booming construction industry is playing a big part
in that. Despite the good economy, challenges remain for
the heavy trucking industry. The biggest is a lack of new
drivers.
For Whited, finding enough new technicians and
parts workers as older employees reach retirement age is
also a challenge, particularly finding techs with knowledge
of the older Ford and Sterling trucks that the dealership still
services. The company employs about 100 workers, and
having top-notch employees is key to the company’s
success and Whited works hard to maintain the quality of
its work force.
“We’ve got some mechanics that have been here
since we started, and we’ve got a good group of core
people at all locations,” Sue said.
As the industry changes, Bob Whited, and his son
Jon, who joined the business in 1994, are charting the
future.
“We’re doing well adapting to the changes,” Sue
said. “Jon and Bob have both been very instrumental in
Office staff at Whited Peterbilt of Maine’s Bangor dealership.
trying to stay ahead of the curve of the markets, whether
it’s the lumber, logging, or construction markets.”
Whited Peterbilt joined the PLC several years ago
to support the logging industry which has provided so
many loyal customers over the years. The company is a
Preferred Supporting Member and has been a strong
supporter and sponsor of the PLC’s Log A Load for Maine
Kids fund-raising efforts.
The PLC provides a good value to its members
with the information, safety and fleet training, and
representation it provides to Maine loggers and truckers.
The new Mechanized Logging Operations Program created
by PLC is also an example of the kind of important work
the PLC is doing not only to protect the industry today, but
in the future, Sue said.
As for the future of Whited Peterbilt of Maine?
“There’s always room for more expansion if the
opportunity arises,” Sue said.
Alex Labonville, Sales Manager
Cell: 207-233-4801
www.labonville.com
Ask about special PLC of
Maine member only discounts!
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
19

The PLC of Maine 23 rd Annual Meeting
Record 46,311 Raised!
B
REWER – The Professional Logging Contractors
(PLC) of Maine held its 23rd Annual Meeting
Friday, May 4 with awards presented to businesses,
individuals, and legislators from across Maine for
their outstanding contributions to the logging industry.
The event also raised a
record $46,311 for Children’s
Miracle Network Hospitals in
Maine, topping the previous record
of $44,000 set in 2017.
The meeting was held at
Jeff’s Catering in Brewer and
included a morning meeting of the
members, luncheon with the
president of the American Logger’s
Council, Mark Turner, as speaker,
and an afternoon tour of the
Neonatal Intensive Care Clinic at
Eastern Maine Medical Center in
Bangor which has been supported by
PLC donations through the Log A
Load for Kids program. The annual
PLC Auction for Log A Load
followed the tour, then the annual PLC Dinner and Awards
Ceremony.
“Our Annual Meeting is a time to reflect, a time to
celebrate and a time to plan for the future,” PLC Executive
Director Dana Doran, said. “The PLC has made important
strides on behalf of loggers, forest contractors, and forest
truckers and stands ready to continue its work on behalf of the
industry for years to come. Our members should be proud of
what they have accomplished this year, and especially proud
of what was accomplished here for the children tonight.”
The Annual Meeting is one of the PLC’s major fundraisers
for the Log A Load for Kids Foundation to benefit
Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. PLC members
are well known for their generosity in supporting charitable
causes benefiting children, and are strong supporters of the
Log A Load For Kids annual campaign which encourages
loggers and others in the forest
products community to donate the
value of one load of logs, or any
amount, to local Children’s Miracle
Network hospitals. Log A Load For
Kids is a national leader in CMN
fundraising.
“The generosity of our
members no matter what challenges
their businesses face continues to
amaze me,” Doran said. “Our
members reach deep each year for
these families and continue to devote
Children’s Miracle Network Family, the an incredible amount of time, effort,
Hathaways, at the PLC Annual Meeting. Dad Rick and resources to the Log A Load
at left, Mom Deanna at right, with daughters cause.”
Ainsley and Vivian. Son Warren also attended.
Gubernatorial candidates
attended the morning session of the meeting to share their
positions and answer questions from loggers.
At the conclusion of the evening awards ceremony
the President’s gavel was passed from outgoing President
Scott Madden to incoming President Jim Nicols, who will
serve for the next two years. Thank you to Scott Madden for
his service these past two years.
Thank you to everyone who made this year’s
meeting a success and we look forward to seeing you again
next year!
20 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

PLC Awards 2018
PLC Logger of the Year Award: This award
recognizes a PLC Logging Contractor for their
commitment to the sustainability of the industry
and logging as a profession. The winner is:
Chaplin Logging Inc.
PLC Impact Award: Each year, the PLC
recognizes someone from the public sector who
has demonstrated a commitment to the logging
industry and made a significant impact for its
improvement. The winner is:
Maine State Senator Thomas Saviello
Acadia Insurance Safety
Award: This award is given to
a company that continuously
demonstrates safety throughout
their business. The winner is:
PLC President’s Award: This award is
presented to an individual or organization
within the PLC which has had a significant and
positive impact on the PLC and the logging
industry in Maine. The award goes to two
individuals this year: The winners are:
Robert Linkletter and Brian Souers
PLC Community Service
Award: This award is
given annually to a PLC
Member, Supporting
Member or affiliated
organization that has
demonstrated a significant
commitment to giving back
to their community. The
winner is:
Katahdin Fire Co.
Treeline Inc.
PLC Supporting Member
Award: This award is
presented to a PLC
Supporting Member that
has demonstrated an
unprecedented commitment
to logging contractors in
Maine. The winner is:
Farm Credit East
Congratulations to all 2018
Award Winners
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
21

SAFETY
STARTS
WITH ME
2018 Safety Training
Presented by:
SAFETY
STARTS
WITH ME
Safety training attendees with LifeFlight helicopter at Elliot Jordan & Sons in Waltham, April 13
S
pring of 2018 marked a new level of success for PLC Safety Trainings, bringing training to a record 12
locations across Maine and introducing a new Fleet training series targeted specifically at drivers, mechanics,
and loader operators.
When all was said and done PLC brought training to more than 100 of our members and 1,000 of their
employees. Feedback has been extraordinarily positive and the PLC is already looking ahead to even more
opportunities to help our industry, lower risk, and provide relevant, cost-effective training.
This free training is a benefit of membership and provides practical, hands-on instruction on a wide variety of
topics to improve individual and company safety.
Many thanks to our instructors who gave their time and expertise to these efforts. Thanks also to our generous
sponsors for the trainings: Acadia Insurance and Cross Insurance, Presenting Sponsors; Chalmers Insurance Group,
Breakfast Sponsor; United Insurance and CBI, Break Sponsors; MEMIC, Safety Contest Sponsor; Clark Insurance, GH
Berlin Windward and Sappi, Safety Prize Sponsors; and Barry Equipment, Lunch Sponsor.
Prizes for top safety ideas were supplied by MEMIC, Clark Insurance, GH Berlin Windward and Sappi. A
grand prize winner is being randomly drawn from the best ideas and Cross Insurance will be awarding an authentic
football signed by New England Patriot Trey Flowers to that winner.
Interested in future trainings or sponsorship opportunities? Email jessica@maineloggers.com or call (207) 688-
8195.
22 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance
Prior to beginning my career, I spent 5 years
working on a heavy rescue and fire department in
Pennsylvania. During this time I became intimately
familiar with the medical term known as, “The Golden
Hour”. “The Golden Hour” refers to the time immediately
following a traumatic injury, where studies and experience
show that there is a direct correlation between the amount
of time it takes to get a victim from an accident scene to
advanced care and the mortality rate. While the Golden
Hour is a concept and not necessarily steadfast, it does
paint a picture of how time sensitive it is getting a person
with a severe injury to advanced care.
Much of the information that I share in this article
is based off my experience in the construction field where I
had two employees injured so severely that they likely
would not have survived if our plan had not been thorough,
job specific and communicated to employees. Below I have
outlined some suggestions based off my personal
experience and education I have received as a first aid/CPR
trainer. We all hope that we never need to think about this
but because timing can make the difference between life
and death, it is absolutely critical to take some preemptive
steps in order to be ready if the time ever arrives where you
need to save a life.
1. An emergency plan is NOT one size fits all.
An emergency plan is a living, breathing document
that needs to be changed, updated and rearranged
to keep it current and valid. Each job your
employees go on should have a plan that addresses
emergency response at that site. The plan should be
completed immediately, before a machine reaches
the jobsite. Many contractors will choose to work
with their forester to develop the plan but, in some
cases, this may not be practical. The plan should
include all the necessary contact information,
The Golden Hour
location of first aid kits, location and coordinates of
the LifeFlight pad, process for summoning help
and clear directions to the site. My
recommendation when I visit contractors as well as
when I teach a first aid course, is to have a standard
form that assures all required information is
addressed consistently. When it comes to
emergency response, it is important to remember
that, when you need your emergency response
plan, your adrenaline is going to be elevated
significantly. Because of this, we have a tendency
to not think clearly, which emphasizes the
importance of clearly identifying and spelling out
in your Emergency Response Plan, each step and
challenge that your foresee so the employee can
pick it up and rely on it 100% for guidance.
2. The emergency plan should be available and
communicated to employees. This is pretty
straightforward but, once the plan has been
developed, it should be communicated to
employees and kept in several locations on the job.
Oftentimes, contractors will opt to keep their plans
in their first aid kit or under the visor of their
vehicles. In addition to this, you should also
provide employees with a copy of the plan.
Communication of the plan is critical, and it should
be reviewed at the job start-up and on occasion
throughout the duration of the job.
3. How will you summon help?
A. Can you dial 9-1-1 from your jobsite? If
not, where do you need to go to call for
help? Do you need to use a company radio
to get help coming? Is there a satellite
phone available? Trying to find a spot to
Golden Hour Continued on Page 24
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
23

Golden Hour Continued from Page 2316
get a call out can eat up a lot of time, so
these are questions that should be
considered and answered before the job
even begins. Write down the information
on your emergency response plan.
B. How will you get an ambulance to you?
Remember that you work in the woods
every day so you are familiar with the area.
Typically, the ambulance coming in will
not be familiar with the area, so it’s
important to have clear directions that you
can read off to the 9-1-1 dispatcher who
will relay them to the responding
ambulance.
C. Will you have the personnel available to
meet an ambulance and guide them in to
your job? In my experience, we had
enough manpower that we could have
someone stay with the victim and have
another employee drive a pickup to the
mouth of the woods road and wait on the
ambulance. We communicated to dispatch
to watch for a red pickup with an amber
strobe light flashing. Once our driver made
contact with the ambulance, he was able to
safely guide them directly to where the
accident had occurred. Eliminating the
chance of them getting lost.
D. How will you call for, and land, a
LifeFlight helicopter? You should have a
designated landing pad that is kept free of
vehicles, snow, slash and piledown. The
coordinates for the pad should be updated
and written down on your emergency plan.
When setting up your pad, it is important
to make sure it is relatively close to where
you are working. I will occasionally see a
crew with a designated landing pad a
couple of miles from their jobsite which
may be challenging to get the victim to in
the event of a severe injury like a head
wound or a compound fracture.
4. Stay current with quality CPR/First Aid
training. When the seconds count following a
severe accident, a solid understanding of first aid
can make the difference between someone going
home or not. We could just focus on the OSHA
requirements, but I think it’s important to point out
that this is a life skill that employees can take home
and use to save their child’s life, a spouse’s life or a
co-worker’s life. I have taught first aid for nearly
10 years now and I cannot begin to count the
students I have talked with after attending one of
my classes that used the skills to save a life.
Over the years I have seen emergency scenes
unfold many different times, some good and some tragic.
While all injuries, personnel and situations are different, the
one constant I can say is a current and thorough preplan
makes the emergency response go smoother which means
your employee or loved one gets the care they need
quicker, increasing their chance of survival. As Ben
Franklin said, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”
Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit
of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing
herein should be construed as either legal advice or
the provision of professional consulting services. This
material is for informational purposes only, and while
reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this
information, no warranty or representation is made as
to accuracy or completeness.
We Support Maine Loggers
24 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Donald Burr Hired as new PLC Safety and Training Coordinator
Will also coordinate 2018 MLOP
The PLC is pleased to announce that Donald Burr has
been hired as Safety and Training Coordinator for the PLC.
Many of you will recognize Don's name, as he been a
logger for 22 years, working primarily as a feller buncher
operator for Madden Timberlands. Don was also the lead
instructor and coordinator for the very successful Mechanized
Logging Operations Program in 2017 - a role he will return to
this summer in addition to his new role as our Safety and
Training Coordinator.
Safety, training and loss control are major priorities
for the PLC. Don began his duties this spring,
handling training program development and coordination,
including our Spring Safety and Fleet series, but also
developing additional resources and series including online
options. He will be developing and distributing safety
resources for operations and trucking fleets for owners,
supervisors, and operators. He will also handle loss control
and safety consulting for our members.
Don lives in Greenbush, Maine. He has extensive
experience supervising crews and working with landowners
and their foresters. He has assisted in safety training
instruction, and program development. Don is also Fire Chief
in Greenbush, a 1 & 2 / EMT B with 25 years of experience,
who started out as a firefighter and then spent ten years as the
training officer, and the last eleven years as Chief.
Please welcome Don to his new position!
Contact Don at (207) 356-1541 or
safety@maineloggers.com.
*See Don’s Safety column page 26>>>
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
25

Habits
By Donald Burr
PLC Safety & Training Coordinator
safety@maineloggers.com
Let’s talk habits! We all have them good and bad but
today I would like to talk about purposefully developing good
safety habits. At first when we try to change how we do things
it takes time, consistency, and effort. I have heard that it can
take up to 21 days to develop a new habit, I am here to tell you
that I think it takes longer.
Why do good safe habits save lives? Did you know
that people who use their turn signal have 70% less accidents?
It is not just the act of using the turn signal, it is the mental
process of thinking of using the turn signal paired with
purposefully looking where you are turning to. This produces
less accidents. It is not the act of using your turn signal, but the
habit of using it. Good safety habits keep you thinking.
What are some good safety habits to consider? Let’s
look at a few examples:
Never get out of the pickup unless you are wearing
your “hand”. Five fingers for five safety PPE’s (helmet, eye
protection, high visible clothing, hand and foot protection).
You will know you have made this a habit when you walk into
a convenience store to get a snack and have your “hand” on.
You can make the same plan if you work in an office that has
an attached shop, when you get up from your desk you have
your “hand” on. Never turn onto the woods road without
announcing who you are, where you are, where you are going,
what you are driving. Never go anywhere alone without giving
somebody your plan (where you are going, how long you will
be there, when you will check in with them).
Let’s talk good clean habits. Wash your hands, clean
your work area, if you make a mess clean it up before it
becomes a problem. When working off the ground, check
before you climb (ladder, harness), plan, have a spotter. Look
before you walk, plan your path. When working in the dark
have a flashlight. Years ago, I did some caving where they
would not let you go into a cave without 3 forms of light. That
is a good habit even for us. Now for one of my favorite habits -
don’t park in the way or in the turn around. Yes, you may be
the only one who will be on this road today but still don’t park
in the way. Plan your parking (facing out, out of the way, not
stuck).
If you look back on my habits you can see a common
theme. “Think”. We need to be constantly thinking. So, the
best habit that I propose is to never stop thinking. Run “what
if’s” through your mind. Think, what PPE do I need for this
job? What are the forces that I am dealing with and can they
hurt me (mechanical, electrical, chemical, gravity)?
This is what I propose in the next month; work on
developing the habit of thinking what happens next and what
do I need to do to be safe! It comes down to thinking, I often
say “a moment of inattention could be a lifetime of
pain.”
26 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Maine DEP
Division of
Response
Services
By Darian Higgins
Oil & Hazardous
Materials Responder II
Darian Higgins is an Oil & Hazardous Materials
Responder II from the Eastern Maine Regional Office
located in Bangor Maine. He has worked for Maine DEP
for 8 years, has conducted over 1250 spill responses and has
fielded many questions from the public regarding oil spills.
What follows are some of the most common questions we
receive.
What is the DEP’s Division of Response Services
and what is their mission?
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Response Services Division provides 24/7 statewide
emergency response capability to incidents involving the
release or threatened release of petroleum products,
hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction to
protect the lives, property and environment of the citizens of
Maine. We have 26 highly trained oil and HazMat
Responders that are ready to respond to oil, HazMat, and
WMD incidents whenever and wherever they should occur.
Why have I never heard of you?
Fortunately, you may have never had an oil spill, or
maybe you forgot to give us a call once or twice when
maybe you should have. We are also pretty good at keeping
a low profile.
Oil spills? Do those really happen here?
Yes, and on average, we handle around 3000 calls
each year. A large portion of those spills are related to home
heating oil tank leaks. We also respond to a large number of
transportation related incidents and a smaller amount of
HazMat calls.
When should I call you?
ALL oil spills in the State of Maine are prohibited
and must be cleaned up to the DEP Commissioners
satisfaction. There is no minimum reporting threshold. The
best way to determine if a spill is cleaned up properly is to
give us a call. Often, we will ask a few questions about what
happened and what you did for a cleanup and that’s it.
Sometimes we will need to take a ride to the site to make a
determination.
DEP Continued on Page 28
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
27

DEP Continued from Page 2716
What will you bring?
Each Responder is equipped with a one ton truck
full of spill response gear. Think of us as a rolling 12,000-
pound spill kit. We also have access to sophisticated GIS
data. This data can help us make a determination regarding
sensitive habitats and geological features even before we
arrive. We will also arrive with a great amount of
experience. Oil spill response is 75-85% of what we do and
we do it well.
What should I do if I have a spill?
1. Make the scene safe if you can.
2. Call us.
3. Address the leak if it is safe to do so. Plug holes,
patch leaks, etc.
4. Play defense. Deploy sorbent materials from your
spill kit (You need a spill kit). You can also build
dams to control spilled oil.
5. Mobilize equipment. Most logging contractors have
excellent access to heavy equipment. You can
probably track it down faster than we can. We’re
happy to use your stuff.
Please keep safety in mind while dealing with a
spill. If you’ve had a spill it’s likely because something has
gone wrong. When things go wrong, the likelihood of
getting hurt increases. Preventing a few gallons of fuel from
spilling to the ground is never worth getting hurt over.
Exercise common sense.
Will I be fined if I have a spill?
Responders are not Law Enforcement Officers. We
cannot write a summons. In fact, if you report your spills
within 2 hours and take appropriate action to clean it up to
the Commissioners satisfaction, we will not initiate an
enforcement action. Enforcement is not what we in the
Response Division are about anyway.
How can I prevent oil spills?
First, take good care of your equipment. Check
things like hydraulic hoses and fitting, fuel lines, and storage
tanks regularly. Good maintenance saves down time too
which saves money and aggravation. Second, DRIVE
SAFELY. We respond to way too many truck accidents.
Two or three hundred gallons of diesel fuel from ruptured
saddle tanks can cause a pretty big mess.
Isn’t oil a naturally occurring substance? Why do
I have to clean it up?
Oil does come from the ground, but from places far,
far away that are not nearly as awesome as Maine. Certain
components of some oils will degrade over time; however,
others will linger for a long time, posing a threat to human
health and the environment.
Why can’t I spread used motor oil on my roads to
control dust?
Sorry folks, it’s not 1950 anymore. Besides, waste
oil has value these days. If you can’t find an outfit with a
waste oil burner consider investing in one. Some places will
even buy waste oil.
If I have a sizeable spill to the ground will you turn
it into a Superfund site?
No. Responders can screen soil as it’s removed from
a site. We remove what is necessary to mitigate the
environmental threat. No more, no less.
What types of logging related incidents carry the
biggest risk to the environment?
Fuel truck rollovers, leaking storage tanks, log truck
accidents, equipment fires, and any spill near a water body
or sensitive habitat will get our attention pretty quickly.
How do I contact you?
Call 1-800-482-0777. 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year.
Locally owned and family run since 1925
We are here for all your insurance needs—focusing
on Logging, Lumbering & Trucking
Farmington: (207) 778-9862 Skowhegan: (207) 474-9561
Rumford: (207) 369-0171 Livermore Falls: (207) 897-3602
“Insurance is our only Business” - www.kyesinsurance.com
PO Box 337, Milo, ME 04463
943-7415
info@lumbrahardwoodsinc.com
28 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Four programs critical to Maine’s logging future on
display at 42nd Annual Logger’s Meet
F
ARMINGTON
- On a sunny mid-May morning in
a field next to Mt. Blue High School, about 50
high school students and an equal number of
friends, parents, and instructors gathered for the
42 nd Annual Logger’s Meet,
hosted this year by Foster
Technology Center of
Farmington.
The annual event brings
students from Maine’s four
Technical High School Forestry/
Wood Harvesting programs
together for two days of
competition in a variety of
disciplines, from skidder and log
loader operation to log rolling,
but it is also a chance to compare
notes, talk about what is going
right and what is going wrong in
the programs and the industry, and come up with new
ideas.
New ideas and success stories are important,
because these programs are on thin budgets and over time
their number has shrunk to the current four, yet they are
hugely important to Maine’s logging industry to meet the
need for new workers and grow interest in logging among
young people.
The four schools and their lead instructors are the
Oxford Hills Tech School in Norway (Instructor Al
Schaeffer), Region 9 School of Applied Technology in
Rumford (Instructor Marc Beaudoin), Foster Technology
Center in Farmington (Instructor Rodney Spiller), and
Region Two School of Applied Technology in Dyer Brook
(Instructor Rob Greenier).
Instructors for the
programs agree they all face the
same challenges: Funding is
tight, most of the equipment they
train students on is getting old,
and getting the word out to
young people that logging is still
a good career and then finding
enough who are interested in that
career is difficult.
One bonus for the
programs recently has been the
launch of the Mechanized
Logging Operations Program (MLOP) by the Professional
Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC) and the Maine
Community College System. The new program, which puts
students in the woods operating modern mechanized
equipment, provides a direct pathway into the logging
industry for graduates, and is a great addition for Maine.
While students enrolled in the MLOP do not need to have
attended one of the state’s four high school vocational
forestry/wood harvesting programs to enroll, it is a natural
next step for many of those who do attend the programs.
Another plus for the
vocational programs when it
comes to recruiting is the fact
that the training and skills they
offer can be applied not only to
logging, but other heavy
equipment trades like
construction, instructors said.
Students in the programs
enjoy the hands-on nature of
them, being outdoors and
handling equipment and timber
harvests as often as they are in
the classroom. Many have family
connections to the logging
industry. Others just love the woods.
Denesha Begin and Robert Ladd are both students
in the Foster Tech Forestry and Wood Harvesting Program.
Both grew up in logging families, and they both love the
outdoors.
Denesha plans to attend Unity College in the fall to
become a forester. When she enrolled in the Foster Tech
program she was not sure if it would be right for her. It
turned out it was.
“I absolutely love this and I’m going to my dream
college,” Denesha said. “Doing this program just helps me
with what I want to do.”
Robert had done some logging with his family
prior to entering the program, and has definite plans about
what he wants to do after high
school.
“I had done a little bit,
but I definitely learned a lot more
here,” Robert said. “What I really
want to do is get my own truck
and haul my own wood, maybe
get a Wood-Mizer and cut the
boards myself instead of bringing
the logs to a mill for less.”
The vocational programs
all benefit from participation by
professional loggers who donate
time, equipment, and resources to
aid them each year, but each instructor said they can always
use more participation, and in some cases additional logger
representation on the program’ advisory councils is also
needed.
The future of the programs is uncertain, but their
value to the future of the state’s logging industry is clear.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018
29

As We See It May 2018
“Loggers Working for Loggers at 2018 Washington DC Fly-In ”
By Danny Dructor
The American Loggers Council held its
annual Fly-In to Washington DC in March, connecting
loggers to members of Congress and the Trump
Administration. Our event would’ve had record
participation if not for an early spring snowstorm.
Fortunately, 60 members made it to our nation’s capital,
and together we made progress on several policy priorities
to benefit loggers across the country.
As with past events, the Fly-In gave ALC members
an opportunity to meet with their respective members of
Congress. However this year, loggers enjoyed increased
access to administration officials. ALC held a meeting
with officials in President Trump’s Office of Management
and Budget (OMB). As the people who most commonly do
the work on federal forests, we urged the Administration to
change the way the U.S. Forest Service does business. We
also had an audience with Interim Forest Service Chief
Vicki Christensen and Deputy Director of Forest
Management John Crockett.
A highlight of our Fly-In was passage of the
bipartisan wildfire and forest management agreement in the
omnibus appropriations bill. The forestry package includes
a new fire suppression funding mechanism that will adjust
funding caps to accommodate federal firefighting needs
and end the need for regular fire borrowing from non-fire
accounts at the Forest Service and Interior Department.
The package also provides land agencies with some
new tools to reduce wildfire risks, including a new
categorical exclusion under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) for Wildfire Resiliency Projects, an
amendment to the Healthy Forest Restoration Act to allow
creation of fuel-breaks and firebreaks under that law, and
reforms to vegetation management regulations around
power lines. In addition, the package allows repair and
reconstruction of forest roads on Good Neighbor Authority
projects, and provides relief from the “Cottonwood”
decision that has threatened federal timber production
throughout the West.
For years ALC has worked with other forestry
organizations to bring attention to the poor health of our
federal forests and the social and economic devastation
caused by the decline in federal timber harvests.
Unfortunately the agreement excludes many of the reforms
in the House-passed Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017.
Even with the positive provisions in the omnibus
agreement, it’s clear that more needs to be done to
significantly expand the amount of work that's needed on
our federal forests.
The spending agreement also offered loggers a
partial victory on the issue of wood-based biomass, a
byproduct of logging operations that can serve as a source
of renewable energy for industries and communities. The
utilization of biomass has been hampered by low costs of
fossil fuels and federal energy policies. The spending
agreement extended the government's policy of biomass'
"carbon neutrality" through September 2018.
We’ve also made progress in our effort to promote
uniform truck weight limits for log truck drivers. For many
years ALC has sought to create a more predictable system
across state lines on federal interstate highways, especially
as individual states have received various exemptions from
the limits. We’ve have proposed creating an additional
exemption for agricultural (including forest) commodity
loads that meet state-legal requirements and tolerances.
As we've written in the past, our efforts to establish
more predictable weight limits have been met with fierce
resistence from lobbyists in the railroad industry. During
the Fly-In several members of Congress pledged to
introduce legislation to provide relief from this patchwork
system. Moving forward ALC will invest in researching
solutions and developing policy that can pass Congress and
be signed by the president.
We’re also continuing the advocate for ALC’s
Future Logging Careers Act to give 16- and 17-year-olds in
family logging companies more hands-on experienced
mechanized logging. Since it passed the House last year as
part of the larger Resilient Federal Forests Act, the bill has
languished in the Senate and is unlikely to move forward
this session. Nonetheless, our bill’s supporters on Capitol
Hill have pledged to continue searching for a legislative
pathway in current and future sessions.
At this time it’s unclear what additional actions this
Congress will take on forest-related issues. The prospects
for a 2018 Farm Bill as an additional vehicle for reforms is
murky due to partisanship in the Capital. That’s why we
are increasingly focusing on working with the Trump
Administration to advance our priorities. Thank you to the
members who participated in the 2018 Fly-In, including
those who were stopped by the weather. We are loggers
working for loggers, and we are making progress.
Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for
the American Loggers Council with headquarters in
Hemphill, Texas. The American Loggers Council is a 501
(c)(6) not for profit trade organization representing
professional timber harvesters in 32 states across the
United States. If you would like to learn more about the
ALC, please visit their web site at www.amloggers.com, or
contact their office at 409-625-0206.
30 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Over the past couple of years, several CEO’s of
large timber companies, have expressed concerns about not
having enough logging contractors to do the work needed.
Who they are or who the concerns were expressed to are
not important. They each followed a similar pattern. Deep
concerns expressed about the aging and diminishing supply
of qualified logging contractors! In each case, the reply has
been that “loggers don’t make enough money for the
hardships they endure!” This is then followed by some
blank stares and comments like “what are you talking
about?”
It seems that the upper management of some
timber companies are quite oblivious to the details of
getting their timber logged and delivered to manufacturing
facilities. I think that if they paid a little closer attention to
their own processes of setting logging rates, that they
would see that they are trying to have their cake and eat it
to. To have high quality logging contractors at rock bottom
prices.
I must admit that, as a capitalist, I can completely
understand this desire. The logging process is one of the
major expenses of producing timber products. And, being a
commodity, the value of those timber products is often set
on a world market. In other words, the pie is only so big.
So why not always get the lowest logging price you can?
It’s been working for quite a while.
I say go for it! Us loggers are big boys and girls.
We just don’t ever, ever, ever want to hear another
complaint about there not being enough loggers!!!
Some timber companies have come up with some
intriguing ways to get sales logged at “below bid prices.”
Just last year, we were asked to do a job. We had given a
“pre-bid price.” We were told that they really wanted us to
do the sale because it fit us really well. We wanted to do
the sale as well. We were told, however, that our numbers
were “too high”. We met a couple of times, to hash things
out and we argued back and forth. But in the end, we were
told that we had to log the sale at their numbers. We
relented and decided that we would. However, in
retrospect, we wished that we had said no. The truth was,
that the price we were offered was the same price we could
have gotten twenty years ago. Twenty years ago, however,
we could have made some money at that price. However,
on last year’s sale, there was precious little money to be
made. Inflation has taken its toll over the years and loggers
are being squeezed really hard right now. The price of
lumber had almost doubled from the time this sale was
purchased and when it was logged. You would think that
the sale purchaser could have spared a few dollars to help
the logger?
Several years ago, we were asked to bid a timber
sale. We were one of three bidders. We were told that the
good new was that we were the lowest bid. However, the
bad news was that our bid was higher then their anticipated
As We See It June 2018
“Having it Both Ways?”
By Mark Turner
logging costs. We were then asked to split the difference
between our price and theirs, or they would rebid the sale.
Looking back, I wish we would have said not only no, but
hell no! There was about $50,000 difference in our bid
price and the price we logged the sale for. However, we
needed that money a lot more then that timber company
did. If you are going to put things out for bid, then at least
make it an honest process.
Bidding a timber sale can be a very complicated
process. Us loggers are quite capable of coming up with
numbers that are lower then they should be. Especially if it
is a sale that we feel we need, to get us through the slow
time of the year. I think every logger out there has been, at
some time or other, overly optimistic about the production
they can get on a particular timber sale. Sometimes it seems
like we are our own worst enemies. However, I have heard
many stories about loggers being asked to reduce their
price, to match a “really low bid” submitted by another
logger.
One of the issues that loggers run into is how
timber sales are managed. Sale management can make a
big difference in profit margins. As one logger recently told
me, “to get a nice timber sale, you have to bid it at
maximum production, assuming that everything will go
perfectly. Then as soon as you are awarded the sale, they
start throwing road blocks up that inhibit production”. It’s
not uncommon to have a timber sale postponed at the last
minute. To be told to pull out half way through and come
back later to finish it. To have more sorts added, then were
originally expected. Or to have quotas imposed that are
lower than the production required, to produce a profit. All
of these things and many others reduce the profitability of
the loggers, of course, at no cost to the timber company.
Most of us loggers realize that we are not going to
get rich working for timber companies. In most cases, we
are just subcontractors. We have to work hard and be as
efficient as possible to just get by. However, it would be
nice to be treated fairly, in an open and honest process.
Some of the CEOs of these timber companies might be
surprised how hard their loggers will work for them if they
were allowed to make enough profit to pay their employees
what they deserve and live a decent life themselves.
As I said before, the pie is only so big. However,
with the building boom that has been going on lately, the
pie has been getting considerably larger. If loggers were to
get a little bit larger piece of that pie, those same CEOs
might be surprised how little it would hurt their profit
margins. They might also find more loggers available to do
the work needed.
Mark Turner is the President of the American
Loggers Council. Mark and his brother Greg operates
Turner Logging out of Banks, Ore. Mark is an active leader
with the Associated Oregon Loggers.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018 31

As We See It July 2018
“Logger Survey: Is Logging an Agricultural Activity?”
By Danny Dructor
For years the Agriculture sector has enjoyed
various Acts passed in Congress which have helped to
bring some semblance of stability to their industry. While
there are many inferences to the timber harvesting
community in many of these Acts, there is no explicit
support for the timber harvesting industry as a whole. We
have a valid argument that timber harvesting and logging
activities are already recognized in many statutes on a
comparative basis with Agriculture, as well as our
classification in the North American Industrial
Classification System (NAICS) Code 1133 which falls
under agriculture. This code recognizes the industry as
being an agricultural crop producer, and the exemptions
and the benefits that the agricultural community currently
receives should be extended to the logging industry as well.
A few of the Bills where there could be potential
benefit for the industry if clarification as to logging being
an agricultural industry include:
1. The Agricultural Marketing At of June 15,
1929. This Act established a Federal Farm Board to
promote the effective merchandising of agricultural
commodities in interstate and foreign commerce, and to
place agriculture on a basis of economic equality with other
industries. The Act encouraged the organization of
producers into effective associations and corporations
under their own control for greater unity in effort in
marketing and by promoting the establishment of producerowned
and producer-controlled cooperative associations
and other agencies. Section 15(a) states: “As used in this
Act the term “cooperative association” means any
association in which farmers act together in collectively
processing, preparing for market, handling and/or
marketing the farm products of persons so engaged and
also means any association in which farmers act together in
collectively purchasing, testing, grading, and/or processing
their farm supplies…”.
2. The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.
Section 207. “When used in this title, the term
“agricultural products” includes agricultural, horticultural,
viticultural, and dairy products, livestock, and poultry,
bees, forest products, fish and shellfish, and any product
thereof, including processed and manufactured products,
and any and all products raised or produced on farms and
any processed or manufactured products thereof.”
3. Agricultural Fair Practices Act of 1967. “An
Act to prohibit unfair trade practices affecting producers of
agricultural products and for other purposes.” “Because
agricultural products are produced by numerous individual
farmers, the marketing and bargaining position of
individual farmers will be adversely affected unless they
are free to join together voluntarily in cooperative
organizations as authorized by law. Interference with this
right is contrary to the public interest and adversely affects
the free and orderly flow of goods in interstate and foreign
commerce. It is, therefore, declared to be policy of
Congress and the purpose of this Act, to establish standards
of fair practices required of handlers in their dealings in
agricultural products.”
The Act prohibits the following activities by the
“handler”:
a. To coerce any producer in the exercise of his right to join
and belong to or to refrain from joining or belonging to an
association of producers, or to refuse to deal with any
producer because of the exercise of his rights to join and
belong to such an association.”
b. “To discriminate against any producer with respect to
price, quantity, quality, or other terms of purchase,
acquisition, or other handling of agricultural products
because of his membership in or contact with an
association of producers or a contract with a handler.”
c. “To coerce or intimidate any producer to enter into,
maintain, breach, cancel, or terminate a membership
agreement or marketing contract with an association of
producers or a contract with a handler.”
d. “To pay or loan money, give anything of value, or offer
any other inducement or reward to a producer for refusing
to or ceasing to belong to an association of producers.”
e. “To make false reports about the finances, management,
or activities of associations of producers or handlers.”
f. “To conspire, combine, agree, or arrange with any
person to do, or aid or abet the doing of, any act made
unlawful by this Act.”
Many lawmakers in Washington, DC are
surprised to find out that the logging industry is not
always considered a part of Agriculture in many of the
statutes that exist today. While several states have made
it quite clear that logging is considered an agricultural
activity and offered up many of same exemptions and
exceptions that our friends in agricultural currently enjoy at
the State level, we are behind the curve in making our case
at the national level.
We would like to hear back from you on whether
or not the American Loggers Council should actively
pursue this issue, and of course we would welcome any
comments or concerns that you might have as we move
forward. Please click to https://www.surveymonkey.com/
r/CVGBH5W to vote in our online poll.
You can also feel free to contact us at 409-625-
0206, e-mail at americanlogger@aol.com (please include
“logging as ag” in the subject line), write comments on our
Facebook page (American Loggers Council), or mail us at
ALC, PO Box 966, Hemphill, TX 75948. We look forward
to hearing from you.
Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for
the American Loggers Council with offices near Hemphill,
Texas.
32 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

Why Master Logger Certification© matters now
By Ted Wright, Executive Director, Trust to Conserve
Northeast Forestlands
Logging has an image problem in America, and every logger
knows this.
It wasn’t always this way. Not so long ago, nearly
every family in timber-rich areas of the country had at least one
member working in the woods. Logging was understood and
accepted, and loggers honored and celebrated as members of a
vital and respected profession.
Today, with mechanization the number of loggers has
fallen dramatically, relatively few families are in the business,
and this once accepted industry is now overlooked,
misunderstood or, regrettably, vilified by the public.
Changing this image will not be easy, but it may
be one of the most important tasks the logging industry
must confront if it is to survive. Wood markets ultimately
depend on the public, and when the public starts to question
where, how or even whether wood is harvested, the image of
logging becomes something we all need to consider. This is
where Master Logger Certification© can make a difference, not
just for individual loggers, but for our industry as a whole.
Master Logger is about achieving professional
standards and third-party verification. It is a program built not
simply by taking classes, attending workshops or training
sessions, but by demonstrating high quality work in the woods
every day. In many cases, businesses that achieve this
certification are already meeting the Master Logger standards.
Certification is a means of documenting this ongoing
commitment. For these logging enterprises, it provides
recognition of the high-quality work they already do. For
loggers who do not yet meet the benchmarks and want to
improve, it raises the bar for the industry.
Other industries have implemented standards that have
elevated their reputation with the public. My wife is a registered
nurse and relative newcomer to the logging industry. Many
times, she is asked by coworkers or patients about what I do.
She often explains the Master Logger Program by using an
analogy about the medical field. Patients will always prefer
using a board-certified physician. Certification in the health
field has ensured up-to-date and evidence-based knowledge and
practice. The success of the program has led people to expect
this level of practice.
The same is true for the Forest Products Industry. By
growing brand recognition of Master Logger, the consumer
(mill, landowner, or general public) will know their choice of
timber harvesting business meets the seven responsibilities of
the certification program. The consumer will recognize a Master
Logger company as doing the very best for the environment, the
forest, the community, and their employees.
Implementing these benchmark measures also allow
state and federal regulators to look at our industry as being able
to self-regulate, which can lead to the lifting or lightening of
external regulations and red tape. This has already begun to
happen in certain states. Increased awareness and understanding
of Master Logger Certification will only bring greater
recognition of our achievements and positive outlook.
In 2017, the American Loggers Council (ALC) decided
the time was right to revitalize and promote the Master Logger
program nationally to build on the success it has seen in areas of
the country where it is already established. This effort is being
undertaken to help the logging industry receive recognition
for the high-quality work so many loggers are already
doing and to reinforce standards that will enable it to
improve its image with the public and maintain healthy
forests.
Insurance Update: Master Logger Recognized as
Certified Logger
The Maine Workers Compensation Board and the National
Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) have made the
decision to recognize Master Logger Companies and their
employees as Certified Loggers to all workers compensation
carriers in Maine. This will give Maine Master Loggers
flexibility and choice when choosing the appropriate safety
training that meets OSHA standards and the needs of their
employees.
If you are a Master Logger and have questions on this change
and how it can benefit your company, please reach out to your
insurance agent or give the Master Logger program a call
anytime at 207-532-8721.
American loggers are doing the best work in the world.
The public should know this and value it. Wood buyers should
reward it. In an industry where most of us are working long
hours and often six or seven days a week, we have little time for
anything that does not get the job done. This is why we must let
the work we do stand for itself, and why the work must be
recognized. This is what the Master Logger program seeks to
accomplish.
In the coming months, this national effort will gain
momentum. Existing Master Logger programs will be
expanded, and new efforts launched. If there is not a Master
Logger program in your area now, there will be soon.
For more information on the Master Logger Program
contact Ted Wright at (207) 532-8721 or
executivedirector@tcnef.org.
The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer Winter 2018
29 33

This article is reprinted by permission from The Northern Logger June 2018 issue.
34 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018 35

36 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Summer 2018 37

34 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995

The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2018 31

Professional Logging
Contractors of Maine
110 Sewall St.
P.O. Box 1036
Augusta, ME 04332