Vol. 36, No. 5, May 2024 AOL Mainline The 2023 AOL Safety Professional of the Year page 16 Mark Dvorscak
The Mainline is a monthly publication of: Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. 2015 Madrona Ave SE Salem, OR 97302 Mailing: PO Box 12339 Salem, OR 97309 503.364.1330 fax: 503.364.0836 www.oregonloggers.org AOL Staff Team Executive Vice President Rex Storm • [email protected] Business Operations Manager Kathy Ballard • [email protected] Contractor Services Manager/Se habla Español Mathew McCartney • [email protected] Forest Policy Manager Amanda Sullivan-Astor • [email protected] Insurance Group Manager Dave Boyd • [email protected] Safety & Health Manager David Grim • [email protected] IT Director Tyler Teal • [email protected] Fiscal Operation & Publication Coordinator Aletha Henderson • [email protected] Event & Education Coordinator Shanna Lambert • [email protected] Member Services Coordinator Tiffany Lord • [email protected] Sr. Safety Management Consultants Leonard Lulay • [email protected] Mike Weaver • [email protected] Rod Huffman • [email protected] Roger Lulay • [email protected] Garrett Weaver • [email protected] Contract Lobbyist Kevin Campbell • The Victory Group Contract Communicator FPW Media The Mainline Editor Aletha Henderson Advertising & Design LLM Publications • www.llmpubs.com Design & Layout Juliette Miratsky • [email protected] Advertising Sales Ronnie Jacko • [email protected] Email editorial news, notices, and correspondence: [email protected] Copyright 2024 Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may be reprinted only with the expressed written permission of AOL. Also Inside 4 From Executive VP 8 News, Events, Reminders 18 As We See It (ALC) 23 Group Benefits, Insurance Discounts 29 Safety & Health 32 Workforce, Human Resources, Labor 34 OPL & Professional Qualification 39 Political Action & Elections 42 Business, Contracting, Markets On the Cover 2023 AOL Safety Professional of the Year, Mark Dvorscak (Mark is the Safety Coordinator with Lone Rock Timber Management Co., located in Roseburg, Oregon). Page 16 Mainline The 32 Training Effective Stewards Shasta College program focuses on building skillsets while expanding perspectives 12 Sponsorships Available Show your support and bring your company name to the forefront
4 The Mainline From Executive VP Rex Storm Executive Vice President [email protected] Rising Inflation Impacts Small Business In this inflationary economic setting, a small business must routinely adjust prices and terms upward, to avoid becoming awash in rising costs and debt. Tips For Your Business to Combat Inflation As inflation continues to rise, so does the cost of goods and services produced, and so rises their price. Your business has been affected by inflation—and you’re not alone. Fifty-two percent of small business owners say inflation is their top challenge, according to the MetLife-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Index for Q1 2024. Conquering the impact of inflation can be daunting, but the good news is you have options. There are ongoing steps you can take to sustain your business and improve your bottom line. Here are seven inflation combatting strategies to consider: 1. Monitor your business and study the markets Closely monitor and document your expenses, markets, production, and competition. This means studying and gathering the data valuable to inform your best decisionmaking about profitable spending, negotiation, and agreement. Monitoring production and labor costs can identify areas to cut, add, improve, or reduce debt. Armed with good information about current markets and rates, you can negotiate better pricing with customers and suppliers. Take time to get advice from other experts, such as an accountant, consultant, business advisor, vendor, customer, colleague, lender, or attorney. During uncertain financial times, it’s helpful to have external support to prepare your business for the future. 2. Diversify and strengthen your supply chains By sourcing from multiple suppliers and having multiple customers, your business can reduce reliance on a single supplier or customer who may quickly become unworkable in some unexpected way. More customer/vendor options in your portfolio can mitigate the impact of supply chain change or disruption. 3. Raise your business’s prices Increasing your prices is one effective way to maintain cash flow and stay profitable when inflation is high. Put resources into areas that grow profitability. With strategic pricing, by constantly analyzing market trends and pacing your competitors, you can create pricing that stays competitive and protects your bottom line. According to the NFIB Small Business Index, February Report, 37% of small businesses have recently increased their prices. 4. Work on employee retention Without strong employee retention efforts, you can lose valuable workers— and struggle to meet customer demand. Across Oregon and the U.S., employees are quitting at record-high rates in search of better working conditions and compensation elsewhere. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index Report in February stated that labor quality remains the single most important problem for business. The failure of employee compensation to pace consumer inflation has accelerated worker turnover. Human resource
5 May 2024 From Executive VP Continued → professionals across America write about the “forever labor shortage” driving keen industry competition for a limited supply of workers, especially in less-popular skilled trades. 5. Invest in business technology Investing in efficiency can save you money in the long run. Protect your bottom line by investing in technology that helps you accomplish more with fewer resources. Look for opportunities within your business to simplify operational processes, collate better cost and production information, and increase internal efficiency. Technology gains are available well beyond those of equipment, methods, or forest mechanization. 6. Reduce business expenses Reduce business overhead costs and variable expenses. Streamline service or product offerings can help hedge against inflation. You must build flexibility into cash flow projections and financial analysis. The more affordable your expenses are, the more cash you can put toward production, improved customer service, or creating a cushion for emergencies. As you review expenses, consider the value each item brings to operations. 7. Be proactive about debt management Regularly review debts and identify areas where you can reduce or eliminate debt that’s too expensive. It also means negotiating or renegotiating favorable terms with lenders. If more working capital is needed to keep up with customer demand, getting a business loan can help. However, 61% of business owners surveyed for the February Small Business Index said they were not interested in a loan now. Taking a loan with high inflation may help dollars go further; if inflation persists, you’ll pay back borrowed money with cheaper cash later. Small Business Challenged by a Tsunami Greater Than Inflation Alone Expenses are skyrocketing, as small business now grapples with additional harmful new government policies that drive higher inflation for labor and their total cost of goods and services produced. A tsunami of overreaching added small business hurdles are worsening inflation’s impact, because of their indirect cost escalation. Rising demands often outpace the short supplies of labor and most all inputs—causing higher prices. These added costly new policy impacts on small business include: transportation burdens, supply-chain disruptions, employer/labor mandates, wildfire/ environmental risks, hard insurance markets, borrowing rates up, worse regulation/tax, social inflation (litigation), decarbonization regulation, fuel limits, alternative equipment, and green energy unreliability or infeasibility. 2024 First Quarter Inflation on The Rise U.S. inflation saw a sharper-than- anticipated rise in March, alarming a costly trend upward that began in January to hit small business. The rise sent a worrisome signal of higher inflation, short labor, unprofitability, and punishing small business borrowing rates. Small businesses are most vulnerable to impacts of inflation, because of their lower capitalization and market position. Monthly Consumer Price Index data for January, February, and March signaled rising inflation, and a heating economy, which signals a path to the Federal Reserve not cutting its interest rate anytime soon. U.S. all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose again by 0.4% in March 2024, or a 12-month rise to 3.5%, a larger annual increase than February’s 3.2%, as reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indexes which increased in March include many items vital to living and work: gasoline, electricity, housing, motor vehicle insurance, medical care, apparel, and personal care. • West Region CPI 12-month, March 2024 rose to 3.6%, compared to 3.2% the prior month • West Region CPI one-month, March 2024, rose an alarming 0.9%
6 The Mainline From Executive VP Oregon average fuel prices are climbing— with a higher price outlook ahead: • Gas, regular $4.43 (two months ago: $3.59; one year ago: 4.03) • Diesel $4.29 (two months ago: $4.14; one year ago: 4.60) (Reported 4/14/24 by AAA at: www.gasprices. aaa.com.) Rising Electricity Rates = Barometer for Small Business Cost Inflation Portland General Electric (PGE) power rates in Oregon are up more than 30% since 2022. An array of costly challenges mean even higher prices could be on the way. After a long run with power prices only creeping higher, PGE and PacifiCorp utilities face an extraordinary rate spike and the prospect of large hikes every year. PGE, the state’s largest electricity supplier, now annually asks regulators for major rate increases. Double-digit energy inflation is a proxy for cost-of-living, which indicates a troubling trend about regional unaffordability for small business, workers, and consumers alike. Employer and worker affordability is greatly-reduced by higher costs of energy, labor, transportation, housing, consumer goods, credit, insurance, tax, and burdens of new regulation. Now, the once comparatively stable electricity rates—a barometer for small business cost and worker cost-of-living— appear to have exploded. The explosion impacts small business and workers alike, because energy cost hikes are largely spurred by naïve government-led policies forcing suppliers to spend big to deliver power, natural gas, gasoline, and diesel. t Rex Storm, AOL Executive VP, leads the association’s team of fifteen professionals and other contracted resources to provide valued service and voice for Oregon’s logging and forest operator sector. He has represented forest contractor success statewide in forest and business policymaking for three decades. He is a Certified Forester, a Certified Family Forest landowner, and lifelong advocate for small business and forestry. Continued →
AOL EVENT CALENDAR STATEWIDE AOL PROGRAMS REGISTRATION REQUIRED Log A Load for Kids Golf Tournament Fundraiser Event Friday, June 21 AOL-sponsored fundraiser for three Oregon Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Held at: Tokatee Golf Club ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������54947 McKenzie Hwy, McKenzie Bridge 97413 To Register ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������AOL website: www.oregonloggers.org NEW! AOL Sporting Clays PAC Fundraiser Event Saturday, August 3 AOL lobby team fundraiser for Loggers Political Action Committee—in support of 2024 General Election candidates for state legislature. › An afternoon of shooting, fun, sport, and impacting AOL political action! › Candidates and special guests invited to join the fun! › 15 shooting stations; a professionally-organized event; lunch included; prizes › Proceeds go to AOL-State PAC › Sponsorships now available—call AOL for details 503.364.1330 Held at: Mid-Valley Clays ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6181 Concomly Road NE, Gervais 97026 (Located 15 miles north of Salem, east of I-5. Registration will be available soon) AOL Fall Board & Committee Meeting Event Friday & Saturday, September 20–21 All members welcome to participate! Meetings of AOL standing committees and Board of Directors. Held at: Brasada Ranch ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������16986 SW Brasada Ranch Rd, Powell Butte 97753 (Registration will be available closer to the date) AOL Statewide Safety Conference Saturday, November 2 Save the date and plan to attend; or send a supervisor! Hear current information and learn insights into safe and healthy work in forest operations. Held at: Best Western Plus Boulder Falls Inn & Conference Center �����������������������������������������������������505 Mullins Dr, Lebanon 97355 (Registration will be available closer to the date) OPL PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION CORE COURSES REGISTRATION REQUIRED A total of 25 in-person OPL core courses are scheduled during 2024, for locations in ALL FIVE REGIONS OF THE STATE. These OPL core courses are the one-time requirement for individuals seeking to complete the individual qualification for Qualified Professional (QP) and Onsite Supervisor (OS). • Coming soon! Stay tuned! Online, on-demand, OPL core courses will be available this summer! • To view a full-year 2024 listing of 25 OPL in-person courses and their locations, please view the full-year schedule in this Mainline. • The 2024 OPL Course Schedule is also available online at the AOL website: www.oregonloggers.org. News, Events, Reminders 8 The Mainline THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS Golf Tournament Triad Machinery Starfire Lumber Co. Hart Custom Cutting LLC PAC Fundraiser Starfire Lumber Co.
9 May 2024 News, Events, Reminders Northwest District LNaerxsteenr rTa i, mI nbce. r, L L C ST no po wHye aRvi vy eTr i mF abr emr sL, LI nCc Wy’east Wildlands LLC Southwest District DC oi anmt roa nc tdi nRgi dLgLeC Hudson Pacific LLC LQguiFnotroenstHryydLeLTCrucking LLC ST iBmabr eSr LLaLnCd a n d Superior AJ Forestry LLC 2024 Oregon Donations Received to Date: $58,383.04
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11 May 2024 News, Events, Reminders Log A Load for Kids “Making Miracles Happen for Oregon’s Children… Our Most Precious Resource” Log A Load for Kids is a national fundraising campaign for the forest products community to participate in the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN). The concept is that loggers and timber industry supporters donate their share of earnings from a load of logs, or any amount. All funds raised go to the three Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Oregon. More than 10 million children enter a children’s hospital across North America every year. To provide the best care for each child the children’s hospitals rely on donations and community support because Medicaid and insurance does not fully cover this needed care. Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. is a proud sponsor of the Oregon Log A Load for Kids program. Since 1996, Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. has raised over 2.5 million dollars for this most worthy cause. Fundraising efforts each year include: • Log A Load for Kids Night (at our annual convention in January) • Log A Load for Kids Charity Golf Tournament (in June) • Voluntary donations (during our yearly membership renewals) Everyone looks forward to Log A Load Night at the annual convention in January. It’s a night where our members get to dress up in theme attire, visit, laugh and have a fun time; all while vying for that sought after auction item. The evening consists of: silent auction, live auction, and dessert auction, and some wild and crazy group activities. Some years we have raised, in just this one night alone, over $66,000 thanks to the generosity of our members. And for those who participate, and for those who keep thinking of participating—please come and enjoy our annual charity golf tournament on June 21. It promises to be the highlight of the summer. This year the golf tournament will be held at Tokatee Golf Club, 54947 McKenzie Hwy, McKenzie Bridge, Oregon 97413. It is sure to be a fun-filled day. So, as summer approaches, pull out your golf clubs, dust them off, and prepare for an early “Tee Time” on June 21. Shot gun start is 9:00am sharp. All money raised, in a given year, is distributed equally to each hospital. No administrative fees are deducted. And donors can choose which CMN hospital they wish to donate to. The three hospitals that participate in this program are: • OHSU Foundation / Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland • Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene • Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford And thank you again to all of our members. We couldn’t do this program without all the support you give to us. t
12 The Mainline News, Events, Reminders Want to Get More Involved with Your Association? Try Sponsorships! ›By Kathy Ballard, Business Operations Manager You can show your support for Association members and bring your company name to the forefront by participating in event sponsorships! AOL offers a wide variety of event sponsorships to fit any budget, starting at only $250 and covering many types of events to fit your needs. Sponsor a Board and Committee Event and have your name displayed on all printed materials distributed to the leaders of the association. The 2024 AOL Safety Conference provides an opportunity to show your support of innovative safety and health solutions for the industry. In-person OPL-QP and OS course sponsorship ensures your name will appear in front of every attendee of these courses that are required for all companies desiring OPL qualification. Look for future opportunities to have your company name and logo on our upcoming Online OPL-QP and OS courses. Looking for a fun event to sponsor? We’ve got you covered! The popular Log A Load for Kids Golf Tournament is a fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals and always well-attended. New this year is the fun OR-Loggers State PAC Shooting Clays Fundraiser, where your brand will shine alongside key figures in a 15-station sporting clay event. Your support will empower our forestry advocacy. Uniting forest operators and legislators in our mission, with every shot fired strengthening our collective future. Sponsorships can be purchased through the AOL website www.oregonloggers.org, click “Store” on the top green menu, or by calling the AOL office at 503.364.1330. Become an AOL Sponsor today! t
16 The Mainline At the Associated Oregon Loggers Annual Convention recognition dinner, held January 19, Mark Dvorscak was recognized as the 2023 AOL Safety Professional. AOL President Tom Dober honored Mark’s career as a safety leader and innovator. Mark was joined at the event by his wife Roberta, brother and sister-in-law Dave and Dorothy, and a room full of AOL members appreciative of his inspiring safety career. AOL’s Safety Professional Award honors a member individual, group, or business who is a leader or exemplifies the importance of working safely and staying healthy in Oregon forests, logging, transportation, or associated forest business. Mark Dvorscak, safety coordinator with Lone Rock Timber Management Co., has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to safety, occupational health, and worker wellness in logging and forest operations, making valuable contributions throughout his career. The association is pleased to honor this successful safety coordinator who is a safe role model for workers not only with his company, but also across the broader forest contract community of Douglas County and AOL membership. Mark started his logging career in 1977 at the age of 21, where his first job was piling brush on the landing. It didn’t take long to prove his worth, and soon was setting chokers on a Skagit GT3 swing yarder. He loved working in the woods, and in 1987 started work for Lone Rock Timber as a timber faller. His falling experience was followed by eleven years in the surveying and engineering department. In 2009, Mark’s leadership advanced him to become Lone Rock’s first full-time Safety Coordinator. Within just three years as Coordinator, the fruits of Mark’s labors showed fewer injuries and lower MOD rates for Lone Rock Timber & Logging. Safe work results quickly convinced managers to support Mark’s efforts, giving him greater authority to do what it took to develop a new company safety culture. Lone Rock managers gave unwavering support for safety. His passion for people and great work made a huge impact on the safety of hundreds of forest workers spanning the next 15 years. Mark was always available 24/7 for any issue or incident that he could address for the better. He gained management support from the top-down about the importance of crew safety on every jobsite and for every person—no matter the difficulty of the situation. He increased awareness of safety programs in the field, impressing on others their personal role, before and during the work for always safe practices. 2023 AOL Safety Professional Award Mark Dvorscak Lone Rock Logging Co. / Lone Rock Timber Management Co., Roseburg, Oregon News, Events, Reminders
17 May 2024 In 2023, Mark was awarded the Lifetime Safety Award from his peers at Lone Rock. There was a wide range of worker exposures and challenges that Mark successfully overcame with the team— across 100 employees, 12 logging and road sides, trucks, support staff, shop, facilities, cattle ranch, and a 150,000-acre tree farm. Mark’s legacy of accomplishments can be found in Lone Rock’s operating procedures, culture, and safe performance. Serving safety improvement by giving back to the industry, Mark is a member of the Oregon-OSHA Forest Activities Advisory Committee, and an American Society of Safety Professional. He has routinely been a contributor and attendee at AOL safety conferences and programs— sharing his experience to benefit other companies and their teams. Mark was a major contributor to the recently-released AOL rescue video, ‘When Seconds Count— Rigging Assist Rescue for Life Threatening Injuries’ (available from AOL’s library of safety & health resources). Mark has been able to gain the respect of his peers and all co-workers by being a likeable resource for safe practices, while not being a “safety cop.” His good advice is this: ;Be an advocate for the crew, there to help them be better ;Always treat people with respect ;Give people what makes them want safety ;Show your support of safe work At year-end in 2023, Mark retired from Lone Rock after 47 years of a great time in the woods. Though, he suspects he’ll still be working, just not getting paid. There could be some time advising Lone Rock’s team. He hopes retirement is filled with travel, sailing, home improvement, and grandchildren. Thank you, Mark, for your career of unwavering determination to make forest work safer for your team and AOL members. t News, Events, Reminders
18 The Mainline As We See It (ALC) This three-word title could end with a period, an exclamation point, or a question mark. For this article, my intent is to stay with an exclamation point. I’ll set the stage for the “exclamation point” with a few facts as follows. Currently, over 56% of America’s 760 million acres of forest is privately held by approximately 10 million family forest owners. The vast majority of these private ownerships are east of the Mississippi. (The majority of these eastern forest landowners are well aware of the many western forestry challenges (debacles) and hope they stay ... west!) The western loggers might choose the title to read “What’s Going Right?” with a question mark. Regardless, optimism can be found in the fact that the majority of America’s forests are privately owned and cared for by tree farmers across our country who see wisdom in managing for multiple uses, while profiting from a renewable resource—trees. I think if we can all “hang on” for a bit longer, America’s trees, and the loggers who harvest them, will soon be more highly valued. Here’s why I say that. Wood, in the form of lumber, the renewable resource and product we understand, is steadily becoming the world’s preferred building material. Alex de Rijke, director of the London-based cross laminated timber (CLT) firm, dRMM, put it this way, “Timber is the new concrete. ... the 17th century was the age of stone, the 18th century was the peak of brick. The 19th century was the age of iron, and the 20th century the century of concrete. The 21st century will be the time for timber.” Canadian architect Michael Green summarizes it like this: “Climate change and the need for more urban housing collide in a crisis that demands building solutions with low energy and low carbon footprints. As a renewable material grown by the power of the sun, wood offers a new way to think about our future.” The fact that architects and builders are embracing CLT as the preferred building product for the future should be viewed by us loggers as a major “exclamation point” to tag onto “What’s Going Right.” Here are a few more points to consider. The average person can go about three weeks without eating. Thank God that we have the world’s best farmers and ranchers feeding America and so many others. That same average person will expire in about three to five days without water, and in about three minutes without oxygen. Hydrologists estimate that 60–70% of America’s water flows out of our forested watersheds. On average, scientists estimate that one acre of trees can produce enough oxygen for 18 people to continually breathe freely. And who is entrusted to work in our forests, watersheds, and airsheds that provide us with the very essence of life? The American logger! That trust is the foundation for this title “What’s Going “What’s Going Right” ›By Mike Albrecht, Sierra Resource Management Inc. – Jamestown, CA Mike Albrecht President, American Loggers Council O p toi mf Ai smme rc iacna ’ bs ef of roeusnt sd ai nr et hp er i fvaactte tl yh aotwt hnee dmaanj odr i t y cs ae ree wd if sodr obmy ti rne me faanr amg ei nr gs af oc rr oms su lot ui pr l ec ouus ne tsr, ywwh ihl eo profiting from a renewable resource—trees.
19 May 2024 As We See It (ALC) Right!” To maintain that trust, we must continue to train our logging crews that there are two products that demand our full consideration: what we haul out of the forest, and the forest we leave behind. I’ll end with something else going right, maybe the most hopeful thing of all. John Buckley (representing the environmental community in our region) and I (representing the timber industry) fought through the California timber wars of the 1980’s and 90’s. John and I both had our voices, our pens, and our “people” who engaged in the battles with us. In California, Y2K ushered in drought, bark beetles, and catastrophic wildfires into our forests. As Sierra Nevada forests were being strangled to death from too many trees, vast swaths began to succumb to disease and burn right before our eyes. Our warring factions had an epiphany: We had better lay down our arms and figure out how this could be turned around before the forests both sides wanted to protect ended up being destroyed. In 2010, 30 different local and regional groups (including environmental groups, the timber industry (contractors, sawmills, associations), homeowner groups, recreational users, USFS, BLM, PG&E, and others) got together, checked our egos and pride at the door, and began a discussion that continues today. It centered on two key points: 1. We wanted to protect our forests for multiple uses. 2. Protection would require removal of excess trees and vegetation that fuel massive wildfires as well as the markets essential to process those materials. We got off to a slow start. It took four meetings to name the group. At one point I suggested “Collaboration Results in Analysis Paralysis.” The group did not like the acronym “CRAP.” We eventually settled on Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions, and “YSS” was born. In 2013, what we all feared the most happened: the Rim Fire. The Rim Fire burned 247,000 acres, 80,000 acres of it in Yosemite National Park. It threatened San Francisco’s water and power supply, which resulted in national attention. After the smoke settled, YSS went to work Continued →
20 The Mainline As We See It (ALC) promoting over 300 million board feet of timber salvage, thousands of tons of biomass removal that was converted to electrical power, and tens of thousands of acres of reforestation. None of this has gone perfectly, but our collaborative’s results stand in stark contrast to the millions of acres of forest carnage that lie fallow across the state of California and serve as a testimony to mankind’s unwillingness to compromise. Because of the efforts of the YSS collaborative, over $100 million has been sent to the Stanislaus National Forest in the past two years to facilitate over 200,000 acres of landscape level projects. A recap of “What’s Going Right”… 1. The majority of America’s forests remain privately stewarded by folks who value “multiple use” forest management. 2. Loggers are entrusted by the American public to work in forests that provide the very essence of life: our water and air. 3. The 21st century is ushering in an enthusiastic “yes” to using wood as the primary building material for our future homes and cities. 4. “Working together” is slowly but surely replacing the “Timber War” approach to implementing forest management solutions. Right now, “What’s Going Right” can end with an exclamation point. With the American Loggers Council’s work at the national level, and your work in your community, we can keep the question mark out of the title. t The American Logger — A Legacy of Achievement www.amloggers.com Mike Albrecht has a master’s degree in forestry from Duke University, is a Registered Professional Forester in California, and has worked for over 45 years in forest management and the forest products industry. Mike currently serves as president of the American Loggers Council and is a past president of Associated California Loggers and the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference. AOL is a founding member of the American Loggers Council. The American Loggers Council is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing the interests of timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses across the United States. For more information visit our website at www.amloggers.com. Continued →
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23 May 2024 Group Benefits, Insurance Discounts AOL health insurance is now available! The first enrolled member employers began receiving coverage on April 1. AOL partner agents are accepting quote requests for this new AOL-owned health insurance product. It’s available from Health Net Insurance at very competitive rates only to members. SAVE ON PREMIUMS This is a “triple-win” for your business and AOL service to you: 1) discounted Benefits Built for Your Forest Business New in 2024! savings for members; 2) benefit attracts members; and 3) income to support AOL service programs. AN AOL MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT Loggers, truckers, and forest contractors like you oversee AOL Health Benefits, and have created a product with 13 plans to meet employer needs of any AOL member. Let’s find your plan. GET A QUOTE TODAY Healthcare coverage is the single most important benefit you can offer loyal employees, but it can be expensive. Let one of our partner agents help you offer that benefit within your budget. Allen Zwemke, M&G Sr. Employee Benefits Specialist 503.399.3803 [email protected] Dave Boyd, AOL Insurance Manager 503.364.1330 [email protected] In partnership with:
24 The Mainline Group Benefits, Insurance Discounts Legislation passed in 2023 changed the landscape for Oregon health insurance plans. Oregon Senate Bill 1529 passed in 2022; and then the bill was further modified by House Bill 3008 during 2023. The net effect of these two bills is a $5 copay for each of the first three office visits for many health plans in Oregon. Certain high deductible plans will not offer this benefit. What does this mean to insured health care consumers? Normal office visit member responsibilities range from $20 to $50 per visit to the primary care provider (PCP). Beginning January 2024, or upon renewal of a plan during 2024, that copay will change. The new law requires all plans to charge the maximum of $5 for the first three visits to the Primary care provider. Certain high deductible plans will not offer this benefit. Consult your benefits specialist if you have a high deductible plan. This brings up a larger question. What do all the numbers of a health plan mean? Let us look deeper into one specific plan. The insurance plans above are from the Associated Oregon Loggers Health Benefit Trust. The bottom plan is GSA25-1000-2-6000. How does the new law affect this policy? The policy lists PCP office visits as $25 in network and $50 for a specialist. Under the new law, that amount now will begin for the fourth visit. The first three PCP visits will be at $5 each. It is important to understand the deductible and maximum out-of-pocket. After three office visits, a policy holder has only spent $15 toward their deductible. The policy holder could go to the PCP 59 more times that year before spending up to the $1,500 deductible. The deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. These may appear as abstract numbers to many people. Scenario 1—A covered family of six, with employee, spouse and four children: Each child gets a sports physical for school. The charge is $5 each for a total of $20. Dad cuts his hand cleaning fish and goes into the ER because it is Sunday. Charge is $250. Little Jimmy and Freddy both get sick mid-year and go in to the doctor. There are two more $5 copays. At this rate, the family will not spend enough on health care to reach the deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. $5 Health Copay Mandated for 2024— and General Insurance Numbers ›By Dave Boyd, Insurance Group Manager
25 May 2024 Group Benefits, Insurance Discounts It is not until one of the boys crashes his bicycle and there are complicated broken bones that those would come into account. The PCP ($5 office visit) refers the broken boy to a specialist ($50 office visit), x-rays are needed and some physical therapy. Now, those services require the coinsurance and start adding up to the maximums. The boy had only spent $10 towards his deductible prior to the bike crash. The first $1,490 of the bike crash would fulfill the deductible. At that time the copay percentages would kick in. For simplicity’s sake, let us say the x-ray costs $1,435. Now, the annual deductible is fulfilled (three office visits of $5, one specialist of $50 and x-ray of $1,435). Insurance will now cover all but the coinsurance, until the maximum out-of-pocket is reached. The coinsurance rate is 20% on our plan. Casting the broken leg costs $2,000. Insurance covers 80% or $1,600. The 20% coinsurance is $400 and applies towards the out-of-pocket maximum of $6,000. Out-of-pocket now sits at $1,900 for the broken boy for the year. Insurance will pay 80% of anything else for little Jimmy, until another $20,500 is spent. Twenty percent of $20,500 would produce the remaining $4,100 towards the maximum out of pocket. At that point, insurance will pay 100% of the costs. The example is complicated. What it illustrates is that a normal family will have to have extraordinary medical needs in a year to reach deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket levels. Families only utilizing primary care office visits will only pay the copay and not reach a deductible. All but three of the AOL Health Benefits plans have 80% coinsurance after the deductible is reached. The main difference in AOL Health plans are the deductible levels and out-of-pocket maximums. Beginning in 2024, the new law covering office visits will make most families’ yearly doctor visits less expensive. All but high deductible plans will have the three $5 PCP visits. This really only reduces a family’s cost by $135 (maximum copay of $50 each for three visits reduced to $5 each) per member. t
26 The Mainline
28 The Mainline Seeking Photos for the cover of AOL’s Mainline! Your logging-related photos could be used for the cover or in the photo gallery of an issue of AOL’s Mainline! To submit a photo, email [email protected] or call 503.364.1330 Please provide a name and caption with the submitted photo!
Safety & Health 29 May 2024 Soft Stretchers in Forest Rescue ›By David Grim, Safety & Health Manager A few questions were recently raised concerning use of soft stretchers, and whether they fulfill the requirements of OR-OSHA Division 7, 437-007-0220(11). On March 14, AOL hosted the quarterly meeting of the Forest Activities Advisory Committee (FAAC), where the FAAC was asked to provide its interpretation of the rule—concerning whether soft stretchers meet rule intention. The discussion included detailed conversation on the merits of using them, OR-OSHA Division 7 requirements, and personal experiences of Committee members using them for rescue operations. This article further explores language of the rule, definition of a stretcher, and should help you determine if a soft stretcher is the right fit for your job site. Legal Requirement The legal requirement to have a stretcher on the job in Forest Activities can be found in OAR 437-007-0220(11) Medical Services and First Aid. The rule states: OR-OSHA, 437-007-0220 Medical Services and First Aid ;(11) Worksite first aid kits must contain the following minimum supplies at all times: › (h) One stretcher or equivalent weatherproof litter at any three or more person worksite, and at all logging sites. Interpretation When looking at the minimum supplies requirement, it appears that a soft stretcher would fulfill the criteria. However, the term “stretcher” is not defined in Division 7, Forest Activities. OR-OSHA staff noted to the Committee that in the absence of a definition, they rely on the definition in the dictionary. Therefore, I looked up “stretcher” in Webster’s Dictionary. According to the dictionary, a stretcher is a device used to carry a sick, injured, or dead person. However, this definition does not specify what constitutes a stretcher. Based on the above definitions, a soft stretcher would meet the requirements in the appropriate setting. But it is important to consider whether it is the right tool for each of your jobsites or crews. To help answer this question, let’s examine other patient-carrying devices. Continued →
Safety & Health 30 The Mainline Patient-Carrying Devices Litter The term “litter” is also in the Division 7 rule for medical services and first aid. A litter is a stretcher designed to be used where there are physical obstacles that impair movement, including other hazards such as, in confined spaces, on slopes or uneven terrain, or in densely forested areas. Typically it is shaped to accommodate an adult in a face-up position and it is used in search and rescue operations. The person is strapped into the basket, making safe evacuation possible. The person generally is further protected by a cervical collar and sometimes a long spine board, to immobilize the person and prevent further injury. A litter essentially is a stretcher with sides (or just a raised edge). If interested in purchasing a litter, AOL Associate Member Faktion Rescue has them available at member discount prices. Stretcher Webster’s Dictionary: a device for carrying a sick, injured, or dead person. Since there was no OR-OSHA definition and the Webster’s Dictionary definition was a bit too brief, I looked to Wikipedia to see if it could provide any more clarification. ;Wikipedia: A stretcher, gurney, litter, or pram is an apparatus used for moving patients who require medical care. A basic type (cot or litter) must be carried by two or more people. Soft Stretchers Soft stretchers can be a vital part of any emergency tool kit for extracting patients from confined or difficult locales that are inaccessible to a standard backboard. Soft stretchers are typically made of a rugged material with multiple handles for easy access by multiple rescuers. These flexible stretchers are also space savers in any vehicle, able to be folded or rolled for compact, convenient access. If interested in purchasing one, places like QuadMed offer soft stretchers from many brands. Are Soft Stretchers Right For You? Soft stretchers have been used in rescue operations within the forestry sector for many years, particularly in wildland firefighting. Although wildland fire operations differ from logging operations, they have demonstrated that soft stretchers can be an effective rescue tool in forest environments, when used by properly trained personnel with great teamwork. One of the challenges that logging operations may face when adopting this tool is the availability of personnel to assist with rescue efforts. In wildland firefighting, hand crews typically consist of 20 people, which is one of the reasons why soft stretchers have been successful. Forest rescue operations are often arduous and require hard work due to the long distances, remote areas, steep slopes, and obstacles on the ground that must be navigated during a rescue. Regardless of which tool you choose for your operation, it is highly recommended that all workers receive proper training on the tool they will use, including practice rescue operations in the forest. t Continued →
32 The Mainline Workforce, Human Resources, Labor Effectively stewarding our shared forest resource means applying diverse management strategies to realize a mosaic of outcomes across the landscape. Diverse strategies call for diverse training. Shasta College is honored to do its part. Shasta College’s Heavy Equipment Logging Operations (HELO) program focuses on building a foundational skillset required for safely operating purpose-built logging equipment while expanding students’ perspective to ensure their understanding of the impact their work has on the landscape. Since its launch in Fall 2019, HELO faculty and staff have taken every opportunity to reflect on and revise its forest operations training. By consistently soliciting and implementing feedback from employer partners, Shasta College has refined its original two semester certificate program into a single semester, academy-style cohort training model. HELO provides 10 students each semester over 400 hours of progressively intensive operator training on full-scale mechanized logging equipment. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays will find students learning on 74,000 acres of Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) forestland just outside Redding, California. Students participate in forestry-related and job-readiness classroom instruction Tuesday and Thursday of each week. Operating hours teach students the HOW. Their Introduction to Forest Operations helps them understand the WHY behind responsible implementation of Timber Harvest Plans (THPs), Vegetation Management Plans (VMPs), and similar prescriptions in California. At the end of each semester, HELO and California Registered Apprenticeship for Forest Training (CRAFT) co-host a student skills showcase. Employer partners observe students on each piece of equipment and have the opportunity to engage with them individually. This skillsbased demonstration of the curriculum’s success continues to provide industry stakeholders with opportunities to provide feedback and directly participate in the refinement and improvement of our training. As a California Community College, our mission includes providing equitable access across diverse and non-traditional student populations. Women, veterans, and justice-involved learners have all successfully completed HELO and are putting their skills to use, maximizing their earning potential and finding fulfillment in contributing to responsible stewardship of our forested landscapes. HELO enjoys full cohorts with waitlists. The Spring 2023 cohort boasted a 100% job placement while the Fall 2023 cohort is anticipated to achieve similar success once logging season ramps back up in our region. The implementation of HELO has been made possible by three grants spanning an Training Effective Stewards of Our Forests ›By Becky Roe, Director of Forest Health at Shasta College
33 May 2024 Workforce, Human Resources, Labor aggregate performance period of six years through California Climate Investments and CAL FIRE’s Forest Health program. With a specific focus on recruitment, job placement, and removing barriers for individuals seeking training in the forest sector, HELO received additional funding as a contributing partner in the California Resilient Careers in Forestry initiative. As a concentric network of committed “dirt professionals” successfully building an expanded forest resiliency workforce, we also build confidence with our stakeholders. While there is general consensus and passionate commitment all around for the importance of training those that will lead future stewardship efforts, those of us doing the work sometimes feel the pressure of expiration dates attached to funding streams. We feel the weight of the funding responsibility for both the community of individuals who are waiting to enroll in this training and our industry partners who have contributed countless hours of their own sweat equity because securing the future of our forests is what makes them tick. Shasta College has benefitted immensely from positive engagement with our partners. In turn, and most importantly, our students have benefitted even more. We are excited to be engaging in a wider conversation with a burgeoning network of training programs across the country who are experiencing many of the same funding pinch points. This work is too important. This training is too critical. We will find our path forward. As a National Forest Products Training Coalition, we are exploring how we may make best use of our collective insights toward developing collaborative solutions. To bring it full circle, you might even say we are consolidating our efforts to diversify our strategies; stewarding the development of an effective mosaic of successful operators across our national forested landscape. t Becky Roe is the Director of Forest Health at Shasta College in Redding, California. She can be reached at [email protected].
34 The Mainline OPL & Professional Qualification OPL REVIEW Current News and Educational Opportunities for OPL Qualification May 2024 Oregon Professional Logger (OPL) administered by AOL OPL UPDATES—Latest news about OPL requirements and 2023 individual qualification OPL ACTION IN 2024… TO COMPLETE the ‘OPL BRIDGE’! ;To keep OPL next year, each OPL company must employ an OPL-trained person ; That individual “Qualified Professional” (QP) must have completed four new core courses, hold a valid first aid card, and complete continuing education credits (CE) 1. ‘Bridge’ OPL Qualified Companies—Four new required OPL core QP courses must be completed by one person—no later than 2024 for your QP individual employed by your company. Requirement includes a QP or OS person completing the following: 4x QP new full-day courses; plus OPL-CE credits; plus valid first aid card. 2. Reserve a seat now for new OPL core courses—For your company’s Qualified Professional (QP) person. Also, for your company’s optional Onsite Supervisor (OS) person(s). 3. QP and OS courses in-person now available—Located in each of five regions. QP and OS in-person training courses are open for registration in 2023–24. 4. All five QP and OS courses online available this summer—Coming soon, on-demand courses. 5. Registration required—Contact AOL to get registered and attend; $60 fee per person/course. WHO – OPL Companies wanting to maintain company OPL-qualification. WHAT – OPL core courses must be completed by one employed individual per company, in 2023–24. WHEN – During 2024 for ‘Bridge’ OPL companies; ‘Bridge’ expires 12/31/24. HOW – Employed individual (at least one) must complete one-time QP core course training; plus every two years complete OPL-CE continuing ed credits, and show a valid first aid/CPR card. WHERE – In each of five regions across Oregon, core courses offered in-person in 2024 (online option also available summer 2024). WHY – Trained individual is NOW REQUIRED by SFI-certified mills and landowners (now, the trained “Individual” is OPL-required). 2023 OPL CHANGE In 2023, the OPL Standard changed to require individual person qualification, employed by the company. To maintain company OPL-qualification, at least one individual employed by each contract logging company must take OPL core courses one time for the Qualified Professional (QP), plus the person must every two years complete OPL-CE credits and show a valid first aid card. COMPLETE NEW OPL QUALIFICATION BY END OF 2024 ;2023 OPL standard requires one-time, 4x course, individual Qualified Professional (QP) ;Individual qualification = employed person must attend new courses once during 2023–2024 For more OPL information about the individual qualification, course schedule, and registration, call AOL at 503.364.1330, or online: https://oregonloggers.org/page/OPL Oregon Professional Logger program (OPL) is a voluntary professional standard that qualifies logging operator individuals and their employer company, in a program of continuing education about Oregon forest practices, safety, business, and sustainable forestry. OPL is the ‘Qualified Logging Professional’ training program, recognized by Oregon’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). The OPL is administered by Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc, for loggers and forest operators working in Oregon forests.
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