Standard Operating Procedure Trial
22 December 2010
15 December 2010
WPA, TIF & DBH have worked together over the last 18 months to put together new “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)” for timber treatment and grading. The SOPs are part of a proposed new Timber Quality Scheme and set out requirements for plants & auditors:
Plant / producer requirements
Have procedures for managing product quality
Keep records / paper trail
Demonstrate staff competency
Maintain measuring/monitoring equipment
Report non-compliances
Take samples / carry out tests correctly
Assess product conformity
Take corrective actions when needed
Brand correct information on timber
Deal with audit non-conformances appropriately
Auditor requirements
Carry out 3 full audits & 1 surveillance audit per year
Assess conformity to SOP (critical, major, minor)
Determine audit result
Report results to plant
The purpose of the SOPs is to give timber users, the public and the DBH confidence that timber used in houses has the same quality, no matter who is producing it. In other words, they can trust that it meets the branded hazard class and grade.
Basically, the idea is that the producers and treatment plants all work to the minimum requirements set out in the SOPs and the auditors all check the same thing during audits. That way we know there is consistency in the way timber treatment and grading is being done across the industry.
Eventually, the plan is to have a “Governing Body” that will “audit the auditors”, issue approvals to plants, producers and auditors, be able to suspend plants / auditors, keep a central register of approved plants and auditors. The Governing Body would give the scheme “teeth” and then DBH could cite the “Scheme” as a compliance option.
Proposed Timber Quality Scheme Structure
Pilot details
The SOPs are being piloted from mid-November 2010 until mid-May 2011 so that plants & auditors can become familiar with them, and any issues can be ironed out.
To download the treatment SOP click on All Publications.
Contacts
Kevin Hing Kevin.H@nztif.co.nz / 0274-572-320
Jeff Ilott Jeff.I@nztpc.co.nz / 0276-837-439