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AFPA awards dinner recognizes forestry excellence

Sept. 29, 2017 – At its 75th Annual General Meeting and Conference, the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) recognized the excellence of AFPA member companies, contractors, and employees. Awards were presented in several categories, including health and safety and lumber grading.  

AFPA president and chief executive officer Paul Whittaker said, “Our industry has come so far when it comes to safety. We’re celebrating our 75th anniversary this year, and it is incredible to look at how practices have changed to the point where a workplace with no incidents is no longer a dream, but a reality in many cases. People are both the past and present of our industry and we are very proud to recognize the tremendous commitment of companies and their employees to safety.” Whittaker was joined by Alberta Minister of Labour Christina Gray. “We were very grateful that Minister Gray joined us to recognize safety excellence and celebrate the strong partnership between government and industry.”

Alberta’s forest products industry directly employs 19,600 people and creates employment for an additional 38,000 through its economic activity.

The Health and Safety awards, co-sponsored by Alberta Labour, recognize superior performance in forest industry health and safety. Recipients are chosen based on criteria that include participation in the Partnerships in Injury Reduction program, audit results, and on-the-job performance.

Health and Safety Excellence (2016)

Company/Location	Award Sector
La Crete Sawmills Ltd., La Crete	Sawmill/Planer Mill (40,000 to 400,000 phw*)
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, Drayton Valley	Sawmill/Planer Mill (more than 400,000 phw*)
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, Grande Prairie	Pulp and Paper Mill
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, Edson	Panelboard Mill
Pineridge Logging Inc., Whitecourt	Woodlands Contractor
Next Generation Reforestation Ltd., Beaverlodge	Silviculture Contractor

Outstanding Achievement in Health and Safety (2014 -2016)

Company/Location	Award Sector
Northland Forest Products Ltd., Fort McMurray	Sawmill/Planer Mill (40,000 to 400,000 phw*)
Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Grande Prairie	Sawmill/Planer Mill (more than 400,000 phw*)
Slave Lake Pulp (a Division of West Fraser Mills Ltd.), Slave Lake	Pulp and Paper Mill
RangerBoard (a Division of West Fraser Mills Ltd.), Blue Ridge	Panelboard Mill
Coleman Forest Products Ltd., Sundre	Woodlands Contractor
Infinite Forestry Consulting Ltd., Grande Prairie	Silviculture Contractor
Dean Gordon Trucking Ltd., Edson	Small Employer Woodlands or Silviculture Contractor
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited (Timberland Operations)	President’s Award for Health and Safety Performance 2014-2016
Bushmen Enterprises Ltd., Slave Lake	Director’s Health and Safety Award

*phw is person hours worked

 “The commitment of member companies and their employees to health and safety is remarkable," said Carola von Sass, the AFPA’s director of health, safety and transportation. “It is extremely satisfying to know that people are returning safely to their families, every night, because of the work we are doing.”

Lumber Grading Awards
A lumber grade is the quality control standard seen on every piece of dimensional lumber, engineered wood applications, finger-joined and other glued lumber products. Lumber grading is linked to building codes, safety codes and CSA standards. Skilled employees at the mill site inspect and grade each piece of lumber produced. The AFPA is the primary certification agency in Alberta, responsible for ensuring the quality control of each piece of stamped lumber originating from its members. Each year, the AFPA recognizes lumber graders that attain the highest certificate exam marks in three categories. The awards are for the highest marks achieved in the AFPA Lumber Grade Schools held in the fall 2016 and spring 2017.

Grader Name	Company/Location	Award Category
Mark Bradford	Blue Ridge Lumber (a division of West Fraser Mills), Blue Ridge	Novice Category
Michelle Johnson	Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, Drayton Valley	Grader Category
Shawn Moulun	Weyerhaeuser Company Limited, Grande Prairie	“AA” Category

 
Norm Dupuis, director of the AFPA’s grade bureau, congratulated the winners. “Lumber from Alberta goes all around the world. Our customers can be confident knowing that grading is carried out by people with exceptional skill and dedication to their craft.”

September 29, 2017  By Alberta Forest Products Association