LONG TIMB E RS

News Andviews

by BOB McBRIEN executive vice president of ihe Lumber Merchonts Associotion of Norihern Coliforniq

QAFETY IS A WORD often tossed about very loosely. It's talked J about from kindergarten to the grave, but few people really give it the full attention it deserves. Not so with LMA dealers, for they realize iull well the hazards in' volved if safety is not paramount in the minds of AL*L their*employees.

This being so, LMA's safety committee has developed a serie.q of In-Yard Safetl Clinics which is now visiting some fifteen northern California cities to show dealers and their yard personnel how to avoid costly accidents.

Our program is built around two l'hour demonstrations in each city and is {ollowed by a question and answer session. Deleloped in cooperation with State Fund. rve are using {ork lift truck,q. flat bed trucks and other equipment to show how materials should be unloaded. stacked and loaded. Special emphasis is placed on avoiding strain and llack injuries, lumber toppling, etc.

II{-YARD SAFETY clinics throughout northern California also ooen to nonmembers are discussed.

Don Blum of the State Fund is a principle speaker at each demonstration and is backed up by the local State F-und representative and LNIA officials. Vith both mornins and afternoon demonstrations. local dealers can send half their personrrel in the morning and the others in the afternoon so as not to interrupt business activities.

A special luncheon for owners and general managers {ollows the morning session and provides the opportunity for dealers to ask questions ahout anything pertaining to W'orkmen's Compensation.

Among the <'ities playing host to the LMA In-Yard Safety Clinic are: Bakersfield, Hanford, Fresno. Modesto. Stockton. Sacramento. Marysville, Redding, Tahoe. Santa Rosa. Oakland, NIt. View. N'Ionterey and San Luis Obispo.

Full details on the program have been sent to all LMA members advising them when the clinic rvould be in their areas. If you are not an LMA member and l'ould like to oliserve the demonstration in your area. please contact our o{fice immediately and we rvill be pleased to make the necessary arrangements.

The LN,IA educational committee is also hard at work planning a 2-day Top Management Con{ercnce to be htld this fall. The special program will include top experts on markt.ting and finance who in addition to providing a programmed session will also be ar-ailahle to help solve specific dealer problems. LMA owners and general managers will participate in this important conference. I'Iore details will be released soon.

CON'IING \IIXT MONTH: Highlights Conlention. election of o{licers and hoard the LMA golf tournamentsbe -sure to Lumber Xlerchant for this report.

of the LNIA Annual members. winners of u.atch the Calilornia

Hordwood Action Council Progrqm

Problems in greater utilization of hardwoods, search programs being made in that direction capitalizing on that progress were discussed at a of the Hardwood Council at Madison. Wis.

along with reand plans for recent meeting o'This conference," said Dr. Locke in proposing the seminar, oowould present in two days of concentrated lectures, up-to-date information on log and trec grades, logging practices, sawmilling and seasoning.

Attending the meetings were representatives of ll major hardwood groups, directors and technologists o{ five regional experiment stations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, representatives of the Forest Products Laboratory and editors of several wood industry trade publications.

Among the principal decisions was appointment of a committee to study plans for a management training seminar soon at the Forest Products Laboratory for top executives of hardwood producing firms.

'oI think the lumber producers enrolled would go away better informed on the technology of hardwood lumber production-and be in a better position, therefore, to make wise decisions regarding improvement of their own operations."

US Plywood Plons Door Plqnf

United States Plywood Corp. million specialty door plant in location was not disclosed.

has revealed it will built a $2 northern California. The exact

The plant will have a capacity of 200,000 doors a year. Construction will begin shortly and will be completed in about a year. The plant will employ about 180 persons.