Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Oregon Professional Logger Program?
A. The Oregon Professional Logger program (OPL) is the voluntary professional standard that accredits harvesting companies for their continuing education in sustainable forestry, safety & business. OPL is the only logging operator training program recognized by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative sm program in Oregon.
Q. Who is a "logging operator?"
A. An OPL logging operator is a harvest-related company that has fulfilled OPL professional standards to enroll, complete accreditation credits, and continues achieving maintenance credits. Operators are companies that employ loggers, forest road builders, log truckers, tree planters, thinners, fire fighters, and other forestry contractors working in allied professions in Oregon.
Q. Why participate in OPL; How does it benefit operators?
A. Continuing education helps Oregon logging operators keep pace with a rapidly changing world by acquiring important business and forestry tools needed to succeed in today's competitive times, and to prepare for tomorrow's challenges. Oregon's logging industry now has a professional standard that promotes operator excellence in business practices, safety and sustainable forestry.
Q. Aren't loggers already professionals at what they do?
Yes, operators throughout the logging industry are forest management professionals, day-in and day-out-regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in OPL. Participation in OPL is not intended to label non-participants as unprofessional. Rather, the OPL sets a higher standard of professional excellence sought on a voluntary basis by some logging operators. A committee of Oregon loggers directs the OPL standard.
Q. Do road contractors or woodlot loggers need the OPL?
The OPL program is a professional standard for all forestry operators working in allied forestry operations in Oregon-including companies engaged in road maintenance or woodland harvest. The term "logger" encompasses any forest operator whose business is harvest-related.
Q. Is OPL just public relations to help the logger's image?
A. No. OPL is far more than "just image." Improving public trust in the logging industry is a byproduct of the OPL primary goals, which are: 1) high professional standards; 2) meaningful training; and 3) continuing education that directly translates into sustainable forestry & business performance.
Q. Will mills pay more for an OPL logging operator?
A. Don't count on timber purchasers or landowners to pay higher contract rates for OPL qualified operators. OPL accreditation is becoming a quality assurance-or a minimum qualification-which many industrial landowners may expect from their contract pool. OPL contractors are sought by certified forest landowners.
Q. Is AOL "forcing" loggers into the OPL program?
A. Operator enrollment, participation and "accreditation" in the logger's professional standard through OPL is voluntary. Although AOL does not require OPL enrollment, today more industrial landowners and timber mills are requiring OPL accreditation by contractors doing business with them.
Q. How many credits are required?
A. Completion of initial or maintenance credit-hours during the current calendar year, qualifies the OPL company to keep its OPL status through the following calendar year. Completing the required initial 32-credits-or the maintenance 10-credits-in the current calendar year, qualifies the company to hold its OPL accreditation for the entire next calendar year.
Q. How does a company enroll?
A. The first-step to begin OPL accreditation requires contacting AOL to enroll before attending training. Effective January 1, 2002, logging operators must be enrolled (or be an AOL member) in the OPL program prior to attending and receiving OPL credit for qualified training classes. Failure to enroll within 30-days of attending a class will disqualify the training from OPL credit.
Q. Should a non-member join AOL or be an OPL Subscriber?
A. OPL enrollment requires either AOL membership or OPL subscription. For AOL member companies, OPL enrollment is a free membership service. Companies choosing not to join AOL can participate as an 'OPL Subscriber'-having full OPL privileges, but lacking benefits of other AOL member services. There is a $360.00 annual OPL Subscriber fee to non-members.
Q. Where does a logging operator find classes to attend?
A. It is the responsibility of an OPL company to identify, register and attend training appropriate for their business. OPL credit is earned through attending workshops, seminars, or tours provided by a wide variety of training providers across Oregon. AOL mails a monthly training calendar listing just a few of the available classes. The logging operators tailor their own training program.
Q. Is Oregon forest practices training required?
A. Completing the Basic Forest Practices Workshop is required to satisfy six credits of initial OPL accreditation. To maintain OPL status after initial recognition, at least four credits each year in forest practices must be attended. Only programs instructed or co-sponsored by Oregon Dept. of Forestry will qualify for OPL forest practices credit (effective after July 1, 2001).
Q. Does last year's training qualify for credit today?
A. Carryover of extra credits completed in a prior calendar year (beyond the 32 or 10 hours) cannot be applied toward the next year. However, during accumulation of the initial 32-credit requirement, training completed during the previous 12-months shall qualify for credit.
Q. How will AOL determine operator attendance?
A. It's the responsibility of an enrolled OPL company to forward proof of training attendance to AOL in order to receive OPL credit. AOL requires documented proof of attendance, such as a qualified training agenda, certificate, punch card, letter or other copy. OPL operators verify their current credit status by contacting AOL, or by reviewing OPL report cards mailed periodically. Some classes have an OPL sign-in sheet.
Q. Will training taken out-of-state qualify for OPL credit?
A. Attending a class out-of-state qualifies for OPL credit, if the training meets OPL standards. There is no direct recognition by the OPL program of other state Pro-Logger accreditation. To achieve OPL status, a company must enroll in OPL. However, qualified training attended out-of-state can qualify for OPL credit.
Q. Can a two-company owner accredit them both?
A. Common owners of two or more separate companies are not required to attend two-times the credit hours to accredit both companies. However, affiliated companies must be enrolled (or be AOL Affiliate Member) to receive recognition as separate OPL Companies.
Q. Which employees should a company send to training?
A. Training completed by any working owner or employee actively engaged in the company's business can qualify for OPL program credit-on a company basis. Training must be relevant to the job duties of the attending employee; and the subject must be relevant to the company's scope of business. Names of all attending employees should be submitted to AOL, to assure training record is complete and credit recorded.
Q. Does repeating a class qualify for credit?
A. No, class repeating during the same calendar year does not qualify for credit. The same class qualifies for credit for an OPL company, only once per year. Duplicate credit also will not be recognized for more than one person per company attending the same class during a calendar year. The "same class" is defined as a class with the same title, even if on a different date or location. If a company chooses to send additional employees to the same class-then, one receives credit, but all are listed in the OPL training record.
Q. When does OPL accreditation expire?
A. OPL delinquency will result from the following: a) annual enrollment fee unpaid; b) annual credit insufficient; c) sanctioned for unprofessional conduct; or d) resignation. Delinquent companies will be removed from the OPL Directory each January 1st, or at which time their enrollment lapses. To reinstate, a delinquent operator must complete all delinquent credits from previous years, and pay current enrollment fee or dues.
Q. Have the OPL Rules Changed in 2001?
A. These FAQ's detail the OPL program's professional standards that continue to be administered by logging operators. Oversight of the program comes from an OPL Committee of seven Oregon logging operators. Several OPL requirements stated above have been upgraded during 2001, and will become effective January 1, 2002. The OPL program is a service provided to operators statewide by Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. (AOL).