Southern Pressure Treaters' Association

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Please see the following ad and job description concerning job opening at TEC’s Jasper, TX wood preservation facility: Employment Ad – Treating Mgr ; Treating Manager Job Description

SPTA member Bell Lumber and Pole Company has a position open for a  Sales Representative. For the details, please click here: Bell Lumber Job Posting.  Thank you.

The 2012 annual meeting will be in New Orleans, LA at the Hotel Monteleone, February 9-11, 2012.  The registration form and schedule of events is available here: Registration Form and Schedule of Events.  Please reserve your room prior to January 19, 2012.  We look forward to seeing you in the Big Easy.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its regulations on Electric and Telecommunications Standards and Specifications for Materials, Equipment and Construction, by codifying specifications for wood poles, stubs and anchor logs, wood crossarms (solid and laminated), transmission timbers and pole keys, and for quality control and inspection of timber products. RUS is updating these specifications to conform with revisions to the American Wood Preservers’ Association (AWPA) standards and follow agency policy on insurance requirements.  For a copy of amended regulations please click here: 2011 Revised RUS Wood Prod Std & Spec.

Mississippi State University has released an Extension Service document entitled What is Salt Killed Wood?  The document shares the science behind what is being called “the brown rot fungus” and shows that it is not a fungus at all.  To view the document, click on the following: MSU Salt killed wood informational

For additional information on this phenomenon, please read the Forest Products Journal’s Forest Products Journal: Effect of Salt Water Evaporation on Tracheid Separation from Wood Surfaces

In the last quarter of 2010 the ANSI O5 committee (aka ASC O5) voted to transfer its Secretariat from the Alliance for Telecommunication Industry Solution (ATIS) to the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA).  The transfer was effective on January 1, 2011.

 The committee also voted to retain its status as an Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) rather than to become a part of AWPA; therefore, it will not become an AWPA Technical Committee.  The committee will have its own dues structure seperate from AWPA.  Membership in one organization will not require membership in the other, nor does membership automatically convey membership in the other.  

The committee will hold a conference call Monday, January 24 at 11:00 am EST to discuss 2011 meeting dates, set dues, fill leadership vacanies and other business. All members are encouraged to participate in the call. 

For additional information, please visit the new website at http://www.asco5.org.

December 7, 2010

Today a coalition of wood organizations  released a report entitled End-of-Life Management of Preserved Wood – The Case for Reuse for Energy.  

 Preserved wood products are vital components in America’s infrastructure being used in railroads, electric distribution grids, ports, marinas, transportation system, and numerous other applications.  Following primary use of preserved wood products, some products can be used in less demanding applications, such as poles being used for fence posts.  At some point all preserved wood products must be removed and disposed of.  This paper discusses the need for and the benefits of insuring  that end-of-life management options include reuse as an energy source.  For a summary click here: Summary End-of-Life Management of Preserved Wood 2010-11-15  For the complete document click here: Final_End of Life Management of Preserved Wood2_2010.11.15

Sponsoring organizations are Western Wood Preserver’s Institute, Treated Wood Council, Southern Forest Products Association, Southern Pressure Treater’s Association, North American Wood Pole Council, Creosote Council and the Penta Task Force.

To read how some linemen view fiberglass utility poles versus wood utility poles, please click here. 

To review the presentations at the conference, please clik on SE Utility Pole Conference tab to the left of this posting.  Thank you!

We invite you to visit the North American Wood Pole Council for Frequently Asked Questions concerning wood utility poles.  If you don’t find what you are looking for in the FAQs, please contact SPTA or NAWPC for additional information. Thank you.