ISPM 15 Inspection Basics

Does my company need to be inspected for WPM ?

Yes, if you are producing shipping pallets or containers using coniferous and hardwood lumber which is being used for international shipping.

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How often are facilities inspected ?

All facilities must be inspected twelve (12) times a year or approximately once (1) per month.

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If I purchase heat treated lumber do I still need to be inspected ?

If you buy heat treated lumber and you cut and use that lumber in any wood packaging product then you must be inspected and your product stamped with the proper WPM stamp.

This gives you two options:

  1. Buy certified heat treated lumber, cut it to make your product, and stamp your finished product with your own WPM stamp
  2. Buy untreated lumber, cut it to make your product, have your product heat treated or fumigated, and have the product stamped by the company which did the treatment.

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How do I prepare for an inspection ? - Pallet and Crate Manufacturers

  1. Assign one person at your facility as the facility representative for the inspections. That person must meet with the inspector at each inspection and be familiar with the regulations of the program.
  2. Have a section of your yard where treated lumber is kept separately from regular untreated lumber.
  3. Maintain a systematic method of keeping records and in-facility quality control procedures that include:
    • Records of the amount of treated lumber purchased from a certified agency.
    • Records of the amount of treated lumber being used in the manufacture of pallets, crating, boxes and dunnage.
  4. If available, provide sample products with the stamp properly applied.

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How do I prepare for an inspection ? - Lumber Production Facilities

  1. Assign one (1) person at your facility as the facility representative for the inspections. That person must meet with the inspector at each inspection and be familiar with the regulations of the program.
  2. Have a section of your yard where treated lumber is kept separately from untreated regular lumber.
  3. Maintain a systematic method of keeping records and in-facility quality control procedures that include:
    • Records for each heat treatment load the quantity of raw lumber treated, the core temperature reached and the amount of time the core temperature was maintained
    • Records for each fumigated load, the quantity of raw lumber treated, the fumigation method applied, ambient temperatures, the amount of chemical used and the duration of the treatment.

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How do I prepare for an inspection ? - Fumigators

  1. Assign one (1) person at your facility as the facility representative for the inspection. That person must meet with the inspector at each inspection and be familiar with the regulations of the program.
  2. Have a section of your yard where treated products are kept separately from untreated products (if you are fumigating off site this is not needed).
  3. Maintain a systematic method of keeping records and in-facility quality control procedures that includes:
    • Records for each fumigated load must include the name of the company that produced the product, the quantity of product treated, the fumigation method applied, the amount of chemical used, and the duration of the treatment.

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What is the inspector looking for ?

When the inspector comes to your facility he is looking to see if you have successfully met the following requirements:

  1. That there is a person in your company who is the appointed contact and who is overseeing the necessary records for the inspection.
  2. That the WPM stamps are properly used and stored.
  3. That there is a place in the facility yard where treated lumber is kept separated from regular untreated lumber.
  4. That the amount of treated wood purchased is not LESS than the amount of treated wood used for products labeled with the WPM stamp.
  5. That the product is being properly stamped (only checked where applicable).

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What if I fail the inspection ?

If you fail the inspection the following steps will be taken:

  1. A written report will be submitted to you and the ALSC outlining what non-compliant issues where found during the inspection and what steps need to be taken to bring the facility into compliance.
  2. If PRL believes that the client will work in good faith to meet the requirements, then the client will be given a reasonable amount of time to fix the issues that caused the failure.
  3. Another inspection will be scheduled and carried out by PRL (an additional inspection fee will apply in such cases).
  4. PRL has the option, at any time, of revoking a client's participation in the program.

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What is the proper way to stamp my product ? - Pallets and Container Manufacturers

Your products will be inspected at ports around the world for the WPM stamp. Mark your products on 2 opposite faces in such a way that it is easily viewable by the custom inspectors.

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What is the proper way to stamp my product ? - Lumber Production Facilities

Each individual piece of lumber must be stamped at least once to be used in the HT Program.

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