THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION – WHY IT SHOULD MATTER TO TIMBER TREATERS

 THIRD PARTY ACCREDITATION – WHY IT SHOULD MATTER TO TIMBER TREATERS

Performance failure of incorrectly specified or badly treated timber is giving the timber sector a bad reputation – especially in the fencing and higher risk timber sectors – opening the door for competitive materials to get the upper hand.

The Wood Protection Association (WPA) has established through market research and experience of its members, that the problem for treated timber buyers and specifiers is two-fold.

  1. Knowing what to ask for: being familiar with the Use Class (UC) system of timber treatment.
  2. Getting what they ask for: being assured the purchased timber is treated correctly for its end use.

Through the work of the WPA and industry partners, including Timber Development UK (TDUK), significant progress around point 1 – treatment Use Class awareness – has been made over the past 3 years, but all parties recognise there is still more to do. With regards to point 2, there is a plan.

WPA Benchmark Scheme Independent, third-party accreditation raises buyer confidence and gives added assurance of fit-for-purpose goods and services – treated timber is no different. This has driven the WPA to enlist as many UK and overseas timber treaters, onto the WPA Benchmark Quality Approved Treated Wood Scheme – you don’t need to be a member of the WPA to be accredited.

Compliance involves auditing every aspect of the treatment process. It covers: incoming wood quality; moisture content; preservative management; treatment cycles and measurement of results. Sample analysis of treated products is required to demonstrate compliance with the preservative penetration and retention requirements of the scheme (Use Class 4 products).

Commenting on the actions to raise awareness of WPA Benchmark, Scheme Administrator Neil Ryan said: “Visitors to the WPA website can go directly to our list of Approved Treaters. Verified businesses are increasingly using their WPA Benchmark quality achievement branding in their own marketing collateral” which, says Neil, is essential in elevating accreditation status and getting the Scheme recognised more widely.

Deadline approaches

TDUK members account for over 80% of all timber sold in the UK.

That’s why their timber treatment action plan, the final stages of which are being implemented over the coming months, is going to have a significant impact.

The following priorities have been set, to concentrate on structural, higher risk treated timber elements

  • ALL remaining TDUK membersand their suppliers who have not already done so, must undergo an independent treatment plant audit by WPA Benchmark or equivalent before 31st December 2023.
  • This audit will consist of at least the WPA Benchmark Approved Treater Audit for the plant and process controls. Plus a WPA Benchmark Approved Product Audit for UC4 where the member is treating fence posts, deck joists or other designated UC4 products.
  • TDUK remains fully committed to independent auditing of UC3 products and want members to achieve this as soon as possible. Those who have not done so, should prepare for these audits by working with their treatment supplier to get samples of their UC3 products tested for compliance with the requirements of the WPA Code of Practice and/or BS 8417.
  • To ensure sufficient audit capacity over the next three months and to achieve the fir st two priorities, the governing body will seek to gather further evidence on the commercial preparedness of members and their customers before setting the final implementation date for compulsory UC3 product audits.
  • It is the intention of the governing body to review the final implementation date for compulsory UC3 product audits in Q1 2024.

For questions on the TDUK Treatment Action Plan contact Nick Boulton:  nboulton@timberdevelopment.uk

To book or discuss WPA Benchmark treatment plant audits contact Neil Ryan: neil@thewpa.org.uk

For more information visit www.thewpa.org.uk

Fencing News