OFA Update
OFA hires Kathleen Shields as Director of
Communications and Member Engagement
Kathleen bring over twenty years of experience to OFA as a communications professional. Most recently, she was a marketing consultant for Genesis Healthcare System and has also managed communications, marketing, or publications for Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio, and the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center. In addition to her extensive communications experience, she has also managed numerous successful events and engaged in membership services, making her an excellent addition to the OFA team. She will manage all aspects of OFA communications and assume Gayla's event and membership service duties, including the Paul Bunyan Show, when Gayla retires at the end of the year.
Mailing List Scams
Many of you have reported receiving emails soliciting the purchase of mailing lists. These emails are scams. In some instances, they are using the OFA logo and they appear to come from us. Please delete them and do not click any links in the email. The Ohio Forestry Association will never sell our member or exhibitor list. We do not offer registration for the Paul Bunyan Show so there is no attendee list.
Industry Update
Emmett Conway, Jr. inducted into ODNR Hall of Fame
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) celebrated and honored Ohioans for their lifetime achievements in conservation and protection of Ohio’s natural resources with a ceremony to recognize Cardinal Award winners and Hall of Fame inductees. Governor Mike DeWine and ODNR Director Mary Mertz honored seven outstanding individuals who were inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame honors people who have made conservation their lifetime mission,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “We want to recognize the decades of work and stewardship our new Hall of Fame members have provided for the benefit of all Ohioans. We hope that this inspires future generations to continue this amazing work.” The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame award was created in 1966 to celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to protecting Ohio’s natural resources. With today’s inductions, the number of people presented with this honor is 193.
Emmett Conway, Jr.:
Emmett Conway Jr. the founder and CEO of Superior Hardwoods of Ohio, Inc. which is renowned for sustainable practices, offering lumber production and expert forest management services. Emmett's influence extends beyond business; he has mentored countless leaders in Ohio's forest products industry, advocating for ethical land stewardship and forest management practices. A lifelong outdoorsman, Emmett's dedication to Ohio's forests and his pivotal role in the Paul Bunyan Show – an industry trade show that educates the public on the process of cutting timber – earned him recognition from the Ohio Forestry Association in 2021. Now Emmett Conway, Jr. will join his father Emmett Conway, Sr. in the Natural Resources Hall of Fame.
This honor was awarded posthumously. Adam Conway, Emmett Conway, Jr.’s son, accepted the award on his behalf.
Sawmiller hires Mike Krol as Director of Sales and Procurement
Sawmiller LLC is pleased to inform you that Mike Krol is joining their team as the Director of Sales and Procurement. For those of you who do not know Mike, he has 20 years experience in the Ohio forest products industry and is the past President of the Ohio Forestry Association. Sawmiller and OFA are confident that you will enjoy working with him. If you have any questions about their procurement program or would like to discuss any other issues with Mike, his cell phone number is (740) 601-2980. His email address is mike@sawmillerllc.com.
Mike currently serves OFA as the chair of the membership committee.
Market Update
HardwoodReview Forecasting
There remain some positives in the market, but after a strong year of market growth, they are beginning to be overshadowed by the negatives. Or at least, every positive needs to be understood in the larger context. Exports were steady through May and very slightly ahead of the 2023 pace, but the 2023 pace was an 11-year low. Exports to Europe jumped in May, but exports to Asia uncharacteristically dropped, and the European bump was largely due to White Oak and Ash spikes to the UK. Most lumber prices remained elevated from year-ago levels, and production levels are low enough to prevent massive inventory build-ups and price collapse, but most price forecasts are flat to negative for the next two months. With demand still strong and production seasonally slower, Maple prices should be more resilient than most. Additionally, whatever declines may come in White Oak and Walnut will be minimal.
Hardwood component demand has been decent thus far in 2024, but the fundamentals aren’t showing enough strength for that to continue through the summer, especially since demand should now be at its seasonal high. Rising lumber costs have also challenged component manufacturers, and the most likely relief expected in the near-term will be only modest declines in common-grade Red Oak and Poplar prices.
Safety and Workers’ Comp Update
The deadline to report true-up is 8/15/2024
Extended Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Toll-free: 1-800-644-6292
Navigating Ohio’s workers’ compensation system
For most employers, workers’ compensation is one of a thousand items that require their attention daily. Most workers’ compensation professionals will tell you that the best injury is one that never happens. The reality is that there are 257,000 private and public Ohio employers incurring approximately 67,432 allowable injuries in 2023. (Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation 2023 Annual Report).
Managing a workers’ compensation program can be simplified by implementing a few standardized processes that will make it easier for you to minimize lost days, control your costs and maintain productivity in your business.
Early Claim Intervention
Having a standardized injury reporting process and claim investigation mandate in place before an injury happens means that you will have tools at your disposal to quickly analyze what happened, is it work related and are there any red flags that will lead you to contest the claim.
Your Managed Care Organization (MCO) can provide your company with guidance on any questions related to injury reporting and seeking BWC (Bureau of Workers Compensation) authorized provider medical treatment. The injured worker will need to complete a First Report of Injury (FROI), which is the BWC form required for filing a claim application. It is also a good best practice to have your employee complete a supplemental accident report that is specific to your work environment and expands on some of the important questions that arise during an injury investigation, such as – were there any witnesses? Did you immediately notify your supervisor?
Minimizing Claim Costs
Once a claim application is filed with the BWC, things begin to move quickly and your window of opportunity to minimize the impact is small. The most common type of compensation is Temporary Total (TT). This is when the BWC pays the injured worker a portion of their regular pay to cover their lost wages while recovering from an allowed injury.
If you are not contesting the claim or its compensability, your focus should move to helping your injured workers get the necessary treatment they need to quickly return to full duty employment.
If you can accommodate a return to light duty while the treatment moves forward, then making a light duty job offer will prevent the claim from flipping from “medical only” to “lost time”. It will also keep your injured worker from getting used to being off work because of the injury. If light duty is not an option, then another path is to pay the claimant their regular wages – also known as salary continuation - while they are off work.
Other Cost Containment Options
When a claim is allowed the BWC attaches a reserve to estimate and cover future costs. There are several ways to minimize the impact a reserve has on your annual premiums:
Settlement – the most effective way to close a claim and prevent future costs from being applied is to negotiate a full and final settlement with the injured worker. The settlement amount is paid out of the claim by the BWC, the cost is added to the overall claim cost and the injured worker receives monies in lieu of future treatment and compensation.
Disability Relief – The BWC currently has a program in place to recognize pre-existing conditions that negatively impact the allowed conditions or the injured worker’s recovery from the allowed condition. The BWC will hold an informal conference with the employer/Third Party Administrator (TPA) to review the application and the medical that supports the request and then will determine an impact percentage between 0% and 100%. This percentage relates to the amount of “relief” the employer will receive due to filing a successful application.
Subrogation/No Fault MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) – When a third-party is the cause of a workplace injury there may be relief that can be pursued to offset the cost of the claim. The most common example is an employee’s claim that is the result of a non-at-fault vehicle accident involving a third party.
Navigating the workers’ compensation system can feel frustrating and at times complicated, but with your MCO and TPA partners you have access to subject matter experts that can make your job easier and keep your premiums down.
If you have any questions, contact Paul Feck at Sedgwick, at paul.feck@sedgwick.com.
Additional Resources
2024 Tree Farm of the Year Tour
Woods, Wildlife, and Weeds Workshop
Upcoming Events
Master Logger Training @ Fernwood State Forest
8/15/2024 » 8/16/2024
Location: Bloomingdale, Ohio
Tree Farm of the Year Tour
9/7/2024
Location: Cadiz, Ohio Time: 10:00 AM
Master Logger Chapter Meetings
Paint Valley Loggers Chapter Meeting
9/9/2024
Location: Bainbridge, Ohio Time: 7:00 PM
Southern Ohio Loggers Chapter Meeting
9/10/2024
Location: Lucasville, Ohio Time: 7:00 pm
Northeastern Ohio Loggers Chapter Meeting
9/11/2024
Location: Middlefield, Ohio
Muskingum Valley Loggers Chapter
9/11/2024
Location: F.O.E., McConnelsville, Ohio Time: 7:00 PM
East Central Ohio Loggers Chapter
9/16/2024
Location: Fresno, Ohio Time: 6:00 PM
Northwest Ohio Loggers Chapter Meeting
9/18/2024
Location: Findlay, Ohio
Scioto River Valley Loggers Chapter Meeting
9/19/2024
Location: Scioto Township Fire Hall, Wakefield, Ohio Time: 7:00 PM
2024 Paul Bunyan Show
10/4/2024 » 10/6/2024
Location: Lore City, Ohio
2025 Annual Meeting
2/5/2025 » 2/6/2025
Location: Hyatt Regency, Columbus, Ohio
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