The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor have identified the wood products industry as an “essential critical infrastructure workforce” in the nation’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“This designation underscores the critical role that our more than 3,500 team members play in producing high-quality wood products to aid in the construction of affordable housing, emergency shelters, and healthcare facilities across North America,” Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery said. “Our industry will continue to support the supply chain of materials critical to response and recovery efforts.”
The guidance lists “workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper and other wood products,” along with healthcare providers, law enforcement and public safety, and utility and transportation workers. These workers are part of the “overall federal effort to ensure the security and resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure” during the pandemic response.
The department later added these categories to the federal guidance:
•Workers performing housing construction-related activities to ensure additional units can be made available to combat the nation’s existing housing supply shortage.
•Workers who support the supply chain of building materials from production through application/installation, including cabinetry, fixtures, doors, cement, hardware, plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling, refrigeration, appliances, paint/coatings, and employees who provide services that enable repair materials and equipment for essential functions.
Although the federal guidance is only advisory, the state of California issued an order directing all individuals living in the state to “stay at home . . . except as needed to maintain continuity of operation of the federal critical infrastructure sectors.”
The California order adopted the federal guidance, which now sets the standard in California for critical infrastructure. Consequently, Roseburg’s Weed, CA veneer facility will continue to operate as part of the efforts to supply critical building products during the COVID-19 pandemic, a company statement said.
The same is true in Oregon, where Gov. Kate Brown also adopted the federal guidance thus allowing the wood products industry to continue operating. The industry accounts for 60,000 jobs in Oregon. Roseburg has seven plants, two administrative offices, more than 400,000 acres in timberland, and a pulp chip export facility in the state, employing 2,400 people directly and supporting hundreds more indirectly.
Other states and other jurisdictions may develop their own lists of essential industries and workers who would be excluded from broad “shelter in place” or similar quarantine orders.
