Lumber Graders and Other Wood Processing Inspectors and Graders

Nature of work

Lumber graders and other wood processing inspectors and graders inspect and grade lumber, shingles, veneer, waferboard and similar wood products to identify defects, make sure products meet company specifications and classify products according to industry standards. They work for sawmills, planing mills, wood treatment plants, waferboard plants and other wood processing companies.

Job duties

Lumber graders:

• Examine lumber for knots, holes, splits and other defects and sort for further drying, trimming or remanufacturing.
• Measure lumber using calipers, gauges and tape measures to ensure specified thickness, length and width.
• Classify and sort lumber according to industry standards and stamp lumber to indicate grade, wood type, moisture level and other characteristics.
• Tally lumber.
• Complete and maintain reports.

Other wood processing inspectors and graders:

• Inspect plywood panels, veneer sheets, panelboards, shingles and similar wood products for knots, holes, splits, straightness and other defects.
• Mark defects and sort for repair or reprocessing.
• Measure wood products to make sure they meet specifications using standard measuring instruments.
• Grade and label wood products according to quality standards.
• Complete and maintain inspection and grading reports.

Sample job titles

• lumber grader
• particleboard grader - wood processing
• plywood inspector - wood processing
• shingle inspector - wood processing
• veneer and plywood grader - wood processing
• wood processing grader
• wood processing inspector

Skills

• You should be responsible, alert, and in good physical health. Coordination, agility, and a mechanical skill are important. You must also be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.

Job requirements

• High school is usually required.
• On-the-job training and up to two weeks of classroom training are provided for lumber graders.
• Lumber graders need a lumber grader's licence issued by a provincial lumber association.

Other considerations

• Experience as a sawmill machine operator, other wood processing operator or as a labourer in wood processing is usually required for graders and inspectors in this group. There is some movement between employers processing similar wood products.

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