ISPM15 Audit critera / guidelines

[HencoV]

Does anyone here know where I can get hold of the actual ISPM15 audit guidelines that must be adhered to before a heat treatment facility can be certified to comply with the standard? Our government department that is supposed to do this cannot provide such a document, keep shifting the goal posts and keep and keep asking for ridiculous achievements to be accomplished...honestly..the inspector cannot tell the difference between a temperature probe and football.

My understanding is that is must be proven that the core temperature of the timber must be measured and recorded at 56 Deg C or above for 30 consecutive uninterrupted minutes.  Our inspectors are asking for up to 12 probes at different positions in the kiln of 7 x 4 meters holding less than 10 cubic meters....?

Please assist..

[MichaelM]

APHIS (Agricultural Pant Health Inspection Service) is the US agency that oversees the ISPM program.  I know, we al thought an aphis was an insect a few years ago.

APHIS, in turn, delegates the implementation to the ALSC (American Lumber Standards Committee).

Grading agencies, such as WCLIB or WCLIB, get their authority to issue grade stamps from the ALSC.
Therefore, your grading agency is the go to organization. They will issue the authority for you to use the HT stamp.

[PhilM]

The relevant ISPM 15 pdf document that provides details on the heat treatment process is too big to attach here, but can be found at https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/standards-setting/explanatory-documents-international-standards-phytosanitary-measures/. 
(Scroll to the bottom and select the EN version of ISPM 15.  Or, you can email and request a copy from me at phil_mitchell@ncsu.edu   )
That document gives details on heat treatment and methyl bromide treatment (the table of contents can help you get to the section you need).

The American Lumber Standards Committee is responsible for coordinating and enforcing implementation of the Wood Packaging Material (WPM) program, and lists 18 accredited independent third party agencies that certify operations.  The accredited third-party agencies can provide information regarding becoming licensed to produce compliant WPM under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade, or to provide information regarding nearby licensed facilities which can supply compliant WPM.  A link that provides a pdf list of these agencies is available at:  http://www.alsc.org/WPM_summary_mod.htm