MEMIC lauds Lumbra Hardwoods

Contributed photo
Accepting a workplace safety award during the recent MEMIC annual meeting in Portland from John Leonard, left, president and CEO, were, from left, Stephen Lumbra, vice president of Lumbra Hardwoods, Inc.; Chris Ryder, office manager; and Benny Lumbra, president of the lumber firm.  

Local lumber plant awarded for outstanding workplace safety

PORTLAND — Lumbra Hardwoods, Inc. received an award for workplace safety from workers’ compensation specialist MEMIC. Only nine other employers, out of more than 20,000 MEMIC policyholders, were honored during the MEMIC Annual Meeting of the Policyholders with a recognition award for outstanding safety performance.

Lumbra Hardwoods, Inc., a third generation, family-owned and operated hardwood lumber manufacturing plant in Milo, was established in 1952 by father and son partners, Oscar Lumbra and Reuben Lumbra. They produce 7.5 million feet of hardwood lumber annually to a customer base that includes manufacturers of cabinets, flooring, stairways, furniture, architectural mill work, molding, musical instruments, railroad ties, industrial lumber, pallets and boxes.

“The owners are directly involved with day-to-day operations,” said MEMIC Safety Management Consultant Hartley Webb, “and participate in all aspects of safety including ongoing evaluation of mill housekeeping, machine guarding and control of hazardous energy. They’ve really cultivated strong employee involvement with company safety efforts, we have a great relationship with the employees of the safety committee and last year they had no lost time injury claims.”

“It takes a lot more knowledge today to run a sawmill than it did decades ago,” said President Benny Lumbra. “The computers do a lot of the thinking for you but they’re not any smarter than the operator. You always hear the horror stories of the ‘old days’ like limbs being cut off; we don’t worry about that so much in today’s world. It’s more about pinch points and crushing and things like that. If they use their head and do things smart, those things can be avoided.”

The other workplace safety award winners honored at the Portland Museum of Art during MEMIC’s Annual Meeting on June 13 include: First National Bank of Damariscotta, Giovanni Food Co., Inc. of Syracuse, N.Y., Good Shepherd Food Bank of Auburn, InterMed, P.A. of Portland, Ridgewood Estates, LLC of Madawaska, St. Paul’s School of Concord, N.H., Ultrafab, Inc. of Farmington, N.Y., Watson, Inc. of West Haven, Conn., and WWRD US, LLC of Wall Township, N.J.