This
concept will revolutionize
communications in the woods!
By Eric L Kay,
Forest Road Consultant
Article reprint
- Business Logger
Magazine June, 2000
Another great tool
has recently come on the market to help operators and supervisors achieve
standardized results in road deactivation. It is not a new and expensive
erosion protection product or a major technological advance for excavators, but
a rather simple booklet called an “Infoflip”. Within the covers of this marvel of miniaturization, are some of
the best descriptions and examples of the science of deactivation. Now we can have the basic as well as the
latest practices and techniques at our fingertips in the bush, instead of in a
manual in a bulky three ring binder that sits collecting dust on a shelf. This concept will revolutionize
communications in the woods!
Tom Molfenter of ToMo
Consulting Services in Nanaimo has formed Infoflip Productions Ltd., the
publisher of the now available “Forest Road Deactivation Practices”
Infoflip. Tom explains: “The recently
patented Infoflip format is now being introduced to markets worldwide. Although the concept is difficult to explain
without holding an Infoflip in your hand, it is best described as a new type of
brochure with vertically arranged pages. Information that relates to or expands
on other parts of the Infoflip can be “linked” by color or number to any other
pages or paragraph within the “flip”, a method very similar to the hyperlink
concept that works so well on the internet.
What makes this
format so effective is not only its ¼ inch by 4” by 8” slim size, which easily
fits into a shirt pocket, glove compartment, or above the visor of the
excavator or truck, and as a bonus to prescribers, supervisors and others who
have to work in the rain, it is printed on waterproof paper, which, while
making dirty fingerprints able to be wiped off, also makes it a durable and
long-lasting work tool!
The wording of the
text, descriptive pictures, and “hyper-links” make this pocket guide
easy-to-use. Its non-threatening format makes it an excellent office and field
communications tool for; Operators, Supervisors, Prescribers, Professionals,
Regulators and All Persons involved with the processes of Deactivation. The ease of use and the ability of having it
right on hand, dramatically reduces the risk of misunderstandings between
people, as they can use the Infoflip Deactivation pocket guide to effectively
communicate. If the ground conditions
or situation requires a different approach than the examples shown, using the
pictures and diagrams as an assist, the persons can jointly work out an
alternate work plan. The language
and terminology is easy to understand, making this a great reference tool for
anyone involved in the deactivation field.
The Deactivation
Infoflip contains about 8000 words and uses a combination of pictures and
graphics to illustrate points. This slim and concise pocket guide provides
explanations for everything from cross-ditches to pullback, trench drains to
erosion protection, stream diversions for culvert removal, blanket drains to
ensure water management under pullback, design concept and construction guide
for fords, a pre-work checklist, voluntary work shutdown guidelines and much,
much, more. Detailed descriptions
explain the sequence of steps recommended to operators to achieve identified
objectives in a safe and efficient manner.
In the examples (given in shortened excerpts), notice
that the underlined material is the “hyperlink” feature. In the actual flip these are also colour
coded, to help in quickly identifying where the “hyperlink” leads to.
For supervisors and operators there is the bonus of
detailed work procedures. For example:
Number 22, Metal Culvert Removal – Suggested sequence of activities – 1)
Know the water quality issues (24) before deactivation starts. 2) Divert water flows, if at all practical,
to work in the dry. However in steep terrain, do not simply direct water down
the ditch. 3) Install sediment
control (6) downstream from the culvert. 4) Remove the road fill from the
vicinity of the culvert until the two ends are visible. 5) Remove all surfacing from the top of the
culvert. 
(NOTE: the
directions continue to number 10 and include diverting water flows and sediment
control measures)
Sediment control is a strong topic throughout the booklet headed by the section on heading number 6 Sediment Control – Dealing with sediment is more difficult than preventing sediment transport and erosion. The Sediment Triangle shows that removing water or reducing energy is more effective in sediment prevention that trying to remove sediment sources………………
Erosion Control, section #7 deals thoroughly with Erosion
Protection Near Watercourses – Erosion protection at deactivated crossing
sites must focus on protecting newly exposed mineral soil. If there is a risk of erosion or down
cutting of newly established stream bottom, place armour of rip rap in its
base. In your peak flow estimate
(21), you should be…………
Many practices are fully explained, such as Full
Sidecast Pullback Practices in section #20. Full sidecast pullback at times may require benching, or moving
material along the road using multiple throws or endhaul. Safety (4) must be an over-riding
consideration under any circumstances.
Benching should only be done by experienced operators……………………
Safety is strongly represented within the
Deactivation Infoflip, for example heading number 4, “Safety and Road Surface
Considerations” – As deactivation activities are frequently carried out by
people working alone in isolated areas, sound safety practices are extremely
important. A reliable physical or radio
check-in procedure must be set up and followed at all times. Radio check-ins
should………..
Much of the content
was provided by Mike Leslie from Mike Leslie Consulting, and Mike Wise of
GeoWise Engineering. Further assistance
was given by Warren Warttig from Interfor, Dave Polster from Polster
Environmental Services, and Bob Willington from TimberWest. Before going to press, Forestry
Professionals and also machine operators edited the content.
Tom comments, “By using the patented
Infoflip format any company can have any subject placed into an Infoflip. For example,
in resource industries related topics, we have done two Infoflip's for a Forest
Company, the latest one as ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ for one of their
operations, with a third Infoflip being 75% complete”. He adds, “We have also recently completed a
safety Infoflip for an oil drilling company in Burma”, and “I am working on a
series of Infoflip’s for the Forest Industry as a follow-up to the Deactivation
Infoflip” and he expects the ‘Forest Road Drainage Installation Practices’
Infoflip to be available for distribution by August, with “Road Construction”
hopefully ready by Christmas.
Tom and his staff at Flip
Productions Ltd can be reached at 250 722-7282 or toll free, at 1 888-220-FLIP
(3547). Email tomo@island.net
They will provide you with
information, prices, or quotes for custom Infoflip’s. The Forest Road
Deactivation Infoflip sells for $ 14.95 plus GST per copy.
The author, Eric L Kay, is a consultant specializing
in Forest Roads. He welcomes comments
and can be reached at 250 337-5096 or by Email at erickay@kayassociates.com or visit his website at www.kayassociates.com
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