Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 40 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Chapter 40-21 - PESTICIDE USE AND APPLICATION
Subject 40-21-3 - STANDARDS OF COMPETENCY
Rule 40-21-3-.01 - Commerical Applicators

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 40-21-3-.01

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024

Every applicant for commercial applicator certification shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the principles and practices of pest control and the safe use of pesticides based upon satisfactory passing of a written examination with a score of seventy (70) percent, and, as appropriate, performance testing. Such examination shall include the general standards of competency applicable to all categories and additional standards specific for each category or subcategory in which the applicant requests certification. Any particular examination may not be taken more than once in any month or more than twice in any six (6) month period. Records of examination scores on the General Standards and Category Standards shall be maintained by the Department of Agriculture for one (1) year from the date of first examination. If an applicant fails to pass both the General Standards Examination and at least one (1) Category Standards Examination within a one (1) year period, all test scores will be destroyed and applicant will be required to retake and pass both the General Standards Examination and the Category Standards Examination. To the extent that they are relevant to a given category, standards of competency may include:

(a) General Standards for all Categories.

1. Label and Labeling Comprehension:
(i) The general format and terminology of pesticide labels and labeling;

(ii) The understanding of instructions, warning, terms, symbols and other information commonly appearing on pesticide labels;

(iii) Classification of the product, general or restricted; and

(iv) Necessity for use consistent with the label.

2. Safety-Factors including:
(i) Pesticide toxicity and hazard to man and common exposure routes;

(ii) Common types and causes of pesticide accidents;

(iii) Precautions necessary to guard against injury to applicators and other individuals in or near treated areas;

(iv) Need for and use of protective clothing and equipment;

(v) Symptoms of pesticide poisoning;

(vi) First aid and other procedures to be followed in case of a pesticide accident; and

(vii) Proper identification, storage, transport, handling, mixing procedures and disposal methods for pesticides and used pesticide containers, including precautions to be taken to prevent children from having access to pesticides and pesticide containers.

3. Environment-The potential environmental consequences of the use and misuse of pesticides as may be influenced by such factors as;
(i) Weather and other climatic conditions;

(ii) Types of terrain, soil or other substrate;

(iii) Presence of fish, wildlife and other nontarget organisms; and

(iv) Drainage patterns.

4. Pests-Factors such as:
(i) Common features of pest organisms and characteristics of damage needed for pest recognition;

(ii) Recognition of relevant pests; and

(iii) Pest development and biology as it may be relevant to problem identification and control.

5. Pesticides-Factors such as:
(i) Types of pesticides;

(ii) types of formulations;

(iii) Compatibility, synergism, persistence and animal and plant toxicity of the formulations;

(iv) Hazards and residues associated with use;

(v) Factors which influence effectiveness or lead to such problems as resistance to pesticides; and

(vi) Dilution procedures.

6. Equipment-Factors including:
(i) Types of equipment and advantages and limitations of each type; and

(ii) Uses, maintenance and calibration.

7. Application Techniques-Factors including:
(i) Methods of procedure used to apply various formulations of pesticides, solutions, and gases, together with a knowledge of which technique of application to use in a given situation;

(ii) Relationship of discharge and placement of pesticides to proper use, unnecessary use, and misuse; and

(iii) Prevention of drift and pesticide loss into the environment.

8. Laws and Regulations-Applicable State and Federal laws and regulations, including the legal responsibility for supervision of uncertified persons.

(b) Category Specific Standards.

1. Agricultural Plant Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) crops grown in operational area;

(II) specific pests to be controlled;

(III) soil and water problems;

(IV) pre-harvest intervals;

(V) reentry intervals;

(VI) phytotoxicity;

(VII) potential for environmental contamination, non-target injury and community problems arising from use of pesticides in agricultural areas.

2. Agricultural Animal Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) animals to be treated;

(II) specific pests to be controlled;

(III) specific pesticide toxicity and residue potential;

(IV) relative hazards associated with formulation, application techniques, age of animals, stress and extent of treatment.

3. Forest Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) forests, forest nurseries and forest seed production;

(II) pests to be controlled;

(III) cyclic occurrence of certain pests;

(IV) specific population dynamics as a basis for programming pesticides applications;

(V) relative biotic agents and their vulnerability to pesticides applied;

(VI) control methods which will minimize unintended effects on wildlife;

(VII) proper use of specialized equipment as it may relate to meteorological factors and adjacent land use.

4. Ornamental and Turf Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) pesticide problems associated with production and maintenance of ornamental trees, shrubs, plantings, and turf;

(II) potential phytotoxicity to a wide range of plant material;

(III) pesticide drift;

(IV) pesticide persistance beyond period of pest control;

(V) application methods which will minimize or prevent hazards to humans, pets and other domestic animals.

5. Seed Treatment:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) types of seeds commonly requiring protection from pests in operational area;

(II) requirements for seed coloration and special labeling;

(III) carriers and surface active agents which influence pesticide binding and may affect germination;

(IV) hazards associated with handling, sorting and mixing;

(V) potential misuse of treated seed such as introduction into food and feed channels;

(VI) proper methods for disposal of unused treated seed.

6. Aquatic Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) various water use situations and potential for downstream effects;

(II) secondary effects from improper application rates, incorrect formulations and faulty application of pesticides;

(III) potential effects of pesticides on plants, fish, birds, beneficial insects and other organisms present in aquatic environments;

(IV) principles of limited area application.

7. Right-of-Way Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) a wide variety of environments including waterways;

(II) problems arising from runoff, drift, and excessive foliage destruction;

(III) target pests to be controlled;

(IV) nature of herbicides and need for their containment in area to which applied;

(V) impact of application on adjacent areas and communities.

8. Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health Related Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) wide variety of pests and their life cycles;

(II) types of formulations appropriate for their control;

(III) methods of application which will avoid contamination of food, damage and contamination of habitat and exposure of people, pets and other animals;

(IV) other factors such as continuous exposure, which may lead to a hazardous condition for babies, children, pregnant women and the elderly;

(V) environmental conditions related to activities within this category.

9. Public Health Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) vector-disease transmission as it relates to and influences pesticide application:

(II) life cycles and habitats as a basis for strategy in control of a wide variety of pests;

(III) wide variety of environments ranging from enclosed structures to streams;

(IV) importance and use of non-chemical methods such as sanitation, drainage and waste disposal.

10. Regulatory Pest Control:
(i) Practical knowledge of:
(I) applicable laws relating to quarantine and regulations of pests;

(II) regulated pests;

(III) potential environmental impact of pesticides used in suppression and eradication programs;

(IV) factors influencing introduction, spread and population dynamics of relevant pests;

(V) variations among different geographic areas which would permit valid individual judgments to be made in new situations where emergency measures may be invoked to control regulated pests.

11. Demonstration and Research:
(i) This category is considered to be an add-on and would require prior certification in one or more of categories 1. through 10. of this section (b). Since this category covers demonstration of the safe and effective use of pesticides to other applicators and the public it would also require:
(I) knowledge of broad spectrum of pesticide uses;

(II) pesticide-organism interactions;

(III) knowledge of importance of integrating non-chemical methods of pest control with pesticide use.

12. Aerial Methods:
(i) This category is considered to be an add-on and would require prior certification in one or more of categories 1. through 10. of this section (b). To be certified in this category, applicant would be required to show proof of compliance with the requirements of Title 14, CFR, Part 137 (Agriculture Aircraft Operations). Applicant would also demonstrate by passing of a written examination a practical knowledge of:
(I) aerial application equipment including pesticide dispersal accessories, their operation and calibration;

(II) flight safety requirements for protection of the public including flight patterns, swath marking, turnaround and obstructions;

(III) personal safety precautions necessary for protection of pilot and ground personnel including flagmen and loading personnel.

13. Mosquito Control:
(i) Practical Knowledge of:
(I) vector-disease transmission as it relates to and influences pesticide application.

(II) life cycles and habitats as a basis for strategy in control of mosquitoes.

(III) wide variety of breeding and habitat environments ranging from outdoors to permanent and temporary bodies of water.

(IV) importance and use of non-chemical methods such as sanitation, drainage and waste disposal.

O.C.G.A. Sec. 2-7-90, et seq.

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