Code of Maine Rules
01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
026 - BOARD OF PESTICIDES CONTROL
Chapter 33 - CERTIFICATION & LICENSING PROVISIONS/PRIVATE APPLICATORS OF GENERAL USE PESTICIDES
Section 026-33-2 - Certification Procedures for Private Applicators
Universal Citation: 01 ME Code Rules ยง 026-33-2
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
A. Initial Certification
1. Any person seeking to be certified as a
private applicator of general-use pesticides must pass a written core exam. The
exam shall be closed book.
2. Exams
may be taken at cooperating County University of Maine Cooperative Extension
offices. Exams may also be offered at other locations designated by the Board
staff or available on an appointment basis at the office of the
Board.
3.
Examination
Procedures. All applicants shall comply with these rules or forfeit
their opportunity to complete the exams at a specified appointment.
a. Applicants should be present and ready to
take the exams at the appointed time.
b. Applicants shall not talk during the
examination period.
c. Applicants
shall not be allowed to bring any books, papers, calculators or electronically
stored data into the examining room. Pencils and work sheets will be provided
and all papers shall be collected at the end of the period.
d. Applicants shall not make notes of the
exams and shall not leave the table during an exam unless authorized by the
staff.
4.
Qualification Requirements. An applicant must achieve a passing
score of 80 percent on the core exam.
a. An
applicant who fails the core exam may not retake that examination prior to 6
days after the date of such failed examination. If an applicant fails again the
applicant must wait 6 more days before retaking the exam again.
b. Any applicant who violates any of the
rules pertaining to examinations shall wait a minimum of 60 days before
retesting.
5.
Certification under this section will expire on October 31 of the third year
after the date of successful completion of the exams and on October 31 of every
third year thereafter unless a special restricted certification period is
assigned by the Board or Board staff.
B. Recertification
1. Any person with a current valid
certification may renew that certification by accumulating three
recertification credits during the certification period described in Section
2(A)(5).
2. Recertification credits
will be available through Board-approved meetings including, but not limited
to, University or industry and trade organization seminars or workshops and
approved home study courses where pest management topics are
included.
3. Credit will be allowed
for topics including, but not limited to:
a.
Applicable laws and regulations;
b.
Environmental hazards;
c.
Calibration and new application techniques;
d. Label review;
e. Pesticide risk and applicator
safety;
f. Pesticide storage and
disposal;
g. Pest identification,
biology and management;
h.
Integrated pest management;
i.
Pesticide fate and drift management;
j. Risk communication; and
k. Public relations.
4. Persons organizing meetings for which they
want credits awarded must contact the Board in writing at least 15 days in
advance of the meeting and submit details of the pesticide topics, including
titles and length of time devoted to them. Board staff will review program
agendas and assign credit values. Board staff will monitor programs as time
permits.
a. A minimum of one credit shall be
assigned for each one hour of presentation on appropriate topics.
b. An individual who conducts a meeting for
which the Board does assign recertification credits will be eligible for two
credits for each one hour of presentation on appropriate topics.
5. For in-state programs, each
participant will complete an on-site process to verify attendance at each
program for which credit is allowed. For electronic, correspondence or
out-of-state programs, applicators must notify the Board about attendance and
send a registration receipt or other proof of completion or attendance and a
copy of the agenda or syllabus of the training provided. The agenda or syllabus
must show the length of each presentation and describe what was
covered.
6. A person who fails to
accumulate the necessary credits will have to take the most current exam
required for initial certification.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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