Administered By:

The Pesticide Industry Council

C/O Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association

7856 Fifth Line South

RR#4 Station Main

Milton, Ontario

L9T 2X8

1-800-265-5656

FAX: (905) 875-3942

Email pic@hort-trades.com

Web Site www.hort-trades.com

 

 

 

 

 

This guidebook will provide answers about the Pesticide Technician Program.

 

As of January 1, 2000, the law requires that all unlicensed pesticide applicators must become Pesticide Technicians by passing a two-part pesticide safety test before being allowed to apply Pesticides.

 

The Pesticide Industry Council (PIC) and the Pesticide Industry Regulatory Council (PIRC) will administer the Pesticide Technician Program.

 

The Pesticide Industry Council (PIC) program is administered through Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association.

 

 

 

·        To promote pesticide safety

·        Enhance industry standards

·        Improve public confidence through

·        education

·        training

 

Following is the framework for how the Pesticide Industry Council  (PIC) Pesticide Industry Regulatory Council (PIRC) and Ridgetown College will deliver the Pesticide Technician Program on behalf of the Pest Control Industry under the authority of the Ministry of Environment (MOE).

 

 

 

The Pesticide Technician Program is a two-part safety program consisting of:

Part 1. Academic Component: a written test based on the Technicians Manual

Part 2. Practical Component: perform 5 practical safety tasks evaluated by the supervising licensed exterminator

 

 

 

1.    Technician candidate enrolls in the Pesticide Technician Program through the PIC and receives the technician manual.

2.    Studies technicians manual and takes optional training courses

3.    Through PIC or through an in-house examiner the candidate writes the exam. The exam is open book based on Technicians Manual

4.    Having obtained a passing grade, the examiner issues a signed Technician Identification Card.  (This card is not valid until another signature is provided by the supervising exterminator on the job proving that the candidate has passed the 5 part practical test.)

5.    The Examiner promptly provides PIC all examination results and the Technician Identification.

6.    The Candidate then successfully completes the 5-part Practical Component with a Licensed Exterminator.

7.    The Candidate has Technician status for 2 years.

 

 

 

The Pesticide Technician Candidate:

 

1.    Enrolls with Pesticide Industry Council (PIC) by calling 1-800-265-5656, by email (pic@hort-trades.com) by fax (905-875-3942) or Internet at www.hort-trades.com.

 

2.    After the registration fee is received, the Technician Manual is sent out.   (A Fee Schedule is attached to the back of this guide). Payment can be made by cheque, credit card or money order payable to Landscape Ontario. 

 

 

3.    Candidate studies the Technician Manual.  If necessary, additional training can also be arranged for through the employer or through Training Institutions. (See section on additional Training.)

 

4.    When ready the Candidate can arrange an exam time and location through an in-house examiner, trainer or PIC.

 

5.    Candidate writes the academic exam. The exam is open book based on the Technician Manual. (The fee covers only one attempt.)

 

6.    Upon successfully completing the academic exam with a pass mark of 75% or greater the candidate will receive a Technician Identification Card signed and dated by the Academic Examiner. (The card is not valid until the practical test is passed.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.    Candidate takes the 5 part practical test from a Licensed Exterminator. The Practical Pesticide Safety Training Document found in the manual is used as a guideline for this practical test. The Licensed Exterminator can be within the company, another company or from a training school.

 

If successful in the practical component, the candidate will provide the Technician Identification Card to the licensed exterminator who will also sign, date, and include their license number on the original Technician Identification Card. (The candidate should also ensure that a copy of the Technician Identification Card information is faxed or mailed to the PIC within 5 working days in order to be officially registered as a Technician.)

 

8.  The candidate now has Technician status which is valid for 2 years.

 

 

 

There are two types of examiners involved in the Pesticide Technician Program corresponding to the two step academic plus practical process.

1. An accredited examiner who administers the academic written exam.

2.  A licensed exterminator who administers the practical test.

 

 

Accredited examiners administer the academic exam.  They must be accredited by PIC. They may be “in-house” or work for training institutions.  They must have 5 years experience in the Pest Control industry, hold a valid exterminator’s license or be approved by PIC or PIRC. Accredited Examiners agree to sign a code of ethics protecting the integrity of the Pesticide Technician Program.  

 

The examiner ensures that the Technician candidate submits proper identification before being allowed to write the exam.

 

The examiner

·        Administers and marks the exam.

·        Issues a numbered Technician Identification Card, signed and dated by that Examiner upon successful completion of the exam.

·        Provides PIC by mail, fax, or other electronic means, all examination results, the date the examination was completed, and the Technician Identification number issued.

 

 

The Practical Pesticide Training Document found in the Technician manual is used by the Licensed Exterminator to administer the practical test. The Technician Candidate must proficiently demonstrate their ability in five mandatory practical pesticide safety tasks in order to successfully complete the practical component of the program.

 

The five mandatory tasks are:

1.    diluting a concentrated pesticide with a solvent

2.    correctly applying a pesticide

3.    emergency response procedures for equipment

4.    emergency response procedures for pesticide exposure

5.    emergency response procedures for handling a spill

 

Upon the candidate passing the practical component, the Licensed Exterminator will:

 

·        Complete, sign and date a copy of the Practical Pesticide Safety Training Document, Appendix B, Part 1, confirming that the candidate successfully performed the required tasks.

·        Sign, date, and print their name and their exterminator’s license number on the Technicians Identification Card, verifying that the candidate has completed the practical training component of the course.

·        Retain a copy of the completed “Practical Pesticide Safety Training Document” (Appendix B, Part 1) if they are the employer, or send a copy to the candidate’s place of employment, where the “Practical Pesticide Safety Training Document” is to be kept on file for at least two years. The candidate is to be provided with the original.

 

 

To be designated a PIC Examiner a person must:

1. Hold a valid Exterminators License

2. Have 5 or more years in Pest Management

3. Take the Pesticide Technician Program orientation for Examiners

4. Write and pass the Technicians exam

5. Sign the Code of Ethics for Examiners

 

·        Fax or e-mail us your pesticide related information

·                Take the one day orientation seminar (see the schedule)

 

 

 

 

 

·        Persons may be designated as Accredited Examiners based on  pest management experience, technical qualifications and written agreement to protect the integrity of the program by following the Code of Ethics for Examiners

·        Each Examiner will be allocated the appropriate versions of the examination in time for their test day. All exams and answer papers are to be returned to PIC in a timely fashion.

·        Examiners will also be issued the Technician Identification Cards for their potential candidates.

·        These cards are signed by the examiner once the exam is successfully completed.

·        The examiner informs PIC of the name and exam score of all successful candidates.

 

Examiners will:

·        protect the integrity of the Pesticide Technician Program

·        provide a fair, equitable, exam process

·        ensure candidate provides photo ID

·        only allow  the Technicians Manual to be used during the open book exam

·        allow no copies of the written exam to be made

·        not provide assistance with answers during the exam

·        promptly forward PIC (electronically where applicable)

·        Examination results

·        Date of exam

·        Technicians Identification number and address

·        complete, sign, date, and print their name on the Technicians Identification Cards upon the Technician Candidate successfully passing the Academic component.

 

 

 

 

A Technicians Card is not valid until:

·        Signed and dated by an Examiner confirming that the candidate has passed the academic component of the Pesticide Technician Program.

·        Signed and dated by a Licensed Exterminator (including their exterminators license number) confirming that the candidate has passed the practical component of the Pesticide Technician Program.

 

Note:  Where the candidate has employment with an operator of a pest control business the dates between passing the academic component and the practical component must fall within a 30-day period. Where the candidate does not have employment with an operator of a pest control business the dates between passing the academic component and the practical component must fall within a 365-day period.

 

·        A Technicians Identification Card is not valid unless signed by both the accredited examiner and licensed exterminator-providing proof of successful completion of the academic exam and practical test.

 

·         A Technicians Identification Card is valid for a period of two years from the date that the candidate completes both parts of the program.

 

 

The Pesticide Industry Council will:

·        Accredit Examiners

·        Publish the Technician Manual

·        Develop and improve the exam

·        Maintain a database of  Pesticide Technicians and accredited examiners

·        Deliver the program in a professional manner

·        Ensure that the confidentiality of the exam process is observed

·        Ensure that the mechanisms, delivery, procedures, access to Technician Manual, and writing of the Exams are all consistent.

 

The Pesticide Technician Program is a 2-part examination procedure.  It is not a training program.  It does however verify the practical and theoretical knowledge of the Pesticide Technician.  It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that his/her employees acquire proper legal status as a Registered Pesticide Technician before they can apply pesticides commercially.

 

Training opportunities will be available from private trainers, trade associations, community colleges and universities.  PIC maintains a list of available trainers and examiners.

 

Note to Trainers

If you are presently a trainer or offer training through an institution, it would be advantageous to become an accredited examiner through the PIC.  This will allow you as a trainer to administer the exam.  If a trainer or training institution is not an accredited examiner then the PIC will arrange for examining the candidates. 

 

Both the Academic and Practical component of the Pesticide Technician Program are based on the Technician Manual, developed by the industry in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.  Examiners for both the academic and practical testing who are also Trainers may offer training.

 

Copies of the Technician Manual are available by contacting the PIC through the Landscape Ontario Office.

 

Examiners and Trainers may register and collect the Pesticide Technician Program registration fee and submit it to PIC but only those with Accredited Examiner status can administer the Technician exam.

 

 

 

There are two fee schedules for a candidate to acquire Technician Status.

 

1.    If PIC supplies the examiner, the fee will be $85.00 per candidate  (minimum 5 people).

 

2.    If the examiner is “in house” or working on behalf of a member of PIC Association, the fee is $65.00 per candidate.

 

The registration fee includes the Technician Manual, one examination sitting, Technician’s Guidebook, Technician Card, and maintenance of the Technician database. 

 

Training costs are over and above the registration fee.  PIC has no involvement in conducting training or setting training costs. 

 

If you are interested in becoming an accredited Examiner with the Pesticide Technician Program through the Pesticide Industry Council, fill in the form provided and fax or e-mail us at your earliest convenience.