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April 9, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Commercial pesticide applicators preparing to take state exams to become licensed pest control operators can take part in pesticide safety training April 21-22 offered by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.
The Pesticide Safety Education Program will be taught by instructors from Ohio State and will be held at the Ohio Department of Agriculture campus, 8995 E. Main St. in Reynoldsburg, said Mary Ann Rose, the program’s director for Ohio State University Extension.
OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.
The training class is for Category 10a – General Pest Control training for new applicators, and it will focus on preparing for the general pest control exam, Rose said.
The class will focus on the identification, biology and control methods of structural pests that are included in the 10a category exam for an Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicator License. This includes bed bugs, ants, cockroaches, mice and other pests inside buildings, offices, homes and other structures, she said.
Additionally, applicators will learn about effective pest management to help prepare them for work as licensed pesticide applicators, Rose said.
"This training will help applicators learn more about pesticide safety and stewardship while also preparing to take the exam,” she said.
Applicators will also be able to attend the Pesticide Safety Training at the same location April 22, Rose said.
“This training will help them prepare for the Core exam, which is the general safety exam required for all licensed commercial pesticide applicators,” she said.
In the afternoon, applicators will be able to take the Core and General Pest Control, Category 10a exams.
The cost for the class is $65 for April 21 or $120 for both days. Class fees include instruction, lunch and class notes. The study materials for the exam are sent to applicators after they send a separate $35 with a completed application to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
An Ohio commercial pesticide applicator license is required by any applicator who works for a company or business applying pesticides unless they are supervised by a licensed applicator. Public employees who apply for school districts, townships, villages, cities, municipalities and other agencies must also be licensed commercial pesticide applicators. Applicators who are spraying in public areas for pest control must also be licensed. Public areas include day care centers, hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes, restaurants and housing with more than four units in one location.
“A license is required even if the applicator is using general-use products such as baits for mice or bug spray for yellow jackets,” Rose said. “If the applicator is not licensed, they must be a trained serviceperson and work under the supervision of a licensed applicator.”
At the end of the training on April 22, attendees will receive documentation that they have met the requirements of a trained serviceperson. Applicators who are planning to take the pesticide license exam will benefit from the review of general pest, pesticide safety, regulations, formulations and label interpretation.
New Pesticide Applicator Training Classes (Core and Categories 8, 6c, 5, 2c) will be offered: April 22, May 27, Aug. 26, and Sept. 30. More information about other training opportunities and other programs is available on the Pesticide Safety Education Program website at pested.osu.edu or by calling 614-292-4070.
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