Utah Commercial Applicator - Pesticide Safety Bundle
This course bundle is designed for the Utah Commercial Applicator fulfills 6 hours of pesticide safety topics. All courses have been approved by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Please click on course description for a complete list of courses contained in this bundle.
BUNDLE CONTENTS
- Pesticide Emergency Management and Environmental Protection – 1hr
- Review of Pesticide Use Hazards – 1 hr
- Respiratory Protection – 1hr
- Ornamental Pesticide App Equip and Calibration-1hr
- Application Equipment and Calibration – 1hr
- Personal Protective Equipment and Emergency Response – 1hr
Pesticide Emergency Management and Environmental Protection | Utah Approved
Course Description
This one-credit course is approved by the Utah Department of Agriculture to teach pest managers how to safely and legally apply pesticides. Proper pesticide use safeguards people and the environment from the threat of toxic exposure.
Pesticide use isn’t always necessary to control pests. This course explores safe alternatives. When pesticides are needed, you can never be too careful. A comprehensive management plan creates a safe framework for pesticide use, including public notification and warning signs.
Careful chemical and equipment selection, pesticide application, material cleanup, toxin disposal and recordkeeping ensure you stay on top of hazards at every step of the process. Even your choice of service containers matters for the safe storage, mixing and transportation of pesticides.
Include emergency response procedures in your management plan. A spill, leak or misapplication may threaten people and the environment. This course prepares you to handle simple first aid for skin, eye, respiratory and even clothing exposure.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify pesticide safety measures to protect people and the environment from pesticide exposure.
- Explain how to handle pesticide emergencies such as leaks, spills and misapplications.
- Recognize different types of pesticide emergencies and corresponding first aid measures.
- Discuss effective equipment selection, safe application techniques and proper practices for cleanup and disposal.
- Describe appropriate ways to handle and apply pesticides.
Review of Pesticide Use Hazards
Course Description
To safely work with pesticides, pest managers must understand the hazardous properties of the chemicals they work with. This one-credit course, approved by the Utah Department of Agriculture, helps pest managers understand the toxic properties of various pesticides.
Pesticides can harm humans, injure pets, contaminate water, damage plants, and have unintended consequences on non-target organisms. This course contains information on pesticide hazards to people, wildlife, and the environment. Lessons include tools for recognizing toxic exposure in humans and methods for toxicity determination in animals.
To better understand pesticides, this course instructs pest managers in the three categories of pesticide toxicity and the factors that influence them. Explore classifications and designations based on function/targeted pests as you learn how to prevent hazardous pesticide exposure.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain appropriate responses to pesticide accidents.
- Minimize excessive pesticide exposure risk to pets, plants and the environment.
- Identify the hazards of human pesticide exposure and explain pesticide toxicity.
- Describe various pesticide formulations and identify their characteristics.
Respiratory Protection
Course Description
Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or death. Some pesticide labels require the use of a respirator as part of the personal protective equipment. This course outlines the types of respirators available, proper fit, and inspection/maintenance requirements.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Discuss the different types of respirators and when to use each type
- Describe the steps of a successful fit test
- Outline the necessary care and maintenance required for each type of respirator
Ornamental Pesticide Application Equipment and Calibration
Course Description
When pesticide applications become necessary for good ornamental plant management it’s important to understand how application equipment works and how to properly calibrate the equipment. Accurate measurement of the area to be treated or the number of plants to be treated and properly calibrated equipment are critical to successful control of the pest as well as staying within label requirements. This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on ornamental plants, the way to calculate the volume of solution needed, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the different types of equipment used in pesticide applications
- Accurately calculate the square footage of irregular areas
- Accurately calibrate common application equipment
Application Equipment and Calibration
Course Description
When pesticide applications become necessary for good turf management, it’s important to understand how application equipment works and how to properly calibrate the equipment. Accurate measurement of the area to be treated and properly calibrated equipment are critical to applying pesticides within an acceptable range of the label requirements. This course will discuss the most common types of equipment used for pesticide applications on turf, the way to calculate the area of an irregularly shaped space, and how to properly calculate the flow rate of the equipment.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe the different types of equipment used in pesticide applications
- Accurately calculate the square footage of irregular areas
- Accurately calibrate common application equipment
Personal Protective Equipment and Emergency Response
PPE comprises the clothing and devices you wear to protect your body from contact with pesticides. Wearing PPE can reduce exposure (dermal, inhalation, ocular, or oral) and thereby lower the chances of pesticide injury, illness, or poisoning. It is important that all pesticide applicators and handlers understand the protections and limitations of PPE. Proper PPE selection, use, and care are essential.
Although pesticide accidents and emergencies are rare, they do occur. Pesticides spilled on the ground or burning in a fire can contaminate water, soil, and air; damage plants; injure livestock, wildlife, or pets; and endanger the health of the applicator and emergency responders. Pesticide spills and fires may lead to financial loss due to cleanup, liability claims, and fines assessed by government agencies. Do all that you can to prevent accidents, but be prepared in case of an emergency.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify where on the label to find the minimum clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) required to handle a given pesticide product.
- State the criteria to properly select skin, eye, and respiratory protection required by the pesticide label based upon your expected use and exposure.
- Discuss how pesticide releases from spills and fires can endanger humans and the environment.
- Explain how to execute an emergency response plan.