Mich. Admin. Code R. 285.636.4 - Standards for certification of commercial applicators
Rule 4. Commercial applicators shall demonstrate a practical
knowledge, by written examination, of the principles and practices of pest
management, pesticide label comprehension, and the safe use of pesticides,
including the general
(a) All subcategory
standards shall include a practical knowledge of all of the following:
(i) Relevant and associated pests.
(ii) Environmental fate of
pesticides.
(iii) Pesticide
formulations in use and application equipment , equipment calibration, and
methods of application.
(iv) Safety
procedures to protect nontarget organisms.
(v) Integrated pest management
principles.
(vi) Container disposal
and storage .
(vii) Worker
safety.
(b) Subcategory
standards for particular categories shall be as follows:
(i) Field crops (R 285.636.3(1)(a)),
vegetable crops (R 285.636.3(1)(b)), fruit crops (R 285.636.3(1)(c)), and
animal subcategories (R 285.636.3(1)(d)). Applicators shall demonstrate a
practical knowledge of all of the following:
(A) The relevant crops or agricultural
practices.
(B) Pesticide
residues.
(C) Phytotoxicity where
applicable.
(D) Precautions
necessary to reduce farm worker exposure to pesticides.
(ii) Forest pest management category (R
285.636.3(2)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of all of
the following:
(A) Forest pests and their
life cycles and management.
(B) A
general understanding of forest ecosystems.
(C) The potential effect of pesticide
applications on nontarget organisms.
(iii) Forest products preservation
subcategory (R 285.636.3(2)(a)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical
knowledge of all of the following:
(A) The
principles and practices associated with the safe use of wood
preservatives.
(B) Obtaining site
information.
(C) Protecting
wildlife and endangered species.
(D) Maintaining surface water
quality.
(iv) Turf grass
pest management subcategory (R 285.636.3(3)(a)). Applicators shall demonstrate
a practical knowledge of all of the following:
(A) The maintenance of turf.
(B) Phytotoxicity.
(C) Lawn grass species.
(D) Physiological conditions .
(E) The necessary procedures and precautions
associated with the application of pesticides for the maintenance of lawn
grasses.
(v) Ornamental
plants and shade tree pest management subcategory (R 285.636.3(3)(b)).
Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the maintenance of
ornamental plants and shade trees, including all of the following:
(A) The physiologic conditions of ornamental
plants and shade trees.
(B) The
calibration techniques unique to ornamental plant and shade tree pest
management.
(C) The necessary
procedures and precautions associated with the application of pesticides for
the maintenance of shade trees and ornamental plants in the urban
environment.
(vi) Seed
treatment subcategory (R 285.636.3(4)). Applicators shall demonstrate a
practical knowledge of the methods required to prohibit the contamination of
grains that may be utilized for feed or food purposes.
(vii) Aquatic subcategory (R 285.636.3(5)).
Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of all of the following:
(A) The potential for human exposure after
the pesticide application.
(B) The
potential for surface or groundwater contamination.
(C) The requirement for obtaining permits
from the Michigan department of environmental quality.
(viii) Swimming pools subcategory (R
285.636.3(5)(a)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the
application techniques and water management principles associated with the
treatment of swimming pools and a practical knowledge of the effects of
swimming pool treatment on humans.
(ix) Microbial pest management subcategory (R
285.636.3(5)(b)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the
principles and practices associated with pesticide use to manage microbes,
including application rates and pesticide efficiency use. In addition,
applicators shall have knowledge of their responsibility to obtain discharge
permits from the appropriate agencies.
(x) Sewer line pest management subcategory (R
285.636.3(5)(c)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of
principles and practices associated with pesticide use to manage root growth in
sewer lines.
(xi) Right-of-way pest
management subcategory (R 285.636.3(6)). Applicators shall demonstrate a
practical knowledge of vegetation management principles with an emphasis on
application techniques to protect surface water .
(xii) General pest management subcategory (R
285.636.3(7)(a)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of all of
the following:
(A) A wide variety of pests,
including all of the following with respect to pests:
(1) Their life cycles.
(2) Types of formulations appropriate for
their management.
(3) Methods of
application that avoid all of the following:
(a) The contamination of food.
(b) Damage and contamination of
habitat.
(c) Exposure of people and
pets.
(B) The
specific factors that may lead to a hazardous condition, including exposure to
pesticides in the various situations encountered in this category.
(C) Indoor environmental conditions and the
necessary procedures and precautions associated with the application of
pesticides for the management of indoor pests in an urban
environment.
(xiii)
Wood-destroying organism management subcategory (R 285.636.3(7)(b)).
Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of all of the following:
(A) Wood-destroying organisms and their life
cycles.
(B) The proper methods of
pesticide application.
(C) The
specific factors that may lead to human exposure or to contamination of
groundwater , indoor air, or other components of the environment.
(xiv) Vertebrate pest management
subcategory (R 285.636.3(7)(d)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical
knowledge of the principles associated with the management of birds and other
vertebrates, such as rats, mice, bats, tree squirrels, ground squirrels,
skunks, moles, and snakes, and shall have knowledge of all of the following:
(A) Domestic animal, wildlife, and endangered
species protection.
(B) Department
of natural resources permits.
(C)
Practices and precautions pertinent to the issues concerning the application of
pesticides in urban environments.
(xv) Interior plant pest management
subcategory (R 285.636.3(7)(e)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical
knowledge of physiological conditions associated with the maintenance of
interior plants, including all of the following:
(A) Plant phytotoxicity and persistence of
pesticides.
(B) Indoor air
contamination.
(C) Drift.
(D) Calibration.
(E) General hazards to humans in an enclosed
environment.
(xvi)
Mosquito management subcategory (R 285.636.3(7)(f)). Applicators shall
demonstrate a practical knowledge of the principles associated with the
management of mosquitoes, including all of the following:
(A) Their life cycles.
(B) Types of formulations appropriate for
their management.
(C) Methods of
application.
(D) Possible effects
on water quality.
(E) The potential
health effects on humans in the target area.
(xvii) Domestic animal pest management (R
285.636.7(g)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the
management of pests associated with small domestic animals, including, but not
limited to, fleas and ticks.
(xviii) Public health pest management (R
285.636.3(8)). Applicators shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the
management of pests that have medical and public health importance, including
their life cycles and habitats, and have a practical knowledge including all of
the following:
(A) A variety of indoor and
outdoor environments.
(B) Effects
of large-scale pesticide application on human populations.
(C) The necessary procedures and precautions
associated with the application of pesticides in an urban
environment.
(xix)
Regulatory pest management (R 285.636.3(9)). Applicators shall demonstrate a
practical knowledge of regulatory pest management, including all of the
following:
(A) Specific life cycles of the
pest to be managed and appropriate management techniques.
(B) The potential impact of pesticide
applications to nontarget areas or organisms.
(C) Structure and responsibility of
cooperating state and federal agencies.
(D) General public notification
procedures.
(xx)
Demonstration and research pest management (R 285.636.3(10)). Applicators shall
be certified in the category or subcategory as required by R 285.636.3 and
shall demonstrate a practical knowledge, including all of the following:
(A) Procedures required for conducting
demonstration and research plots.
(B) Various methods of data
analysis.
(C) Necessary precautions
for ensuring commodity security and destruction, if required.
(D) Detailed knowledge of the state and
federal pesticide registration process.
(c) Additional certification standards are as
follows:
(i) Aerial applicators. Applicators
who apply pesticides by aircraft shall demonstrate a practical knowledge of the
techniques of aerial application and applicable federal aviation administration
regulations. Practical knowledge is required concerning nontarget injury that
may result from the aerial application of pesticides.
(ii) Fumigation . Applicators shall
demonstrate a practical knowledge of the principles and methods of fumigation .
Practical knowledge is required concerning all of the following:
(A) Toxicity.
(B) The potential for environmental
contamination.
(C) Applicator
personal protection.
(D) Human
exposure.
(E) Nontarget injury that
may result from the use of pesticide gases in any environment.
(d) Applicators who
request certification for a method of application that differs in part from one
of the established categories set forth in R 285.636.3 shall demonstrate a
practical knowledge of such standards determined by the director as being
applicable to the method of application described by the applicant . Such
standards prescribed by the director shall include the general standards
applicable to all categories and the standards specifically identified as
appropriate for the applicant 's method of application.
Notes
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