010-28 Wyo. Code R. §§ 28-5 - Certification Categories and Minimum Standards of Competence for Commercial Applicators

(a) Category - 901 Agricultural Pest Control

(i) A - Weed Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide for weed control in production of agriculture commodities as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of crops, grasslands, and non-crop agricultural lands and the specific pests of those areas on which they may be using restricted use pesticides. The importance of such competency is amplified by the extensive areas involved, the quantities of pesticides needed, and the ultimate use of many commodities as food and feed. The required knowledge includes pre-harvest intervals, restricted entry intervals, phytotoxicity, potential for environmental contamination such as soil and water problems, non-target injury, and other problems resulting from the use of restricted use pesticides in agricultural areas. The required knowledge also includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected, for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures.

(ii) B - Insect Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide for insect control in production of agricultural commodities as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of crops, grasslands, and non-crop agricultural lands and the specific pests of those areas on which they may be using restricted use pesticides. The importance of such competency is amplified by the extensive areas involved, the quantities of pesticides needed, and the ultimate use of many commodities as food and feed. The required knowledge includes pre-harvest intervals, restricted entry intervals, phytotoxicity, potential for environmental contamination such as soil and water problems, non-target injury, such as injury to pollinators, and other problems resulting from the use of restricted use pesticides in agricultural areas. The required knowledge also includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures.

(iii) C - Disease Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide for disease control in production of agricultural commodities as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of crops, grasslands, and non-crop agricultural lands and the specific pests of those areas on which they may be using restricted use pesticides. The importance of such competency is amplified by the extensive areas involved, the quantities of pesticides needed, and the ultimate use of many commodities as food and feed. The required knowledge includes pre-harvest intervals, restricted entry intervals, phytotoxicity, potential for environmental contamination such as soil and water problems, non-target injury, and other problems resulting from the use of restricted use pesticides in agricultural areas. The required knowledge also includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures.

(iv) D - Livestock Pest Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide on animals and to places on or in which animals are confined. Doctors of veterinary medicine engaged in the business of applying pesticides for hire, publicly holding themselves out as pesticide applicators, or engaged in large scale use of pesticides are included in this subcategory.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of such animals and their associated pests. The required knowledge includes specific pesticide toxicity and residue potential, and the hazards associated with factors such as formulation, application techniques, age of animals, stress, and extent of treatment.

(v) E - Rodent Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides to control rodents in production of agricultural commodities as well as on grasslands and non-crop agricultural lands.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of detrimental rodents that are found in agricultural situations; the potential impact on the environment of pesticides used in rodent control programs; and knowledge of the factors influencing introduction, spread, and population dynamics of relevant pests. Applicators must demonstrate knowledge of target species and their damage patterns.

(vi) F - Chemigation.

(A) Definition: This subcategory includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide through an irrigation system. Certification in this subcategory requires concurrent certification in the applicable subcategories outlined in subsection (a)(i)-(v) of this section.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of equipment associated with chemigation, including calibration techniques and use of anti-backflow/check valves to prevent contamination of water supplies. They must demonstrate knowledge of the labeling requirements of products registered for chemigation, including posting requirements. Further, they must demonstrate knowledge of appropriate use of personal protective equipment associated with this type of application.

(b) Category - 902 Forest Pest Control.

(i) Definition: This category includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide in forests, forest nurseries, or forest seed producing areas.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of types of forests, forest nurseries, and seed production within the jurisdiction of the certifying authority and the pests involved. The required knowledge includes the cyclic occurrence of certain pests and specific population dynamics as a basis for programming pesticide applications, the relevant organisms causing harm and their vulnerability to the pesticides to be applied, how to determine when pesticide use is proper, selection of application method and proper use of application equipment to minimize non-target exposures, and appropriate responses to meteorological factors and adjacent land use. The required knowledge also includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures.

(c) Category - 903 Ornamental and Turf Pest Control.

(i) A - Weed Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides to control weeds in the maintenance and production of ornamental plantings, including turf.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of pesticide problems associated with the production and maintenance of ornamental plants and turf. The required knowledge includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures. Because of the frequent proximity of human habitations to application activities, applicators in this subcategory must demonstrate practical knowledge of application methods that will minimize or prevent hazards to humans, pets, and other domestic animals.

(ii) B - Insect Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides to control insects in the maintenance and production of ornamental planting, including turf.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of pesticide problems associated with the production and maintenance of ornamental plants and turf. The required knowledge includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures, such as exposure to pollinators. Because of the frequent proximity of human habitations to application activities, applicators in this subcategory must demonstrate practical knowledge of application methods that will minimize or prevent hazards to humans, pets, and other domestic animals.

(iii) C - Disease Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides to control plant disease in the maintenance and production of ornamental plantings, including turf.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of pesticide problems associated with the production and maintenance of ornamental plants and turf. The required knowledge includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants to be protected for drift, for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control, and for non-target exposures. Because of the frequent proximity of human habitations to application activities, applicators in this subcategory must demonstrate practical knowledge of application methods that will minimize or prevent hazards to humans, pets, and other domestic animals.

(iv) E - Rodent Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide to control rodents in the maintenance and production of ornamental plantings, including turf.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of detrimental rodents that are found in ornamental planting and turf; the potential impact on the environment of pesticides used in rodent control programs; and knowledge of the factors influencing introduction, spread, and population dynamics of relevant pests. Applicators must demonstrate knowledge of target species and their damage patterns.

(d) Category - 904 Seed Treatments.

(i) Definition: This category applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any restricted use pesticide on seed.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge including recognizing types of seeds to be treated, the effects of carriers and surface active agents on pesticide binding and germination, the hazards associated with handling, sorting and mixing, and misuse of treated seed, the importance of proper application techniques to avoid harm to non-target organisms, and the proper disposal of unused treated seeds.

(e) Category - 905 Aquatic Pest Control.

(i) Definition: This category applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide purposefully applied to water.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of the characteristics of various aquatic use situations, the potential for adverse effects on non-target plants, fish, birds, beneficial insects and other organisms in the immediate aquatic environment and downstream, and the principles of limited area application.

(f) Category - 906 Right-of-Way Pest Control.

(i) Definition: This category applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide in the maintenance of public roads, electric power lines, pipelines, railway rights-of-way, or other similar areas.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of the types of environments (terrestrial and aquatic) traversed by rights-of-way, recognition of target pests, and techniques to minimize non-target exposure, runoff, drift, and excessive foliage destruction. The required knowledge also includes the potential for phytotoxicity due to a wide variety of plants and pests to be controlled, and for persistence beyond the intended period of pest control.

(g) Category - 907 Industrial, Institutional, and Structural Pest Control.

(i) Category - 907G Industrial, Institutional, and Structural Pest Control (General).

(A) Definition: This category applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide in, on, or around food handling establishments; food processing facilities; packing houses; human dwellings; institutions such as schools and hospitals; prisons; manufacturing facilities; industrial establishments or sites, including warehouses and grain elevators; and any other structures or adjacent areas whether public or private. This category also includes commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide for the protection of stored, processed, or manufactured products.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of industrial, institutional, and structural pests, including recognizing those pests and signs of their presence, their habitats, their life cycles, biology, and behavior as it may be relevant to problem identification and control. Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of types of formulations appropriate for control of industrial, institutional, and structural pests, and methods of application that avoid contamination of food, minimize damage to and contamination of areas treated, minimize acute and chronic exposure of people and pets, and minimize environmental impacts of outdoor applications.

(ii) Category - 907H - Bird Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides to control pest birds.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of protected and unprotected pest birds and conditions conducive to bird problems. They must demonstrate knowledge of all applicable laws and regulations protecting birds and the actions required to control protected pest species. Applicators must demonstrate knowledge of bird control methods and the hazards involved with pesticide usage, especially secondary poisoning of non-target organisms.

(iii) Category - 907I Cooling Tower.

(A) Definition: This category applies to applicators using biocides to disinfect HVAC systems, including cooling towers and evaporative condensers.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge in choice of pesticide, correct calculation of the pesticide to be used for the volume of water to be treated, potential off target impact of residual pesticide, determining the pH of the water and its effect on the application, and effluent quality monitoring. Applicators must also demonstrate practical knowledge of how to ensure that discharge does not violate water quality standards.

(iv) Category - 907J - Wood Destroying Pests and Decay Organisms.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of pesticides (insecticides, termiticides, fungicides, etc.) in or around structures to control or prevent wood destroying pests, including wood boring beetles, carpenter ants, and wood decay fungi.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of a wide variety of pests, including their life cycles; types of formulations appropriate for their control; methods of application that avoid damage, contamination of food, contamination of habitation, and exposure of people and pets. Since human exposure is a potential problem, applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of the specific factors that may lead to a hazardous condition, including continuous exposure in the various situations encountered in this subcategory. Because health related pest control may involve outdoor applications, applicators must also demonstrate practical knowledge of environmental conditions particularly related to this type of application. Applicators must demonstrate the ability to read and understand label formulations for products used in these settings to insure efficacy. These products include microbials and sanitizers.

(h) Category - 908 Health Related Pest Control.

(i) Category - 908G Health Related Pest Control (General).

(A) Definition: This category applies to applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticides in public health programs for the management and control of pests for medical reasons to protect public health.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of vector disease transmission as it relates to and influences application programs. These applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of a variety of environments ranging from streams to buildings. They must also demonstrate practical knowledge of the importance and employment of non-chemical control methods such as sanitation, waste disposal, and drainage. This category does not include control of vertebrate pests that are disease vectors.

(ii) Category - 908K Mosquito Control.

(A) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators using or supervising the use of any pesticide to control mosquitoes.

(B) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of appropriate life cycles and habitats of mosquito populations that form the basis of a control strategy. Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of a great variety of environments ranging from exterior water sources to those conditions found in or on structures that promote mosquito populations and also have knowledge of non-chemical control methods such as sanitation, waste disposal, and drainage.

(i) Category - 909 - Fumigation - Soil and Non-Soil.

(i) Definition: This category applies to commercial applicators making soil and non-soil fumigation applications.

(A) Standards of Competence: Refer to Appendix D for a listing of standards of competence for this category.

(j) Category - 910 Demonstration and Research Pest Control.

(i) Definition: This category applies to the following:

(A) Commercial applicators who demonstrate to the public the proper use and techniques for applying pesticides or supervise such demonstrations. This group includes persons such as university employees and commercial representatives demonstrating pesticide products or making crop or pest control recommendations, and individuals who demonstrate methods of use in programs for the public.

(B) Commercial applicators who conduct field research with pesticides and use or supervise the use of pesticides. This group includes state, federal, commercial, and other persons who conduct research on and use any pesticide.

(ii) Standards of Competence:

(A) Applicators demonstrating safe and effective use of pesticides to other applicators and the public will be expected to meet comprehensive standards reflecting a broad spectrum of pesticide uses. Many different pest problem situations will be encountered in the course of activities associated with demonstrations, and practical knowledge of problems, pests, and population levels occurring in each demonstration situation is required. Further, they should demonstrate an understanding of the interactions between pesticides and their targets and the importance of integrating pesticide use with other control methods. In addition, they must meet the specific standards required for categories 901-909 of this section as may be applicable to their particular activity along with the general standards under Appendix A.

(B) Persons conducting field research or method improvement work with pesticides should know the general standards under Appendix A. In addition, they must meet the specific standards required for categories 901 through 909 of this section that are applicable to their particular activity or activities.

(k) Category - 911 Specific Use Pest Control.

(l) Category - 912 Aerial Application.

(i) Definition: This category applies to persons making commercial applications from fixed or rotary wing aircraft manned by a pilot and from unmanned aerial systems. To make aerial commercial applications, a person must obtain certification in one or more of the other categories listed in this section appropriate to the type of application to be performed.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Refer to Appendix E for a listing of standards of competence for this category.

(m) Category - 913 Regulatory Pest Control.

(i) Definition: This category applies to state, federal, or other local governmental employees and contractors who use or supervise the use of restricted use pesticides in government-sponsored programs for the control of regulated pests. Certification in this category does not authorize the purchase, use, or supervision of use of sodium cyanide.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of regulated pests, applicable laws relating to quarantine and other regulation of regulated pests, and the potential impact on the environment of restricted use pesticides used in suppression and eradication programs. They must also demonstrate knowledge of factors influencing introduction, spread, and population dynamics of regulated pests.

(n) Category - 914 - Sodium Cyanide Predator Control (M-44).

(i) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators who use the M-44 device.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of mammalian predator pests that is relevant to pest identification and control, including recognizing those pests and signs of their presence as well as their habitats, life cycles, biology, and behavior. Applicators must demonstrate comprehension of all laws and regulations applicable to the use of mechanical ejection devices for sodium cyanide, including the restrictions on the use of sodium cyanide products ordered by the EPA Administrator. Applicators must also demonstrate practical knowledge and understanding of all of the specific use restrictions for sodium cyanide devices, including safe handling; proper placement of the capsules and device; proper use of the antidote kit; PPE requirements; notification to medical personnel before use of the device; conditions of and restrictions on when and where devices can be used; requirements to consult U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maps before use to avoid affecting endangered species; maximum density of devices; provisions for supervising and monitoring applicators; required information exchange in locations where more than one agency is authorized to place devices; and specific requirements for recordkeeping, monitoring, field posting, proper storage, and disposal of damaged or used sodium cyanide capsules.

(o) Category - 915 - Piscicide Applicator.

(i) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators who use piscicides to control undesirable fish populations.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate extensive knowledge of the species of fish to be controlled; potential of target impact to desirable species; environmental factors affecting application such as temperature, streamflow, tributary locations, and streambed geology; calibration of application equipment; monitoring during application; neutralization of piscicide upon completion of application; collection of fish carcasses; safe handling of piscicides; and correct personal protective equipment for those involved in application.

(p) Category - 916 - Wood Preservatives and Wood Treatment.

(i) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators who use or supervise the use of any pesticide at treating plants or sawmills for preservative treatment of wood by pressure, dipping, soaking, or diffusion processes to produce a commodity for sale, installation, or both. This subcategory also includes the handling and topical application and injection of wood preservatives for operations such as pole treatment, waterproofing, millwork cutoffs, or supplemental field treatment.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of conditions that preservative treatment of wood prevents. Applicators must demonstrate a knowledge of all laws specific to the use of wood preservatives; the associated health and environmental hazards; and the need to inform users of treated wood products of handling, use, and disposal precautions. They must demonstrate a knowledge of applicable treating and testing equipment, structural weed destroying organisms, and conditions conducive to infestation, and must demonstrate their ability to select and calibrate equipment and use appropriate control procedures.

(q) Category - 917 - Sewer Line Root Control.

(i) Definition: This subcategory applies to commercial applicators who use or supervise the use of any pesticide for sewer line root control. This subcategory covers applications of pesticides to control or prevent growth of roots in sewer lines or pipes.

(ii) Standards of Competence: Applicators must demonstrate practical knowledge of technical aspects of sewer line root control with emphasis on the safe use and application of chemical products. Applicators must also demonstrate practical knowledge of the pesticide label and comprehension (except buffer zones), non-soil fumigant chemical characteristics, safe handling of sewer root control chemicals; root growth and biology; types of equipment and safety when handling; correct pesticide use; correct use of personal protective equipment; toxicity to humans and off target organisms; cleaning, disposal, and containment techniques; environmental and other effects of root control pesticide use; and the laws and regulations governing pesticide use.

(r) The standards in this section do not apply to:

(i) Persons conducting research involving pesticides in a laboratory; and

(ii) Doctors of Medicine or Veterinary Medicine acting in the course of their normal practice.

Notes

010-28 Wyo. Code R. §§ 28-5

Amended, Eff. 1/8/2025.