This course has been designed to help satisfy the requirement that a Texas Private Pesticide Applicator must obtain at least 15 CEUs prior to recertifying his license to apply pesticides. Please note that at least 2 CEUs must be in Laws and Regulations and at least 2 CEUs must be in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The individual that completes this 10 CEU Private Applicator Course will receive 2 CEUs in Laws and Regulations, 2 CEUs in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and 6 General CEUs.
1. IPM: Birds as Pests: Birds are a colorful part of our world and are frequently photographed, studied or hunted by Americans. Birds can become pests, however, when they feed on crops, roost in large numbers, contaminate food or create a general nuisance. The birds that most commonly become pests in urban areas of the U.S. are pigeons, starlings and house sparrows. The habitats these birds prefer, the health risks they pose and the different methods of controlling these birds are presented in this lesson.
2. IPM: Housefly Vs. Stable Fly: Houseflies and Stable Flies pose a health risk to humans and animals. This lesson discusses the health hazards of these flies and the cultural, biological and/or chemical control options that can be employed.
3. Law: The Pesticide Label & Label Comprehension – Part I: Pesticide labels are legal documents that must be followed – they are the law. In this chapter, it explains when a pesticide label should be read and the basic facts one can learn from reading a pesticide label. Situations when deviations from the label are permitted are also presented.
4. Law: The Pesticide Label & Label Comprehension – Part II: In this chapter, we progress from talking about the components found within a typical pesticide label to learning how to identify these components within an actual label. For this purpose, we will examine the label for the pesticide product Maxforce® PROFESSIONAL INSECT CONTROL® GRANULAR INSECT BAIT.
5. Pesticide Emergencies, Spills and Misapplications: The actions to take in the event of a pesticide leak, spill, misapplication or fire are presented and the requirements of the Community Right-to-Know Act are discussed.
6. Emergency Procedures: The actions to take and first aid to administer in the event of a pesticide exposure on one’s skin, clothing or in one’s eyes is discussed, and the first aid to administer in the event a person inhales or swallows a pesticide is presented.
7. Basic Principles of Math and Chemistry: This chapter seeks to equip the pesticide applicator with a good understanding of the different mathematical calculations useful in determining the size of an area and the amount required to complete a job. The latter part of this chapter discusses the importance of chemistry in our lives and then defines for the pesticide applicator a large number of terms commonly used when describing chemicals and some of the reactions that might result from their use.
8. Basic Principles of Toxicology and Entomology: This chapter starts off by defining toxicology. It then addresses topics such as toxicity differences between animal species, pesticide metabolism within cells, pesticide storage in the body, excretion and elimination from the body, sensitivity differences within a species. Lastly, basic principles of entomology such as insect morphology, reproduction and metamorphosis are discussed and some insect-like pests are described.
9. Pesticide Safety – Part I: One will learn about the benefits of pesticide use, risks of pesticide use, definition of toxicity, how “toxicity” and “hazard” are not the same thing, pesticide toxicity categories, chronic toxicity, pesticide entry into the body through the skin, mouth, eyes and lungs, applicator safety, training and continuing education, planning for accidents, material safety data sheets (MSDSs), and pesticide label
10. Pesticide Safety – Part II: The benefits and limitations of personal protective equipment including gloves, bodywear, head protection, footwear, eye protection, respiratory equipment and barrier creams are discussed.
**Begin by selecting the first lesson title below.