Career Details :: Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Description
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Tasks
- Lifts, pushes, and swings nozzle, hose, and tube to direct spray over designated area.
- Covers area to specified depth, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet size, elevation-to-distance ratio, and obstructions.
- Fills sprayer tank with water and chemicals, according to formula.
- Starts motor and engages machinery, such as sprayer agitator and pump.
- Cleans and services machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, and hand tools.
- Plants grass with seed spreader and operates straw blower to cover seeded area with asphalt and straw mixture.
- Sprays livestock with pesticides.
- Gives driving instructions to truck driver, using hand and horn signals, to ensure complete coverage of designated area.
- Connects hoses and nozzles, selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, type of infestation, and velocity.
Related Careers
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
- Electrolytic Plating and Coating Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators, Metal and Plastic
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
- Pest Control Workers
- Petroleum Pump System Operators
- Platemakers
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Estimating Needed Characteristics
- Repairing & Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Outdoors
- Contaminants
- Standing
- Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
Related Majors
| Major | Add to XapPack |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Technology |  [ add ] |
| Field Crops | [ add ] |
| Landscape Contracting | [ add ] |
| Pre-ministry | [ add ] |
| Public Horticulture Administration | [ add ] |
| Vegetable Crops | [ add ] |
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.