Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Sample of reported job titles:
Chemical Applicator, Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician), Lawn Specialist, Lawn Technician, Licensed Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Technician, Pesticide Applicator, Spray Applicator, Spray Technician, Tree and Shrub Technician
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
Technology Skills
- Analytical or scientific software:Rate calculation software,Unit conversion software
- Data base user interface and query software:Customer database software
- Inventory management software:Materials inventory software
- Office suite software:Microsoft Office
- Spreadsheet software:Microsoft Excel
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Performing General Physical Activities:Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Handling and Moving Objects:Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Detailed Work Activities
- Clean equipment or supplies.
- Inspect landscaping to determine treatment needs.
- Instruct staff in work policies or procedures.
- Maintain equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
- Operate grounds maintenance equipment.
Work Context
- Outdoors, Exposed to Weather:93% responded"Every day"
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment:87% responded"Every day"
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets:79% responded"Every day"
- Exposed to Contaminants:77% responded"Every day"
- Frequency of Decision Making:74% responded"Every day"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking:Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management:Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Biology:Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Production and Processing:Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Administration and Management:Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 56%High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
- 16%Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
- 15%Less than a High School Diploma
- 13%Bachelor's Degree
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Arm-Hand Steadiness:The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Control Precision:The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Deductive Reasoning:The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Interests
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
- Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Working Conditions:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Work Styles
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Independence:Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Cooperation:Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
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