Does Your Green Industry Business Need a Registered Technician?

Many Green Industry businesses and public entities (the state or its instrumentalities or any local agency) make applications of pesticides to public lands or lands that they do not own or lease. To legally make these applications, the businesses must have at least one Pesticide Applicator certified in the categories for the crops and use sites for which they will be making applications. However, often additional labor is needed to complete pesticide application jobs. There are two ways that businesses and public entities can legally have uncertified pesticide applicators assist with pesticide applications.

• Noncertified Applicators:
  A person who is a Noncertified Applicator can make applications to a client's property or to public land, but they must be under the direct supervision of a Certified Pesticide Applicator who is within sight and sound of the noncertified applicator. The Certified Pesticide Applicator must be physically present during the pesticide mixing, application, and cleanup. A noncertified applicator does not need to be registered with the state but requires constant supervision by a Certified Pesticide Applicator.
• Registered Technicians:
  A person who is a Registered Technician applicator can make applications to a client's property or to public land after being trained by a Certified Pesticide Applicator with at least one year's certification in the category for which the technician is being trained. The Registered Technician is registered with the state of Pennsylvania and works under the supervision of a commercial or public Certified Pesticide Applicator. The Supervising Applicator does not need to be on-site when the Registered Technicians' applications are made, but they must be able to be on-site within 5 hours if necessary.

Training and Registering Technicians in Pennsylvania

Training

Registered Technicians must be trained by a Pennsylvania Certified Pesticide Applicator with at least one year's certification in the category for which the technician is being trained, as required under subsection 128.51 of the Pennsylvania Pesticide Rules and Regulations. The trainer must be employed by the business or public entity. The minimum age for Registered Technicians is 16.

Registered Technicians must receive training and achieve adequate knowledge of the proper use and handling of pesticides related to job-related duties, including the following:

• pest identification
• pesticide labels and proper use
• application equipment
• calibration of equipment
• equipment maintenance
• protective clothing required
• respiratory equipment required
• human health effects
• environmental effects
• transportation and spill handling
• proper disposal procedures
• state and federal regulations

The Penn State Pesticide Education Program has many useful articles, videos, and learning games that can be used for training. You can access these online or request copies of the articles from your County Extension Office. The Pennsylvania Certified Pesticide Applicator conducting the training must be present during the training, including during video viewing. Training should also include hands-on demonstration of proper mixing, application, cleanup, storage, and disposal of pesticides as well as reading labels, use, and cleaning of PPE. The Registered Technician must receive a minimum of 30 days of training. Training records must be maintained by the employer for three years and be available upon request.

Registering

For a business to register a technician, the business must submit the employee’s name\ and birth dates to the Department (Form API-414). The form can be printed and mailed, or it can be submitted through the employer's business account in the PAPlants online system. 

Registered Technician Application (PDF)

Note:

Registrations of Technicians are not transferable. Technicians must be trained and registered for each business at which they are employed.

A technician's registration expires on February 28th of each year. The technician must undergo annual training to ensure that their knowledge is adequate for satisfactory completion of work-related duties.

Further Information

Penn State Extension Pesticide Education Pesticide Registered Technician Training Package