OREGON PESTICIDE LAWS AND
SAFETY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Pesticides - ANSWER-include herbicides, insecticides,
fungicides, rodenticides, and many other
substances used to kill, harm, or repel pests.
General Use Pesticides - ANSWER-may be bought over the counter without a
pesticide license.
Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) - ANSWER-are a category of products that pose a
higher risk to people, animals, or the environment. They can only be purchased by a
person with a pesticide license; use requires supervision by a licensed applicator.
Pesticide CERTIFICATION - ANSWER-the process of demonstrating a person
knows how to handle and apply pesticides in a safe and responsible manner. valid
for up to five (5) years
Pesticide LICENSING - ANSWER-the process to obtain the actual license that
shows that
a person has met certification requirements to make specific pesticide applications
under that license.
PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-needed to purchase,
apply, or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) on land in agricultural
production that a person, or their employer owns, leases, or rents. This includes
farmland, rangeland, forests, greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, etc.
IMMEDIATELY SUPERVISED Pesticide TRAINEE LICENSE - ANSWER-for
individuals who work under the supervision of a Commercial or Public Pesticide
Applicator.
• Must be on-site at all times with the trainee when making pesticide applications,
and
• Be able to reach the trainee's location within five minutes.
• No required exam
Trainees may only make applications within their supervisor's categories.
• The supervising applicator is responsible for training the Immediately Supervised
Trainee
PESTICIDE APPRENTICE LICENSE - ANSWER-individuals who work under the
supervision of a Commercial or Public Pesticide Applicator.
• The supervising applicator does not need to be onsite when the apprentice is
making pesticide applications, BUT the apprentice must be able to reach the
supervising applicator at all times.
, • The Pesticide Apprentice is not a certified applicator. In order to renew this license,
beyond the first year, the apprentice will need to attend eight (8) hours of approved
continuing education classes. The eight hours must consist of at least four (4) hours
of CORE credits. If the apprentice does not accrue the required credit hours, they will
need to retake the Laws & Safety exam to re-license.
• Required exam: Laws & Safety Apprentices may only make applications within their
supervisor's categories. The supervising applicator is responsible for training the
apprentice.
PUBLIC PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-required of employees of
federal and state agencies,
counties, cities, municipalities, irrigation districts, drainage districts, soil and water
conservation districts or other special districts, public utilities, and telecommunication
utilities who in the course of their work:
• Use or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides, (RUPs) and/or;
• Use machine-powered equipment to apply any pesticides (general or restricted)
• Apply pesticides (including organic and 25b products) on the property of any
Oregon pre-kindergarten, public and private K-12 schools, community colleges,
federal Head Start programs, Oregon School for the Deaf, Oregon Youth Authority
residential academy, or education service districts
• Required exam: Laws & Safety and at least one category exam.
COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-Apply or supervise
the application of ANY pesticide (general use, restricted use, organic, and 25b
products) on the land or property of others while employed by a Commercial
Pesticide Operator
IPM - ANSWER-IPM is a common-sense strategy that integrates multiple tactics to
reduce pest populations to an acceptable level. Strategies include sanitation, pest
exclusion, cultural, biological, mechanical, chemical control. IPM weighs the risks
and benefits of pest reduction methods to determine the most environmentally and
economically sound manner to manage pests
Worker Protection Standard WPS - ANSWER-protection of employees on farms, and
in forests, nurseries, and greenhouses from occupational exposure to agricultural
pesticides
WPS Agricultural Workers - ANSWER-performing tasks related to the cultivation and
harvesting of plants, including pruning, sucker removal, watering, and potting
WPS Pesticide Handlers - ANSWER-assigned to mix, load, or apply agricultural
pesticides; enter greenhouses to operate ventilation equipment after applications;
handle equipment with residues; adjust or remove soil fumigant coverings, etc.
Pesticide drift - ANSWER-the unintentional diffusion of pesticides and the potential
negative effects of pesticide application—including: off-target contamination due to
spray drift as well as runoff from plants/soil.
SAFETY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Pesticides - ANSWER-include herbicides, insecticides,
fungicides, rodenticides, and many other
substances used to kill, harm, or repel pests.
General Use Pesticides - ANSWER-may be bought over the counter without a
pesticide license.
Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) - ANSWER-are a category of products that pose a
higher risk to people, animals, or the environment. They can only be purchased by a
person with a pesticide license; use requires supervision by a licensed applicator.
Pesticide CERTIFICATION - ANSWER-the process of demonstrating a person
knows how to handle and apply pesticides in a safe and responsible manner. valid
for up to five (5) years
Pesticide LICENSING - ANSWER-the process to obtain the actual license that
shows that
a person has met certification requirements to make specific pesticide applications
under that license.
PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-needed to purchase,
apply, or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) on land in agricultural
production that a person, or their employer owns, leases, or rents. This includes
farmland, rangeland, forests, greenhouses, nurseries, orchards, etc.
IMMEDIATELY SUPERVISED Pesticide TRAINEE LICENSE - ANSWER-for
individuals who work under the supervision of a Commercial or Public Pesticide
Applicator.
• Must be on-site at all times with the trainee when making pesticide applications,
and
• Be able to reach the trainee's location within five minutes.
• No required exam
Trainees may only make applications within their supervisor's categories.
• The supervising applicator is responsible for training the Immediately Supervised
Trainee
PESTICIDE APPRENTICE LICENSE - ANSWER-individuals who work under the
supervision of a Commercial or Public Pesticide Applicator.
• The supervising applicator does not need to be onsite when the apprentice is
making pesticide applications, BUT the apprentice must be able to reach the
supervising applicator at all times.
, • The Pesticide Apprentice is not a certified applicator. In order to renew this license,
beyond the first year, the apprentice will need to attend eight (8) hours of approved
continuing education classes. The eight hours must consist of at least four (4) hours
of CORE credits. If the apprentice does not accrue the required credit hours, they will
need to retake the Laws & Safety exam to re-license.
• Required exam: Laws & Safety Apprentices may only make applications within their
supervisor's categories. The supervising applicator is responsible for training the
apprentice.
PUBLIC PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-required of employees of
federal and state agencies,
counties, cities, municipalities, irrigation districts, drainage districts, soil and water
conservation districts or other special districts, public utilities, and telecommunication
utilities who in the course of their work:
• Use or supervise the use of restricted-use pesticides, (RUPs) and/or;
• Use machine-powered equipment to apply any pesticides (general or restricted)
• Apply pesticides (including organic and 25b products) on the property of any
Oregon pre-kindergarten, public and private K-12 schools, community colleges,
federal Head Start programs, Oregon School for the Deaf, Oregon Youth Authority
residential academy, or education service districts
• Required exam: Laws & Safety and at least one category exam.
COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE - ANSWER-Apply or supervise
the application of ANY pesticide (general use, restricted use, organic, and 25b
products) on the land or property of others while employed by a Commercial
Pesticide Operator
IPM - ANSWER-IPM is a common-sense strategy that integrates multiple tactics to
reduce pest populations to an acceptable level. Strategies include sanitation, pest
exclusion, cultural, biological, mechanical, chemical control. IPM weighs the risks
and benefits of pest reduction methods to determine the most environmentally and
economically sound manner to manage pests
Worker Protection Standard WPS - ANSWER-protection of employees on farms, and
in forests, nurseries, and greenhouses from occupational exposure to agricultural
pesticides
WPS Agricultural Workers - ANSWER-performing tasks related to the cultivation and
harvesting of plants, including pruning, sucker removal, watering, and potting
WPS Pesticide Handlers - ANSWER-assigned to mix, load, or apply agricultural
pesticides; enter greenhouses to operate ventilation equipment after applications;
handle equipment with residues; adjust or remove soil fumigant coverings, etc.
Pesticide drift - ANSWER-the unintentional diffusion of pesticides and the potential
negative effects of pesticide application—including: off-target contamination due to
spray drift as well as runoff from plants/soil.
