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 botanical crops. Usually requires specific training and State or Federal certification.

Median Annual Wage: $31,240

Education: High school diploma or equivalent (56%); Post-secondary certificate (16%); Less than high school diploma (15%)

Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)

Related Job Titles: Pest Control Technician; Chemical Applicator; Lawn Technician; Lawn Specialist; Spray Technician; Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician); Spray Applicator; Tree and Shrub Technician; Licensed Pesticide Applicator; Pesticide Applicator

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation.

More Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Careers

  • Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
  • Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
  • Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
  • Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
  • Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
  • Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
  • Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation.

  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation.

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