OAR 603-057-0125: Special Standards of Pesticide Applicator Competence

In addition to the requirements of OAR 603-057-0120, the written examination shall include the following applicable special standards for the category or subcategory indicated: (1) “Regulatory Pest Control — M-44 Device”: (a) Knowledge of the characteristics and habits of predatory animals, and particularly coyotes; (b) Knowledge of the toxicity levels of sodium cyanide, the hazards in the use or application thereof, and the common exposure routes thereof; (c) Knowledge of the common types of accidents associated with the use or application of sodium cyanide in the quantities and forms utilized; (d) Knowledge of precautions to be undertaken to protect the applicator and the immediate environment and nontarget organisms in the vicinity; (e) Knowledge of the effects of weather, terrain, soil, drainage, and other topographical or climatic conditions that are associated with the use or application of sodium cyanide in the prescribed manner for predator control; (f) Knowledge of the operation, repair, and maintenance procedures for the device known as the “M-44 spring loaded sodium cyanide coyote control device,” including placement and retrieval thereof; (g) Knowledge of the departmental rules relating to the use of sodium cyanide and the above described device, including the placement of adequate warning signs, the keeping of records relating to pesticide device locations and numbers, and the inventorying of numbers and species of animals eradicated. (2) “Regulatory Pest Control-Livestock Protection Collar”: (a) Ability to read and understand pesticide labels and labeling information, including all labeling and use restrictions for sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) livestock protection collars; (b) Ability to recognize the technical name, sodium fluoroacetate, and understand the basic properties of Compound 1080; (c) Ability to recognize potential hazards posed to humans, domestic animals, and non-target wildlife by the use of the livestock protection collar; (d) Ability to recognize general symptoms of poisoning by Compound 1080 in humans and domestic animals and take appropriate action; (e) Knowledge that only an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control, certified and licensed as a public pesticide applicator in the category “Regulatory Pest Control,” subcategory “Livestock Protection Collar,” by the Oregon Department of Agriculture can handle or use Compound 1080 and the livestock protection collar; (f) Ability to recognize situations where use of the livestock protection collar can be expected to be safe and effective, as well as those situations where alternative methods of control would be more suitable. These methods may include but would not be limited to use of the M-44 device, guard animals, fences, repellents, fright devices, snares, and traps; (g) Knowledge of the use restrictions set forth in OAR 603-057-0360 and the record-keeping requirements set forth in 603-057-0375, which include a record of each animal (target or non-target) found poisoned or suspected of having been poisoned as a result of the use of Compound 1080; (h) Knowledge of the requirement for immediate (within three days) reporting of suspected poisonings of non-target species and suspected poisonings of humans or domestic animals by Compound 1080 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department, as set forth in OAR 603-057-0375(3); (i) Ability to distinguish between damaged livestock protection collars that can be repaired and those that must be disposed of properly; (j) Knowledge of how to make appropriate repairs to damaged livestock protection collars prior to reuse and how to dispose of them properly if they cannot be repaired; (k) Knowledge of how to properly dispose of dead animal remains, vegetation, or soil contaminated by a punctured livestock protection collar; (l) Knowledge of safe handling and storage procedures for the livestock protection collar; (m) Knowledge of the requirement to post and maintain bilingual (English/Spanish) warning signs at logical points of access to areas where livestock protection collars are in use; and (n) Knowledge of the requirement to perform inspections of livestock protection collars in use twice weekly.