OAR 603-057-0127: Pesticide Apprentice Standards of Competence

(1) The department may issue a pesticide apprentice license for one licensing period, or portion thereof. The department may issue the license to an applicant that is at least 18 years of age upon receipt of: (a) A license application form that contains all of the information requested by the department; (b) Payment of the appropriate fee; and (c) Documentation that the applicant successfully completed, within two years of the date of initial application, a written examination developed and administered by the department for the purpose of assuring that the applicant is competent in the use of pesticides as a pesticide apprentice. The content of this examination shall include the topics listed in OAR 603-057-0120. Successful completion of the examination shall require answering at least 70 percent of the examination questions correctly. (d) A pesticide apprentice license shall expire on December 31 of the year of issuance, or the following year if issued a license for two consecutive years. (2) The department may renew a pesticide apprentice license for consecutive licensing periods upon receipt of: (a) A license renewal application form containing all of the information requested by the department; (b) Payment of the appropriate fee; and (c) Documentation that the applicant successfully completed the required credit hours of pesticide instructional sessions during the previous licensing period. The department must accredit the instructional sessions. Eight (8) credit hours are required for each year of a licensing period. Four (4) of the eight (8) credit hours must be core credits as described in OAR 603-057-0135. All training requirements may be waived for the first year of the initial licensing period only. (3) If a person licensed as a pesticide apprentice does not deliver the form, fee, and documentation described in section (2) of this rule to consecutively renew their license, the person will not be eligible to renew their pesticide apprentice license. The person must retake the qualifying examination as described in (1)(c) of this rule. (4) A pesticide apprentice license authorizes the holder to conduct pesticide application activities under the supervision of an appropriately licensed supervisor. The licensed apprentice may apply pesticides only in the categories listed on the supervisor’s license. If the supervisor is a licensed public applicator, the licensed apprentice may only apply pesticides as described in ORS 634.116(12). (5) For each pesticide application made by a pesticide apprentice, a pesticide application record, as required by ORS 634.146 and OAR 603-057-0130, must be made that also contains the names and pesticide license numbers of the appropriately licensed pesticide apprentice(s) and the supervisor(s). The employer of the licensed pesticide apprentice shall retain the record for a period of three years and release them to the department for inspection as required or authorized by ORS chapters 561 or 634 or rules adopted thereunder. (6) A pesticide apprentice license does not authorize the holder to conduct pesticide applications by helicopter or fixed wing aircraft. (7) For purposes of this rule “an appropriately licensed supervisor” is: (a) A licensed commercial, noncommercial, or public applicator; (b) Licensed in the category, or categories, in which the pesticide apprentice is currently engaged. (8) Any pesticide apprentice conducting pesticide application activities without a valid appropriately licensed supervisor, or who is unable to identify their supervisor, will be considered unlicensed and subject to enforcement actions in accordance with ORS 634.900.