Licensed Pest Control Technician in New Jersey: What does it take?

What about these pest control technicians coming to your house?

What does it take to be able to visit people and provide pest control services for them?

The good news is that pest control is a regulated industry. Federal law requires that any person who applies restricted use pesticides to be certified in accordance with EPA regulations.

In New Jersey that certification can come two ways. Either one becomes a licensed pest control applicator or a pest control operator who works under the supervision of a licensed pest control applicator.

To become a licensed pest control applicator is a bit of a process.

First there’s the practical aspect. Licensing requires a certain amount of on the job training. There’s certain things that can only be learned on the job.

Then there’s the theoretical part. You have to learn about insects and their habitats. Understanding insects is a key part in being able to find entry ways that insects are using to get in people’s home and that helps in shutting them out for good.

But that’s not all.

The training part includes understanding the regulations that govern the pest control industry. It also includes understanding how pesticides work.

How do pesticides enter the body?

How do you determine the level of toxicity of a pesticide?

What does first aid in the case of pesticide poisoning entail?

Furthermore, the training includes the various safety precautions that are required to safely apply pesticides. When is it necessary to wear a respirator? When is it necessary to wear gloves? And when is it necessary to wear goggles?

Licensing also requires understanding how pesticides interact with the ecology of our planet and environmental considerations that are important.

An important part of being licensed is understanding the labels that govern the application of pesticides. Without being able to read the label it is impossible to be able to safely apply the products that are necessary to keep people pest free.