Continuing Competency Workgroup: Survey

Title: Continuing Competency Workgroup: Survey
Category: Recertification
Resources: Survey
Date: 2008
Addressed By Revised 40 CFR Party 171: Yes

Excerpt: Federal law requires that applicators of restricted-use pesticides demonstrate a minimum standard of competency through a process called certification. However, there is no federal standard requiring any additional training beyond initial certification.
Pursuant to federal law, states offer initial certification for a specified period, usually 3 to 5 years, after which most states require recertification through one of three mechanisms: 1) continuing education units, 2) workshops, or 3) examination.

States that offer continuing education units (CEUs) require applicators to get a certain number of CEUs before recertification will be granted, either a certain number of CEUs each year, or over the span of their certification period. States that offer workshops (i.e., single-course offering) require applicators to attend a specific training event. Applicators who fail to acquire the specified number of CEUs or to attend a workshop during their certification period are required to retake an examination. Finally, some states offer a written examination as the only option to recertify…