National Standards
(Basic Knowledge Requirement for Pesticide Education in Canada)

This document is organized into the 10 following concepts and contains the minimum knowledge requirements for the certification of applicators:

1. General Information
   • terminology
   • categorizing pesticides
   • formulations
2. Regulations
   • federal, provincial, and municipal pesticide laws
3. Labelling
   • identify, define and use the information on pesticide labels
4. Human Health
   • acute and chronic toxicity
   • routes of exposure
   • factors affecting exposure
   • reducing exposure and risk
   • recognition of poisoning
5. Pesticide Safety
   • attitude and general precautions
   • selecting and purchasing pesticides
   • protective clothing and equipment
   • transportation, storage and disposal
   • mixing and loading
   • safety during application
   • re-entry
   • application records
6. Environment
   • fate of pesticides
   • aquatic impact
   • land impact
7. Pest Management
   • integrated pest management
   • pest identification and biology
   • monitoring methods, action and injury level
8. Application Technology
   • equipment selection
   • proper equipment set-up, use and maintenance
   • equipment calibration and pesticide use calculations
   • pesticide products and factors affecting their use and performance
9. Emergency Response
   • spills
   • fire
   • first aid
10. Professionalism
    • dealing effectively with clients and the public regarding the use of pesticides

Courses
Courses in Pesticide Certification are offered by various organizations including:

Alberta Pesticide Applicators Coarse