Week 1
Day
1 - Introduction & Overview -
social need for pest control - benefits of being a pest controller
- range of pest control services - why safety is so important
- definitions and jargon - pesticide categories and formulations
- basic pesticide chemistry - protective equipment.
Day
2 - Pesticides - Health & Safety -
overview of commonly used pesticides - categories of pesticides
- scheduled poisons - LD50 ratio - safer pesticide formulations
- government registration authorities - review of registered
pesticide labels - routes of entry into humans - pesticide
measuring and mixing rates.
Day 3 Pest Control Equipment - overview of pesticide formulations - protective equipment - overalls - gloves - respirators - WorkCover Codes of Practice - mechanical applicating equipment - sprayers - fogging machines - bait stations.
Day 4 - Pesticide Formulations - liquid concentrates - emulsifiable concentrates - wettable powders - rodenticide baits - cockroach baits - other pest baits.
Day 5 - Practical Field Training – pre arranged day in the field with a licensed pest controller at several customers' premises - practical instruction and experience in using PPE equipment - inspecting for evidence of pest activity - mixing pesticides - applying pesticides under direct supervision of licensed PCO.
Week 2
Day 6 - Integrated Pest Management – IPM definition - objectives - combination of chemical and non-chemical methods - examples of how pesticides can be reduced – physical controls - exclusion - cultural controls - sanitation - housekeeping - examples in large commercial premises - HACCP concepts - plan of premises - followup and corrective measures – preventative measures – risk to environment – five basic steps – inspection – identification – recommendation – treatment – evaluation.
Day
6 - Rodents -
pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing
features - identification techniques
- rodent
senses – physical abilities – rodent
life cycle - types of rodenticides – bait
stations available - advantages - disadvantages
- signs of infestation – rodenticide labels
- MSDS Material Safety & Data Sheets.
Day
7 - Cockroaches -
pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing
features - identification techniques – reproduction
capacity – life cycle – area of distribution – common
breeding sites - habitat areas - chemical
controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels - MSDS Material
Safety Data Sheets - IPM non-chemical
methods – exclusion - cultural controls - sanitation - housekeeping
- other pest control strategies.
Day
8 - Spiders -
pest status - pest species - scientific names
- distinguishing
features - identification techniques -
spiders are not insects – identifying parts – life
cycle – anatomy – families of spiders – control
strategies – area
of distribution – common breeding sites
- habitat areas - chemical
controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels
- MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets - IPM non-chemical
methods – exclusion - cultural controls
- sanitation - housekeeping - other pest control
strategies.
Day
9 - Ants -
pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing
features - identification techniques – structure
of ants – life cycle - ant behaviour – area
of distribution – common
breeding sites - habitat areas - chemical
controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels
- MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets - IPM
non-chemical methods – exclusion - cultural
controls - sanitation - housekeeping - other pest
control strategies.
Day
10 - Practical Field Training
– pre arranged day in the field with a licensed pest controller at several customers' premises - practical instruction and experience in using PPE equipment - inspecting for evidence of specific pest activity - preparing and mixing pesticides - applying pesticides under direct supervision of licensed PCO.
Week 3
Day 11 - Stored Product Pests - pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing features - identification techniques - impact on food industries – identifying different species – primary and secondary pest status – inspection techniques – chemical control - IPM non-chemical methods – cultural controls - sanitation - storage recommendations - physical controls - exclusion - other pest control strategies.
Day
12 - Fabric Pests -
pest status - pest species - scientific names
- distinguishing
features - identification techniques -
life cycle - learn what stage these pests cause
damage – ecology – biology – environmental
issues that cause presence – area
of distribution – common breeding sites
- habitat areas - chemical
controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels
- MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets - IPM non-chemical
methods – exclusion - cultural controls
- sanitation - housekeeping - other pest control
strategies - flea control.
Day 13 - Flies – pest status - pest species - identification features - common habitat and breeding areas - preferred feeding habits – life cycle – area of distribution – chemical controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels - MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets - IPM non-chemical methods – physical controls - cultural controls - other pest control strategies.
Day 14 - Bees – pest status - species dangerous to humans – social wasps – native bees – social honey bees – identification of bees and wasps – safe removal of bees – area of distribution – common breeding and habitat areas - chemical controls - pesticides permitted - pesticide labels - MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets - IPM non-chemical methods – physical controls - cultural controls - other pest control strategies.
Day
15 - Assessment for Units 5, 6 and 18 of National Competancy Units – receive details of a project
ie document your servicing of a building for specific pests - take still pictures of all important stages and procedures.
Week 4
Day
16 - Bird Pests – pigeons
- starlings - myna birds - other bird pest species
- pest status - diseases – building defacement
- identification techniques - permitted
chemical controls - IPM non-chemical methods – bird
proofing options – bird shooting – bird
capture – other bird control
strategies - ladder safety
Day 17 - Trees and Timber technology - building construction methods - timber and wood decay fungi - tree biology - bark - phoelum - sapwood - heartwood - pith - mediallary rays - identification of hrdwood and softwood timbers.
Day 18 - Introduction to Termites and Control Methods - references - ecology – biology - pest status - caste system - king - queen - reproductives - workers - soldiers - behavioural aspects - cellulose digestion - identification of pest species – nest types - termite control options - termites baits - soil treatments - cultural controls - physical barriers - pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing features - identification techniques - collection and preservation of termites.
Day
19 - Termite Control Methods - termite baits - Termidor dust - liquid termiticides - soil barrier treaments - destruction of nest where practicable - physical barrier systems installed during construction.
Day 20 - Termite Baiting Systems (morning) Exterra - Nemises - Sentricon - Termidor dust - advantages and limitations - termite (aggrregation) stations - monitoring.
Day 20 - Borers (afternoon) ecology – biology – identification & types
attacking Australian timbers – leaf eating
insects – gall forming insects – sap
sucking insects – conductive tissue feeding.
Week 5
Day
21 - Termite Physical Barriers -
introduction and basic principles - Termimesh - Kordon - Granitgard - limitations and maintenance requirements - pest status - pest species - scientific names - distinguishing features - identification techniques -inspection procedures - monitoring.
Day
22 - Australian Standards - Termites - Australian Standards 3660 termite inspection reports for existing owners - termite control in existing buildings and during construction - Australian Standard 4349 timber pest inspection reports prior to purchase - inspect your own premises and do a report to AS 4349.
Day
23 - Termite Inspections – legal
aspects – how to inspect – writing
the report – discussing findings with customer – legal
responsibilities and pitfalls.
Day
24 - Revision of course to date
Day 25 - Assessment for Units 8 and 10 of National Competancy Units
Week 6
Day
26 - Commercial Quoting – how to
quote – considerations – prior preparation – meeting
the customer – the walk around – calculations – presenting
the quote - Assessment – student is given a scenario on a commercial building with 3 types of pest problems, prepare and produce a professionally presented quote.
Day
27 - Termite Quoting – how to quote – considerations – chemical
selection – environmental decisions – legal
points to consider – customer requests – special
equipment required – rent, buy equipment? – clauses
to put into quote - student is given a plan
of a house that has a termite infestation, produce a
quote based on an inspection report which will be provided. .
Day
28 - Additional Assessment / Revisions / Open Discussion
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