Section: Licensing & Certification

Subject: Georgia Team Member Licensing

Approved by: Tony Massey

Effective Date: 14 April 2020

Last Reviewed Date: 14 April 2020

Policy Owner: Director Learning & Development

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PURPOSE:

To provide for the maximum level of operational integrity and to comply with Chapter 620 – Rules of the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission and the Georgia Structural Pest Control Act of 1955

General Manager / Certified Applicator in Charge Responsibility #

The General Manager/DCO is to ensure all team members who provide, service, or sell, pest control services obtain and maintain Technician Registration or Employee Certification as outlined by Georgia Chapter 620, Rule § 620-3-02. This includes the following:

• Service Technicians
• Inspectors
• Account Managers
• Managers in training
• Service Managers
• Sales Managers
• General Managers
• Quality Assurance Managers
• Division Managers
• Regional Managers
• Any other non-administrative roles

Licensing Process #

Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission defines the licensing types as follows:

• Applicant – Any person at least 18 years of age, who is registered by a Pest Control business to train for a technician license, has not passed the technician examination and who performs pest control services under the direct supervision of a licensed technician or a certified applicator. An applicant may work only for the licensee for which they are registered. All applicants must make application for an ID card within 30 days of hiring.
• Registered Technician – A person registered or certified in Wood Destroying Organisms (WDO) or Household Pest Control (HPC) who performs pest control services under the direct supervision of a Certified Operator. A technician must be registered for every business or noncommercial entity for which the technician is employed WDO specifically covers Subterranean Termites, Drywood Termites, Powder post Beetles, Wood Boring Beetles, and Wood Decaying Fungi. HPC covers all other structural insects, arachnids, commensal rodents.

Applicant Licensing Process #

An Applicant (beginning employee); whose training program is the responsibility of the Designated Certified Operator (DCO) and who may be trained by and work under the direct supervision of Certified Operators and registered technicians until they take and pass the Georgia Employee Registration Exam. While waiting for the issuance of the ID card, an applicant may act as a Registered Technician for a period not to exceed 15 business days. A registered technician card will be issued by the department for (2) years from the date employment began when all of the above requirements are met and processed. All registered technician ID cards expire on June 30th of each odd numbered year. The Registered Technician must earn 8 Hours of Continuing Education per category (HPC, WDO) prior to March 1 of each odd numbered year, unless the Georgia Employee Registration Exam was taken after October 1, of the previous year.

General Manager Duties #

The General Manager will ensure each team member completes initial training on time. Once the required training is complete, the GM or DCO will arrange for the team member to take the Georgia Registered Pest Control Technician exam. A team member must pass this exam in order to apply for a Registered Technician Card. This card is required to solicit any business or perform any pest control work on their own. Until a team member applies for the card, they must ride with a registered team member or certified operator.

To register a team member for the exam:

• Go to www.gapestexam.com
• Choose “Create User”
• Completely fill in all boxes
• Once user is created, choose Employee Registration Exam
• Schedule a Location and Time
• PrintApplication-DCO and Applicant MUST sign the application.
  • The DCO’s signature attests that the required 70 Hours of On The Job Training and 10 Hours of Classroom Training has been satisfied. (See Below)
• There is a $45.00 Testing Fee that must accompany the application. Contact testing center to verify payment option prior to applying. The fee must be in the form of a Money Order or Certified Check and made payable to the Testing Site if online payment is not accepted. Each location may have different payment options.

Once the Applicant has passed the Georgia Registered Technician Exam (results will be available immediately), they must apply for a Registered Technician Card. This is done by uploading into Massey University the signed “Passed” form (APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYEE REGISTRATION CARD). The form needs to be signed by the DCO before uploading into Massey University. The General Manager has 7 days from the date of the test to upload the application into Massey University. Failure to do so may result in the team member having to retake the exam.Technicians that are currently registered with another company:

The manager will complete the Employee Registration Card Application via the process below:

• Log onto the Georgia Department of Agriculture website.
• Select from menu, Information for Pest Management Professionals.
• Select under Forms, Employee Registration Card Application.
• Fill out and submit via email to the Learning and Development.

Learning & Development Duties #

The Learning and Development will:

• Upon notification of hire, enter the team member into LicenseHQ and assign a registered technician license with a “need” status.
• Upon receipt of the application, apply online and submit payment through www.agr.georgia.gov.
  • The LicenseHQ license status in will be updated to “new filing submitted.”
• The processing fee will be paid by department credit card.
• Upon receipt of the license, the department forward the physical card to the service center.
  • The LicenseHQ license will be updated with the license number and expiration date.
  • A pdf copy of the license will be attached to the LicenseHQ record.

All technician renewals are processed by the Learning & Development Department. All active technicians will be renewed as part of the service center license renewal.

Required Training #

The team member must then complete the initial training program(s) (Pest Prevention or Termite) appropriate to their role, and meet the state minimum training requirements, 620-3-2 (1- 5). Failure to apply for identification card and/or complete the minimum training requirements may result in disciplinary action and/or financial penalty.

Massey Services Technician training as specified in SPP 901 covers 80 hours of this training.

• 10 hours of classroom training in the general standards with at least two hours in each of the following subjects:
  • Federal and state laws that regulate the industry
  • Recognition of pests and pest damage
  • Pesticide labels and label comprehension
  • Pesticide safety
  • Environmental protection
  • Application equipment and techniques
  • Pesticide formulations and actions
  • Emergency procedures and pesticide cleanup, and procedures for immediate reporting of spills and misapplications
  • Basic principles of mathematics, chemistry, toxicology and entomology.

70 hours of on-the-job training in each category seeking licensure under direct supervision of Certified Operator or Registered Technician.

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