Keep in Touch with Pesticide Legislation
Keep in Touch with Pesticide Legislation
Editor
As society becomes increasingly aware of environmental issues with particular regard to the impact of pesticides on food, water and wildlife a coordinated response to the safe use of pesticides in the amenity sector, including amenity horticulture, groundcare and sports turf situations, is essential. Managers and operators are being asked to do more with increasing pressure on time and personal responsibility.
There is already a statutory requirement for those selling or advising on amenity pesticides to hold the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection - Amenity Horticulture. This is a legal requirement under the Control of Pesticide Regulations 1986 (COPR) (and FEPA 1985).
Operators who apply pesticides must hold the statutory NPTC certificates for the applicators they are using (PA1, PA2, PA6A etc). Again this is an obligation under COPR and FEPA.
Those qualified either as sellers / advisers or operators can demonstrate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and learning by membership of the BASIS Professional Register or NRoSO respectively.
BASIS and NPTC have worked, to put together a new qualification for both agriculture and the amenity industry.
POWER / Protection of Water, Environment and Recommendations) has been devised for the benefit of contract specifiers manager, foremen and supervisors of amenity situation where pesticides are used.
It is not designed for those specifying which products are to be used, but is for those who have responsibility for pesticide application whilst not actually applying the products themselves.
The POWER qualification and certificate will be conducted jointly by BASIS and NPTC, with NPTC as the awarding body (with QCA accreditation) and BASIS setting the standards for assessment.
This two and a half day course does not cover the depth of knowledge required to make pesticide recommendations but it will prepare those responsible to be able to implement safely recommendations put forward by a person holding the BASIS Certificate (Amenity Horticulture).
For further information please contact Sue Mason on 01335 340856
Pesticide Certificates
In the UK it is a legal requirement for most people who undertake spraying of professional pesticides to hold a pesticides certificate of competence, otherwise known as a pesticide license;
Most Groundsmen and Greenkeepers in the UK are generally aware of the three most common spraying certificates required for spraying being the PA1 (mandatory foundation course), PA2 (tractor spraying courses) and PA6 (knapsack courses).
Did you know there are another 10 PA certificates required for the safe use and application of Pesticides?
PA01 - Foundation Module
PA02 - Ground Crop Sprayer
PA03 - Broadcast Sprayer or Boom Sprayer (Horizontal / vertical plane, with or with out air assistance)
PA04 - Pesticide Granule Applicator - Mounted or trailed.
PA05 - Boat Mounted Applicators.
PA06 - Hand Held Applicators.
PA07 - Aerial Application- Pilot
PA08 - Mixer/Loader
PA09 - Fogging, Misting and Smokes (including Formaldehyde)
PA10 - Batch Dipping
PA11 - Seed Treating Equipment
PA12 - Application of Pesticides to materials as a Continuous Process via Conveyors, roller tables and other moving equipment.
PA13 - Sub Surface Liquid Applicator
For further information regarding these courses and a whole host of other industry related work certificates contact the National Proficiency Training Council (NPTC).
NPTC
Stoneleigh Park
Stoneleigh
Warwickshire CV8 2LG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 24 7685 7300
Fax: +44 (0) 24 7669 6128
Web: www.nptc.org.uk