There are many new additions to the The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides, 3rd Edition that make this book an indispensable resource for both new and experienced pest control professionals. The most important new features include:
The most important of these new additions, the knowledge expectations (KEs), consist of brief statements that describe what a new applicator is expected to know after reading that chapter. KEs appear at the beginning of each chapter to prime the readers’ brain. They also appear throughout the chapter in the margins, indicating where readers should concentrate their efforts as they move through the text. Think of the KEs as a roadmap that helps readers study effectively for DPR’s licensing exams—no more guessing which areas of a chapter are most important.
Being able to answer the review questions correctly means that the reader has understood key information in each chapter, and indicates that the reader is ready to take the exam.
At the end of each chapter are review questions that test the readers’ grasp of the KEs in that chapter. Some of these questions are similar to the questions on DPR’s exams. Being able to answer the review questions correctly means that the reader has understood key information in each chapter, and indicates that the reader is ready to take the exam.
The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides, 3rd Edition has been revised to be an easy-to-use reference tool for experienced applicators in addition to serving as an effective study guide for those just starting out in the field. Technical Editor Lisa Blecker and Editor Shannah Whithaus have updated and expanded coverage in the following areas:
Pest management is now the first chapter in the book and focuses on integrated pest management and building a program of control based on ecological awareness as well as a thorough understanding of pest biology and life cycles. It also discusses management goals, upon which effective pest control programs are based. The stated goals will figure into later chapters that deal with practical implementation of pest management plans and the safe use of pesticides as part of those plans.
Information on the human and environmental hazards of pesticides has been greatly expanded and includes more detailed illustrations and up-to-date scientific information about offsite movement, pesticide effects on pollinators and other beneficial organisms, and environmental impacts of pesticide applications. In later chapters, information about how to reduce environmental contamination during pesticide applications has been bolstered by additional illustrations and tables that help readers understand how to reduce offsite movement.
While specific laws and regulations are found exclusively in DPR’s Laws and Regulations Study Guide, background information to help applicators comply with laws and regulations has been expanded in this guide, in particular, personal protective equipment, worker protection standards, and pesticide labels and safety data sheets.
The PPE section now includes detailed, updated information on respirators, including a table of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) respirator criteria and label examples. Glove material selection information (a table and reproduced wallet card) has been provided to help applicators and employers better understand the glove selection process.
Information about WPS, including fieldworker training requirements and other employer responsibilities for employees who handle pesticides, now includes the latest information based on updated laws and regulations.
An entire chapter dedicated to pesticide label reading provides readers with an updated label that reflects current regulations. It also includes a sample safety data sheet and explanations of all the required sections of an SDS, according to new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides, 3rd Edition is more than just study material intended for novice pest control professionals. Readers will discover a whole host of new information on topics ranging from the basics of IPM to the differences among available chemigation systems to the latest safety advice for the transport and storage of pesticides. Blecker and Whithaus have revised this edition to serve as both a helpful reference and an easy-to-use study guide, making it an indispensable resource for both beginning and experienced applicators.
