DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
37-3012 Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Occupational Description:
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops. Usually requires specific training and State or Federal certification. Excludes "Commercial Pilots" (53-2012) who dust or spray crops from aircraft.| Percentiles | |||||||||
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| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 1,150 | 328 | $15.85/hr | $0.36/hr | $12.08/hr | $13.48/hr | $15.70/hr | $17.80/hr | $20.07/hr |
| U S | 23,650 | 993 | $15.57/hr | $0.14/hr | $9.95/hr | $12.25/hr | $14.73/hr | $18.24/hr | $22.46/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change 2010 - 2020 | |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 12,540 | $12.40/hr | 19.2% |
| Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | 7,060 | $10.66/hr | 12.1% |
| Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 1,200 | $14.78/hr | 16.2% |
| Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | 700 | $16.28/hr | 12.3% |
| Pest Control Workers | 260 | $18.23/hr | 28.6% |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | N/A | $26.62/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Lifts, pushes, and swings nozzle, hose, and tube to direct spray over designated area.
- Covers area to specified depth, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet size, elevation-to- distance ratio, and obstructions.
- Fills sprayer tank with water and chemicals, according to formula.
- Starts motor and engages machinery, such as sprayer agitator and pump.
- Cleans and services machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, and hand tools.
- Plants grass with seed spreader and operates straw blower to cover seeded area with asphalt and straw mixture.
- Sprays livestock with pesticides.
- Gives driving instructions to truck driver, using hand and horn signals, to ensure complete coverage of designated area.
- Connects hoses and nozzles, selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, type of infestation, and velocity.