(1)(a) Each employee who performs pest control for a licensee must have an identification card.

(b) Either the licensee or the licensee’s certified operator in charge must apply to the department for an identification card for each employee who will perform pest control therefor within 30 days after employment of that employee, on a form prescribed by the department. The licensee and the licensee’s certified operator in charge are jointly responsible for obtaining such identification cards.

(2)(a) An identification cardholder must be an employee of the licensee and work under the direction and supervision of the licensee’s certified operator in charge and shall not be an independent contractor. An identification cardholder shall operate only out of, and for customers assigned from, the licensee’s licensed business location. An identification cardholder shall not perform any pest control independently of and without the knowledge of the licensee and the licensee’s certified operator in charge and shall perform pest control only for the licensee’s customers.

(b) The identification card shall be carried on the employee’s person while performing or soliciting pest control and shall be presented on demand to the person for whom pest control is being performed or solicited, to any inspector of the department, or to any of such other persons as are designated by the rules of the department.

(c) An employee may not perform pest control without carrying on her or his person a current identification card affixed with the employee’s signature and current photograph.

(d) An identification cardholder may use only the licensee’s pesticides, equipment, and other materials when performing pest control.

(e) An identification cardholder shall consult regularly with the licensee’s certified operator in charge concerning:

1. The selection of proper and correct chemicals for the particular pest control work to be performed;

2. The safe and proper use of the particular pesticides applied; and

3. The correct concentrations and formulations of pesticides used for the various types of pest control work performed.

(3) A licensee or certified operator may not assign or use an employee to perform any category of pest control without providing trained supervision unless the employee is trained and qualified in that category of pest control. An employee may not perform, solicit, inspect, or apply pest control without first having been provided at least 5 days of field training in the appropriate category of pest control under the direct supervision, direction, and control of a certified operator.

(4) An identification card automatically expires when the holder thereof ceases to be an employee of the licensee for which the card was secured. In such case, either the licensee or certified operator in charge shall obtain and destroy the expired card. An identification card expires on the licensee’s next anniversary date after issuance or upon transfer of business ownership, change of business name registered with the department, or change of licensee’s business location address. Each identification card must be renewed annually thereafter on or before the licensee’s anniversary date as set by the department for each licensed business location.

(5) The fee for each identification card is $10.

(6) An employee whose duties are confined to office secretarial, bookkeeping, office clerical, office filing, trenching, digging, raking, putting up or taking down tents, clamping, or carrying away debris or such other activities as specified by the department shall be exempted by the department from being required to hold an identification card.

(7) A person may not be issued, or may not hold, an identification card for more than one licensee at any one time, except a certified operator for the express and sole purpose of, and period for, obtaining experience to qualify for examination in a category for which such person is not certified and seeks certification. The period of time for which a second card may be issued may not exceed 1 year from the date of issuance, except in the category of fumigation for which a card may be issued for 2 years.

(8) A licensee having more than one licensed business location may temporarily assign an identification cardholder, other than a certified operator in charge, to any of its licensed business locations without obtaining another identification card for such holder.

(9) For every employee who performs inspections for wood-destroying organisms pursuant to s. 482.226, the licensee or certified operator in charge must apply for an identification card that identifies that employee as having received the special training specified in this subsection in order to perform inspections pursuant to s. 482.226. The application for such identification card must be accompanied by an affidavit, signed by the prospective identification cardholder and by the licensee or certified operator in charge, which states that the prospective identification cardholder has received training in the detection and control of wood-destroying organisms, including but not limited to training in:

(a) The biology, behavior, and identification of wood-destroying organisms with particular emphasis on ones common in this state and the damage caused by such organisms;

(b) The inspection forms to be used to report the finding; and

(c) Applicable federal, state, and local laws or ordinances.

Such identification cards must be applied for, and shall be issued and used, in accordance with this section. This subsection does not apply to a certified operator who is certified in the category of pest control with respect to termites and other wood-destroying organisms. A person may not perform such inspections except under the supervision of a certified operator in charge who is certified in the category of termites and other wood-destroying organisms pest control.

(10) In addition to the training required by subsection (3), each identification cardholder must receive 4 hours of classroom training in pesticide safety, integrated pest management, and applicable federal and state laws and rules within 6 months after issuance of the card or must have received such training within 2 years before issuance of the card. Each cardholder must receive at least 2 hours of continuing training in pesticide safety, integrated pest management, and applicable federal and state laws and rules by the renewal date of the card. Certified operators and special identification cardholders for fumigation who maintain their certificates in good standing are exempt from this subsection. The department shall adopt rules regarding verification of such training.

History.—s. 1, ch. 59-454; s. 1, ch. 65-295; s. 5, ch. 67-520; ss. 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 2, ch. 74-74; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 376, ch. 77-147; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 5, ch. 78-292; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 4, 14, 15, ch. 82-229; s. 6, ch. 89-180; ss. 33, 59, ch. 92-203; s. 428, ch. 97-103; s. 4, ch. 2001-280; s. 2, ch. 2003-35; s. 3, ch. 2006-289.