Pest Control Workers

Career Description: Spray or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill pests and vermin, such as mice, termites, and roaches, that infest buildings and surrounding areas.

Industry: Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance

Other Job Titles for Pest Control Workers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Record work activities performed.
• Inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall and roof porosity, and access to infested locations.
• Spray or dust chemical solutions, powders, or gases into rooms, onto clothing, furnishings or wood, and over marshlands, ditches, and catch-basins.
• Clean work site after completion of job.
• Direct and/or assist other workers in treatment and extermination processes to eliminate and control rodents, insects, and weeds.
• Drive truck equipped with power spraying equipment.
• Measure area dimensions requiring treatment, using rule, calculate fumigant requirements, and estimate cost for service.
• Post warning signs and lock building doors to secure area to be fumigated.
• Cut or bore openings in building or surrounding concrete, access infested areas, insert nozzle, and inject pesticide to impregnate ground.
• Study preliminary reports and diagrams of infested area and determine treatment type required to eliminate and prevent recurrence of infestation.
• Dig up and burn, or spray weeds with herbicides.
• Set mechanical traps and place poisonous paste or bait in sewers, burrows, and ditches.
• Clean and remove blockages from infested areas to facilitate spraying procedure and provide drainage, using broom, mop, shovel, and rake.
• Position and fasten edges of tarpaulins over building and tape vents to ensure air-tight environment and check for leaks.
• Remove debris from driveways, garages, and swimming pool areas.
• Sort clothing and other articles, load washing machines, and iron and fold dried items.
• Run errands, such as taking laundry to the cleaners and buying groceries.
• Sort, count, and mark clean linens and store them in linen closets.
• Polish silver accessories and metalwork, such as fixtures and fittings.
• Prepare rooms for meetings and arrange decorations, media equipment, and furniture for social or business functions.
• Purchase or order groceries and household supplies to keep kitchens stocked and record expenditures.
• Request repair services and wait for repair workers to arrive.
• Replace light bulbs.
• Assign duties to other staff and give instructions regarding work methods and routines.
• Plan menus and cook and serve meals and refreshments following employer's instructions or own methods.
• Answer telephones and doorbells.
• Deliver television sets, ironing boards, baby cribs, and rollaway beds to guests' rooms.
• Move and arrange furniture and turn mattresses.

Emerging Tasks

• Recommend treatment and prevention for pest problems to clients.
• Maintain grounds area, for example, by removing snow and mowing the lawn.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• capture animals for control, identification, relocation, sale or humane purposes
• clean rooms or work areas
• determine material or tool requirements
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• drive automobile, van, or light truck
• inspect premises or structure for evidence of deterioration or damage
• maintain production or work records
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• mix paint, ingredients, or chemicals, according to specifications
• move or fit heavy objects
• prepare cost estimates
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use plant disease control techniques
• use portable hand spray equipment
• remove stains from fabric or carpet
• serve food or beverages
• sort articles for laundry or dry cleaning
• stock or organize goods
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use portable hand spray equipment
• use power mower
• monitor worker performance
• operate agricultural equipment or machinery
• orient new employees
• oversee work progress to verify safety or conformance to standards
• perform safety inspections in agricultural, forestry, or fishing setting
• plan or organize work
• prepare cost estimates
• prepare or maintain employee records
• publicize job openings
• recognize plant diseases
• recommend improvements to work methods or procedures
• repair and maintain grounds keeping equipment and tools
• resolve landscaping problems
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• schedule employee work hours
• schedule facility or property maintenance
• supervise grounds keeping or landscaping workers
• understand second language
• use chain saws
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use plant or crop transplant techniques
• use power mower
• use truck-mounted hydraulic lifts or other accessories

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$13.96
• Average annual wage (2007) - $29,030.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 15.46%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 10,778
• Employment (2006): 69,722

• Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
• Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
• Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Prepress Technicians and Workers
• Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
• Packers and Packagers, Hand
• Mechanical Door Repairers
• Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
• Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
• Social and Community Service Managers