2.2 The Examination Battery, Passing Grades & Retakes

2.2 The Examination Battery, Passing Grades & Retakes

This is the section about the exam you are sitting for. New Hampshire's structure is unusual: rather than one "core" test, the state gives three separate written exams, and the passing grade is not the same for everybody.

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Three written examinations (Pes 304.02(b))

There are two exam types - written and oral - and separate written examinations for each fundamental area of study:

You take a category examination for every category in which you want to be registered. If you want G1 and G2, that is two category exams - and two $15 exam fees.

Levels

Pes 304.02(d)-(e): except for the general examination, written exams are divided into supervisory and operational levels. The supervisory-level regulations and category exams are "more in-depth, specific, and reflective of the experience needed at the supervisory level." The general exam is the same for both.

Question formats (Pes 304.02(c))

Written examinations include true-false, completion, multiple choice, and - where equipment calibration or pesticide mixing is critical - problem-type questions. Expect to do arithmetic.

Oral examination (Pes 304.02(f), Pes 304.04)

Supervisory candidates take an oral exam after passing all applicable written exams.

• Conducted by a panel of one or more persons designated by the director.
• Held at the office of the Division, scheduled at the Division's convenience based on panel availability.
• Scope is limited to Pes 304.09 and Pes 304.10 - core handling knowledge, rules and regulations, and category-specific information - but within that scope the panel asks follow-up questions based on the candidate's answers.
• Graded pass-fail, results communicated in writing, retake scheduled at the next available opportunity.
• Pes 304.05 exemption: persons seeking certification as commercial applicators not for hire are not required to take the oral exam in any category except F2 (mosquito and black fly).

Pes 305.07 provides a different kind of oral exam: for private applicants who have difficulty comprehending or answering written questions despite adequate training and experience, an oral exam covering the same Pes 305.06 material is conducted one-to-one with a Division designee.

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Passing grades (Pes 304.08(a), Pes 305.01(b)(2))

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  NEW HAMPSHIRE PASSING GRADES                                    |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  Commercial, OPERATIONAL level .................. 60 percent     |
|  Commercial, SUPERVISORY level .................. 70 percent     |
|      plus a pass-fail ORAL examination                            |
|  Private applicator, restricted use permit ...... 60 percent     |
|  Private recertification by re-examination ...... 60 (Pes 402.02)|
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

The 60/70 split is the single most commonly missed New Hampshire logistics fact. Many states use one number; New Hampshire does not.

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Retakes (Pes 304.08(b)-(c))

• A person who fails may not retake that examination sooner than 15 days from the date of the failed exam.
• A person who fails an examination three times must, before any further retake:
  1. wait at least 6 months from the date of the last retake;
  2. receive training or study assistance on the subject matter of the failed exam; and
  3. provide the Division documentation of that training - signed letters of attestation from the trainer, copies of meeting or seminar agendas or notes, or certificates of attendance.
• Each retake requires a new examination application and a re-examination fee (Pes 304.01(c)).

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Procedure and fees

Pes 304.07 and Pes 305.05 set the mechanics:

• Examinations are given by appointment only, arranged with the Division.
• Exams are administered by personnel from the Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food, and prepared, supervised, and graded by the Division.
• Before being admitted to an initial exam or a re-examination, the applicant submits the registration application, the examination application, and the examination fees.

Fees collected from commercial and private applicator registrants form a nonlapsing special pesticides control fund used to carry out the program (RSA 430:34, V).

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Scope of the examinations (Pes 304.09)

The rule itself is your study checklist. Examinations are based in part on problems and situations in the candidate's categories, and must include questions on:

1. Label and labeling comprehension - format and terminology; instructions, warnings, terms, symbols; product classification under Pes 701; and the necessity of use consistent with the label.
2. Safety - toxicity and hazards to humans including chronic effects and exposure routes; common types and causes of pesticide accidents; precautions against injury to applicators and others near treated areas; protective clothing and equipment; poisoning symptoms; first aid; and proper identification, storage, transport, handling, mixing, and disposal of pesticides and used containers, including keeping children away from them.
3. Environmental consequences - weather and climate, terrain and soil, fish and wildlife and other non-target organisms, drainage patterns and groundwater protection, and endangered species.
4. Pests - common features of pest organisms and characteristic damage, recognition of relevant pests, pest development and biology, and alternative controls under IPM.
5. Pesticides - types, formulations, compatibility, synergism, persistence, toxicity, hazards and residues, factors influencing effectiveness including resistance, and dilution procedures.
6. Equipment - types with advantages and limitations, plus uses, maintenance, and calibration.
7. Application techniques - methods for formulations, solutions, and gases; the relationship of discharge and placement to proper use, unnecessary use, and misuse; and prevention of drift and pesticide loss.
8. Applicable state and federal laws and rules.

Pes 304.06 adds performance testing where practical demonstration is needed to establish competency - unique application equipment, unusual pesticide types, or any handling circumstance that written and oral exams cannot cover.

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Worked example

A candidate applies for operational certification in categories F1 and F3 for a structural pest control firm.

• Exams: one general exam, one operational-level regulations exam, and two category exams (F1 and F3).
• Fees: $15 per category or commodity group. The certificate of registration itself costs $60 annually.
• Passing grade: 60 percent, because the candidate is at the operational level.
• No oral exam, because the oral is a supervisory requirement.
• If the candidate fails the F3 exam, the earliest retake is 15 days later, with a new application and a $15 re-exam fee. If F3 is failed a third time, the candidate waits 6 months and must give the Division written documentation of training before trying again.