Structural Pesticide Applicator

Structural pesticide applicators use a variety of methods to control and prevent the spread of insects and other pests that may infest residential or commercial properties.

Avg. Salary $45,977.00 Avg. Wage $24.19 Minimum Education Varies Certification Provincially Regulated 3-Year Forecast Medium Employed < 1500 5-Year Forecast above avg New Positions 2 Job Postings 5 listings Contents Expand All Working Conditions Interests & Abilities Traits & Skills Educational Requirements Certification Requirements Employment & Advancement Related Alberta Job Postings Wage & Salary Related High School Subjects Related Post-Secondary Field of Study Other Sources of Information Related Occupational Profiles Also Known As

Exterminator, Pest Control Operator

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

7444: Pest Controllers and Fumigators

2006 NOC-S

H534: Pest Controllers and Fumigators

2011 NOC

7444: Pest controllers and fumigators

2016 NOC

7444: Pest controllers and fumigators

2021 NOC

73202: Pest controllers and fumigators

2023 OaSIS

73202.00: Pest controllers and fumigators

Updated Mar 24, 2023

In general, structural pesticide applicators determine how and where to control pests on clients’ property. They:

Inspect buildings and surrounding areas to detect signs of infestation by insects, rodents, or pest bird species
Identify pests
Monitor the area to determine if treatment is necessary
Determine the type of treatment required (sanitation, exclusion, or habitat modification) and cost to the client
Treat the infested area with the proper use of appropriate pesticide or set sticky or mechanical traps
Use extreme heat and other methods to control bed bugs

Since they use toxic materials and chemicals, structural pesticide applicators must take safety precautions. These include:

Taking care to prevent pesticide from being placed where children, pets, or other non-target animals may come into contact with it
Wearing rubber gloves, protective clothing, and respirators when mixing or handling pesticides to avoid breathing them in and to prevent skin contact

Structural pesticide applicators most often have assigned routes. On that route, they are responsible for sales work, informing customers about conditions that attract pests, and conducting periodic inspections to detect signs of possible reinfestation.

Working Conditions Updated Mar 24, 2023 Strength Required Lift up to 20 kg

Insects, rodents, and birds are most active in spring and summer, so structural pesticide applicators are busiest during those seasons. However, indoor applications occur throughout the year for pests such as bedbugs and cockroaches.

Regular weekday work is typical. But because public buildings need to be closed before pesticide can be applied, evening and weekend shifts are the norm for public facilities.

Indoors, structural pesticide applicators work in a variety of settings. Outdoors, they encounter all kinds of weather. They may have to crawl into dirty or dusty places or climb roofs and trees to check infestation sources and administer treatments. They may have to lift heavy items. Safety precautions are a standard part of the job when handling toxic materials.