Section 355IAC4-7-4. Criteria and procedures for approving CCHs

   (a) The state chemist shall be responsible for evaluating all instruction and training opportunities submitted for consideration of approval for CCHs.

  (b) Training and instruction may be evaluated and approved for CCHs in more than one (1) certification category.

  (c) Except as provided in subsection (e), all requests for CCH approval must be submitted to the state chemist as follows:

(1) At least twenty-one (21) days prior to the date that the instruction or training event will occur.

(2) In a format determined by the state chemist.

(3) By an individual directly responsible for the instruction or training event.

  (d) Criteria to be followed by the state chemist for the evaluation of instruction and training events for CCH approval shall include, but may not be limited to, the following:

(1) Must be open to all certified applicators and registered technicians.

(2) Except as provided in subdivision (3), any costs or participation fees to cover expenses incurred by the training providers must be the same for all certified applicators and registered technicians.

(3) Professional educational organizations claiming Internal Revenue Service 501(c) status and governmental organizations may charge variable participation fees.

(4) Must not be in-house training.

(5) The venue must be large enough to accommodate a reasonable number of certified applicators or registered technicians from outside of the immediate organization facilitating the instruction or training.

(6) Must be open without fee or charge to the state chemist for monitoring.

(7) Must have an effective mechanism for the person responsible for the training to verify participation of the certified applicator or registered technician from the start to the conclusion of the CCH event.

(8) Subject matter and content must include, but may not be limited to, at least one (1) of the following:

(A) Pest identification.

(B) Pest biology.

(C) Pesticide chemistry.

(D) Pesticide equipment calibration and maintenance.

(E) Pesticide use.

(F) Pest management by cultural, mechanical, or other nonpesticide means, including, but not limited to, the following:

(i) Sanitation.

(ii) Exclusion.

(iii) Fertilization.

(iv) Irrigation.

(v) Soil compaction.

(vi) Pest monitoring.

(G) Pesticide label interpretation.

(H) Pesticide label safety measures.

(I) Public and customer safety.

(J) Consumer and customer complaints.

(K) Applicator safety.

(L) Environmental safety.

(M) Associated state and federal laws or regulations affecting pesticides or pesticide users.

(9) Subject matter and content may not include any of the following:

(A) Product or service sales or promotions.

(B) Employee hiring or retention.

(C) General business practices.

  (e) Requests for CCH approval in category 13 must be submitted to the state chemist as follows:

(1) Within two (2) weeks from the end date that the training event occurred.

(2) In a format determined by the state chemist.

(3) By the category 13 certified applicator requesting personal CCHs.

(4) With evidence of a mechanism by an independent source to verify participation by the certified applicator.

(State Chemist of the State of Indiana; 355 IAC 4-7-4; filed May 12, 2009, 11:20 a.m.: 20090610-IR-355090063FRA; readopted filed Sep 25, 2013, 11:08 a.m.: 20131023-IR-355130361RFA)