WASHINGTON PESTICIDE LAWS AND SAFETY EXAM TEST
PAPERS 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+
✔✔Under a private applicators supervision, an unlicensed applicator can handle
restricted use products (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔How many recertification credits does a commercial applicator need? - ✔✔40 credits
in 5 years
✔✔When do you choose 'all of the above' on a multiple choice test:
a. never
b. sometimes
c. always
d. all of the above - ✔✔d. all of the above
✔✔EPA and WSDA are the only agencies that regulate pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Private applicators are subject to criminal penalties for unlawful conduct under
FIFRA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Should you read and follow the label? - ✔✔True (Yes)
✔✔Regardless of the signal word, all pesticide labels carry the words "KEEP OUT OF
REACH OF CHILDREN" (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔All formulations of the same active ingredient carry the same signal word (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔The skull and crossbones symbol must appear on every pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Which signal words indicate that a pesticide is highly toxic to humans? -
✔✔DANGER-POISON
✔✔An active ingredient may have one technical name or common name but may be in
products with several different trade/brand names (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The hazard associated with a pesticide product depends entirely on the toxicity of
the active ingredient (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The most common route of pesticide exposure leading to poisoning is inhalation
(T/F) - ✔✔False
,✔✔Because of the protective nature of eye tissues, very little pesticide that contacts the
eyes is actually absorbed (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Toxicity from small repeated exposures to a pesticide over a period of time is a
called _____. - ✔✔Chronic toxicity
✔✔The signal word on a pesticide label indicates its _____. - ✔✔Toxicity
✔✔Which signal word would indicate that a product is least toxic to an applicator? -
✔✔Caution
✔✔Applicators who regularly use organophosphate and carbonate insecticides are
advised to have a pre-season blood test to establish their baseline level of _____. -
✔✔cholinesterase
✔✔If a pesticide is spilled on the skin or clothing, the first reaction should be to ____. -
✔✔remove contaminated clothing and wash affected area with soap and water
✔✔Under the Worker Protection Standard, a farm laborer who hand picks vegetables is
considered a _____ (worker or handler). - ✔✔Worker
✔✔Pesticide respirators should be approved by ____. - ✔✔NIOSH and MSHA
✔✔The life of a cartridge depends on a lot of variables (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Gloves and boots should be made of _____. - ✔✔Unlined Rubber
✔✔Application records must be kept of file for _____ years. - ✔✔Seven
✔✔Pesticides should be stored in what container? - ✔✔Only in their original container
✔✔If a nozzle becomes clogged while spraying, _____. - ✔✔stop spraying, move to an
untreated area, and use a soft brush to to clean the plugged nozzle.
✔✔Never use your waste water rinse as a diluent for future applications (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔What is an undesirable characteristic of a pesticide storage area? - ✔✔direct
sunlight
✔✔What WA State agency is responsible for respirators? - ✔✔Dept. Labor and
Industries
, ✔✔Select the condition that could help reduce pesticide volatilization:
a. high air temps
b. low relative humidity
c. incorporation
d. small droplets
e. wet soils - ✔✔b. low relative humidity
✔✔Pesticide absorption is greatest in coarse, sandy soils (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Runoff is more likely from a water-saturated soil than from an unsaturated soil. -
✔✔True
✔✔Pesticide degration processes can be beneficial because they reduce the amount of
pesticide residue in the environment (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The upper level of the water saturated zone in the soil is called the _____. -
✔✔Water table
✔✔Pesticide properties have little effect on whether a chemical will reach the
groundwater (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Pesticides can reach groundwater through _____. - ✔✔Leaching
✔✔Fish kills most commonly result from a pollution of the water by _____. -
✔✔Insecticides
✔✔The most common way for pesticides to enter your body is through _____. -
✔✔Dermal absorption
✔✔When using an emulsifiable concentrate formulation, what do you need to
remember? - ✔✔This formulation may have a high phytotoxicity hazard
✔✔Which of the following is not registered as a pesticide under WA state law:
a. drift retardants
b. plant growth regulator
c. nematicides
d. nitrogen fertilizer - ✔✔d. nitrogen fertilizer
✔✔Why are some pesticides classified as "restricted use?" - ✔✔Their use is a hazard to
the applicator or the environment
✔✔What does not have to be on your application records:
PAPERS 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED
A+
✔✔Under a private applicators supervision, an unlicensed applicator can handle
restricted use products (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔How many recertification credits does a commercial applicator need? - ✔✔40 credits
in 5 years
✔✔When do you choose 'all of the above' on a multiple choice test:
a. never
b. sometimes
c. always
d. all of the above - ✔✔d. all of the above
✔✔EPA and WSDA are the only agencies that regulate pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Private applicators are subject to criminal penalties for unlawful conduct under
FIFRA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Should you read and follow the label? - ✔✔True (Yes)
✔✔Regardless of the signal word, all pesticide labels carry the words "KEEP OUT OF
REACH OF CHILDREN" (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔All formulations of the same active ingredient carry the same signal word (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔The skull and crossbones symbol must appear on every pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Which signal words indicate that a pesticide is highly toxic to humans? -
✔✔DANGER-POISON
✔✔An active ingredient may have one technical name or common name but may be in
products with several different trade/brand names (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The hazard associated with a pesticide product depends entirely on the toxicity of
the active ingredient (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The most common route of pesticide exposure leading to poisoning is inhalation
(T/F) - ✔✔False
,✔✔Because of the protective nature of eye tissues, very little pesticide that contacts the
eyes is actually absorbed (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Toxicity from small repeated exposures to a pesticide over a period of time is a
called _____. - ✔✔Chronic toxicity
✔✔The signal word on a pesticide label indicates its _____. - ✔✔Toxicity
✔✔Which signal word would indicate that a product is least toxic to an applicator? -
✔✔Caution
✔✔Applicators who regularly use organophosphate and carbonate insecticides are
advised to have a pre-season blood test to establish their baseline level of _____. -
✔✔cholinesterase
✔✔If a pesticide is spilled on the skin or clothing, the first reaction should be to ____. -
✔✔remove contaminated clothing and wash affected area with soap and water
✔✔Under the Worker Protection Standard, a farm laborer who hand picks vegetables is
considered a _____ (worker or handler). - ✔✔Worker
✔✔Pesticide respirators should be approved by ____. - ✔✔NIOSH and MSHA
✔✔The life of a cartridge depends on a lot of variables (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Gloves and boots should be made of _____. - ✔✔Unlined Rubber
✔✔Application records must be kept of file for _____ years. - ✔✔Seven
✔✔Pesticides should be stored in what container? - ✔✔Only in their original container
✔✔If a nozzle becomes clogged while spraying, _____. - ✔✔stop spraying, move to an
untreated area, and use a soft brush to to clean the plugged nozzle.
✔✔Never use your waste water rinse as a diluent for future applications (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔What is an undesirable characteristic of a pesticide storage area? - ✔✔direct
sunlight
✔✔What WA State agency is responsible for respirators? - ✔✔Dept. Labor and
Industries
, ✔✔Select the condition that could help reduce pesticide volatilization:
a. high air temps
b. low relative humidity
c. incorporation
d. small droplets
e. wet soils - ✔✔b. low relative humidity
✔✔Pesticide absorption is greatest in coarse, sandy soils (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Runoff is more likely from a water-saturated soil than from an unsaturated soil. -
✔✔True
✔✔Pesticide degration processes can be beneficial because they reduce the amount of
pesticide residue in the environment (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The upper level of the water saturated zone in the soil is called the _____. -
✔✔Water table
✔✔Pesticide properties have little effect on whether a chemical will reach the
groundwater (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Pesticides can reach groundwater through _____. - ✔✔Leaching
✔✔Fish kills most commonly result from a pollution of the water by _____. -
✔✔Insecticides
✔✔The most common way for pesticides to enter your body is through _____. -
✔✔Dermal absorption
✔✔When using an emulsifiable concentrate formulation, what do you need to
remember? - ✔✔This formulation may have a high phytotoxicity hazard
✔✔Which of the following is not registered as a pesticide under WA state law:
a. drift retardants
b. plant growth regulator
c. nematicides
d. nitrogen fertilizer - ✔✔d. nitrogen fertilizer
✔✔Why are some pesticides classified as "restricted use?" - ✔✔Their use is a hazard to
the applicator or the environment
✔✔What does not have to be on your application records:
