QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California) questions and answers with solutions
2025/2026
.
The difference between CA laws and DPR regulations is that laws are: Passed by the CA
legislature and regulations are adopted by DPR to carry out laws
Remember is the Department of Pesticide Regulation
Remember the Legislature makes the Laws (the law: "employers must protect employees
from harm on the job") but the DPR makes specific Regulations (the regulation: "eyewear
must be worn, waterproof gloves, long sleeve shirts, socks, etc." to protect that employee
from harm)
A cooperating agency that helps DPR enforce pesticide use laws and regulations in CA is
the: County Agricultural Commissioner
(think of him as the local pesticide "sheriff")
When pesticide registrant (the MAKER of that pesticide) allows a pesticide product
registration (it's license to sell it in the state of California) to lapse/end, pest control dealers
(like Univar) can continue to sell out their stock of that pesticide (stuff that they ALREADY
bought in order to sell to pest control companies) for how many years?: 2 years
So if a Company decides they're not making a profit off of a pesticide that has been
licensed/registered in CA and they let their license "lapse/expire", CA lets stores sell out of
any product they bought for the next 2 years.
Employee handler pesticide safety training topics (what the boss needs to teach to his
techs) do not include how to:
confine spray to target area
handle, open and lift containers
C)recognize the chemical characteristics of the pesticide
D) recognize pesticide poisoning symptoms: C) Recognize the chemical characteristics of
the pesticide
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California)
.
(you don't NEED to know EXACTLY the chemical makeup of every pesticide just like you
don't NEED to know every ingredient in Ketchup to understand that it is a condiment for
hotdogs)
Why is it important for pesticide applications that employees receive training on
recognizing and avoiding heat stress?: Because MANY heat stress symptoms are identical
to pesticide poisoning symptoms.
The potential for pesticides leaching (soaking ) through the soil into the ground water
increases with what?: RAINFALL
Rain washes pesticide deeper into the soil...we don't want it continuing down hundreds of
feet into our drinking water beneath us)
Arrange these label words from least dangerous to most dangerous:
Warning/Danger/Caution: Caution, Warning, Danger
Which signal world has the word poison and a skull and crossbones on the label?: DANGER
What are the three signal words commonly used on all pesticides?: Danger, Warning,
Caution
The hazard (DANGER) of a pesticide is a relative measure of its potential to:
A)Harm people or the environment
control the pest
damage application equipment
bind to soil particles: A) Harm people or the environment
(We say something is REALLY DANGEROUS when it can REALLY harm
people/environment...like NUCLEAR waste...but we tell someone to be "cautious" not to
get soap in their eyes when bathing)
11. Which of the following is the MOST frequent route of pesticide exposure for pesticide
handlers? A) Oral (through your mouth)
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California) questions and answers with solutions
2025/2026
.
Dermal (through your skin)
Inhalation (breathing it in)
Eye: Dermal
Every time you fill up a backpack sprayer, you risk getting that crap on your hands and
wrists.
12. Which of the formulation offers the greatest possibility of dermal (skin) absorption?
Oil soluble formulations (these smell like gas and look like motor oil)
Water-soluble liquids (like the Wisdom TC you spray)
Granulars (like the bifen dry chemical you apply on lawns)
Powder formulations (like a pesticide dust that we use for roaches): Oil soluble
formulations
Remember how oil SOAKS into a concrete driveway and stains it....it's EASILY absorbed.
13. The most important step when a pesticide spill occurs is to:
Thoroughly soak the area to dilute the spilled pesticide
Direct the spilled pesticide away from the area
Prevent people from contacting the spilled pesticide
Salvage as much as possible of the spilled pesticide: C) Prevent people from contacting the
spilled pesticide
This is your FIRST job...stop others from getting harmed....THEN throw kitty litter on it to
stop that spill from moving).
14. The surfaces of objects that are commonly present in interiorscapes during a pesticide
application that might become ETCHED (like putting toilet bowl cleaner on a Rolex watch)
can be caused by the
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California)
.
Spray pressure being too high
Inert ingredients
Temperature of the spray
Size of the spray droplets: B) Inert Ingredients
Remember, there are MANY chemicals in Bifen I/T besides Bifenthrin that make it
work...ONE of those chemical CAN accidently stain wood or ruin marble flooring).
THINK BEFORE YOU SPRAY.
When referring to an ocular pesticide exposure on a pesticide handler, which body part is
affected?: THE EYES = OCULAR
Look...doctors pay a lot of money for their education and it makes them feel SO MUCH
BETTER to say "Ocular Tissue Damage" than to just say "his eyeball got scratched").
Why can't leather and cloth gloves be used for handling liquid pesticides?: Because they
will ABSORB liquid pesticide.
Yes, we use both kinds of gloves for DRY pesticides...but if the test doesn't say "DRY" then
ASSUME it means "WET"
How often must Personal Protective Equipment be cleaned?: At the end of each WORK
PERIOD
Remember, it's not EACH DAY for a part time employee because they don't work EACH DAY.
We say "Work Period" just so everyone understands that at the end of a work day, you
HAVE to clean your PPE.
An important reason to inspect the area where you will be completing a pesticide
application is to:: Identify any hazardous material or (I would say) hazardous situations (a
dogs presence in a yard is going to be an issue for you) 19. The information necessary for
treating someone exposed to a pesticide is found in the:: Precautionary statement section
of the pesticide label This IS a test question.
2025/2026
.
The difference between CA laws and DPR regulations is that laws are: Passed by the CA
legislature and regulations are adopted by DPR to carry out laws
Remember is the Department of Pesticide Regulation
Remember the Legislature makes the Laws (the law: "employers must protect employees
from harm on the job") but the DPR makes specific Regulations (the regulation: "eyewear
must be worn, waterproof gloves, long sleeve shirts, socks, etc." to protect that employee
from harm)
A cooperating agency that helps DPR enforce pesticide use laws and regulations in CA is
the: County Agricultural Commissioner
(think of him as the local pesticide "sheriff")
When pesticide registrant (the MAKER of that pesticide) allows a pesticide product
registration (it's license to sell it in the state of California) to lapse/end, pest control dealers
(like Univar) can continue to sell out their stock of that pesticide (stuff that they ALREADY
bought in order to sell to pest control companies) for how many years?: 2 years
So if a Company decides they're not making a profit off of a pesticide that has been
licensed/registered in CA and they let their license "lapse/expire", CA lets stores sell out of
any product they bought for the next 2 years.
Employee handler pesticide safety training topics (what the boss needs to teach to his
techs) do not include how to:
confine spray to target area
handle, open and lift containers
C)recognize the chemical characteristics of the pesticide
D) recognize pesticide poisoning symptoms: C) Recognize the chemical characteristics of
the pesticide
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California)
.
(you don't NEED to know EXACTLY the chemical makeup of every pesticide just like you
don't NEED to know every ingredient in Ketchup to understand that it is a condiment for
hotdogs)
Why is it important for pesticide applications that employees receive training on
recognizing and avoiding heat stress?: Because MANY heat stress symptoms are identical
to pesticide poisoning symptoms.
The potential for pesticides leaching (soaking ) through the soil into the ground water
increases with what?: RAINFALL
Rain washes pesticide deeper into the soil...we don't want it continuing down hundreds of
feet into our drinking water beneath us)
Arrange these label words from least dangerous to most dangerous:
Warning/Danger/Caution: Caution, Warning, Danger
Which signal world has the word poison and a skull and crossbones on the label?: DANGER
What are the three signal words commonly used on all pesticides?: Danger, Warning,
Caution
The hazard (DANGER) of a pesticide is a relative measure of its potential to:
A)Harm people or the environment
control the pest
damage application equipment
bind to soil particles: A) Harm people or the environment
(We say something is REALLY DANGEROUS when it can REALLY harm
people/environment...like NUCLEAR waste...but we tell someone to be "cautious" not to
get soap in their eyes when bathing)
11. Which of the following is the MOST frequent route of pesticide exposure for pesticide
handlers? A) Oral (through your mouth)
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California) questions and answers with solutions
2025/2026
.
Dermal (through your skin)
Inhalation (breathing it in)
Eye: Dermal
Every time you fill up a backpack sprayer, you risk getting that crap on your hands and
wrists.
12. Which of the formulation offers the greatest possibility of dermal (skin) absorption?
Oil soluble formulations (these smell like gas and look like motor oil)
Water-soluble liquids (like the Wisdom TC you spray)
Granulars (like the bifen dry chemical you apply on lawns)
Powder formulations (like a pesticide dust that we use for roaches): Oil soluble
formulations
Remember how oil SOAKS into a concrete driveway and stains it....it's EASILY absorbed.
13. The most important step when a pesticide spill occurs is to:
Thoroughly soak the area to dilute the spilled pesticide
Direct the spilled pesticide away from the area
Prevent people from contacting the spilled pesticide
Salvage as much as possible of the spilled pesticide: C) Prevent people from contacting the
spilled pesticide
This is your FIRST job...stop others from getting harmed....THEN throw kitty litter on it to
stop that spill from moving).
14. The surfaces of objects that are commonly present in interiorscapes during a pesticide
application that might become ETCHED (like putting toilet bowl cleaner on a Rolex watch)
can be caused by the
, QAL Laws & Regs Exam Prep (California)
.
Spray pressure being too high
Inert ingredients
Temperature of the spray
Size of the spray droplets: B) Inert Ingredients
Remember, there are MANY chemicals in Bifen I/T besides Bifenthrin that make it
work...ONE of those chemical CAN accidently stain wood or ruin marble flooring).
THINK BEFORE YOU SPRAY.
When referring to an ocular pesticide exposure on a pesticide handler, which body part is
affected?: THE EYES = OCULAR
Look...doctors pay a lot of money for their education and it makes them feel SO MUCH
BETTER to say "Ocular Tissue Damage" than to just say "his eyeball got scratched").
Why can't leather and cloth gloves be used for handling liquid pesticides?: Because they
will ABSORB liquid pesticide.
Yes, we use both kinds of gloves for DRY pesticides...but if the test doesn't say "DRY" then
ASSUME it means "WET"
How often must Personal Protective Equipment be cleaned?: At the end of each WORK
PERIOD
Remember, it's not EACH DAY for a part time employee because they don't work EACH DAY.
We say "Work Period" just so everyone understands that at the end of a work day, you
HAVE to clean your PPE.
An important reason to inspect the area where you will be completing a pesticide
application is to:: Identify any hazardous material or (I would say) hazardous situations (a
dogs presence in a yard is going to be an issue for you) 19. The information necessary for
treating someone exposed to a pesticide is found in the:: Precautionary statement section
of the pesticide label This IS a test question.
