Sprayer Training towards passing an NPTC Assessment

Introduction

In the UK it is a legal requirement for most people who are spraying with professional pesticides to hold an NPTC pesticides certificate of competence, otherwise known as a spraying certificate or a pesticide license. The training required for spraying certification by undertaking a pesticides application course is detailed on this page.  These courses are offered to assist someone to pass an NPTC assessment so that they can safely and legally use pesticides application equipment. Some people call these courses NPTC sprayer courses.

Course Dates

We offer training to give the information to help a candidate pass most of the NPTC Pesticide Application units.  Pesticides Application - PA1 and Pesticides Application - PA6 knapsack spraying, hand held applicator courses are offered as a combined 3 day course with the computer based PA1 test on the second afternoon. 

For examples of the computer based questions, please see here. The PA6 test is normally held during the following 10 days. 

Our next combined PA1 and PA6 course will be held August 26th - 29th 2009 in Maidstone, Kent.  The next Maidstone date after that will be October 21st - 23rd 2009.

To download an application form for our next PA1/PA6 courses in Maidstone, Kent please click here.

Pesticides Application - PA2 tractor spraying courses are also held on a regular basis and a PA2 tractor spraying course will be held August 2009, with the venue to be confirmed.  Other modules are as requested, details are given below. Prices start from £68.00 per person day with group discounts. See breakdown of costs for our most popular courses or contact us. Enquiries

Our pesticide application courses are held on a number of different sites dependant on demand. They may also be held on your own site if required. Enquiries

For an example of PA1 and PA6 course content follow the link.

If required, courses can be used for NRoSO (National Register of Sprayer Operators) CPD points and BASIS CPD points, please ask for details. Enquiries

Assessment

The NPTC PA1 test is assessed by a computer based test similar to that of the theory driving test.  See here for examples of the computer based questions. The PA6 and other units are practically assessed one to one. If required, the Assessment Schedules can be downloaded from the NPTC website. Please contact us for further details. Enquiries 

The pesticides code of practice entitled 'Pesticides, code of practice for using plant protection products' can be downloaded from the Pesticides Safety Directorate website; otherwise it can be ordered from DEFRA Publications for £17 including postage or as a free CD.  All people who attend one of our PA1 courses will be given a free CD.

All of the trainers we use have extensive practical experience of pesticides use.  Our principal instructor, Ian Gower, is a member of the BASIS Professional Register and he has been involved in pesticides training and certification both before and since the NPTC units have been offered .

Apart from a combined PA1 and PA6 3 day course with the PA1 computer based test on the second afternoon, courses are of one day duration assuming a previous level of competence or experience. Training for PA2A and other mounted or trailed applicators are generally run over two days for new operators or one day for a person with previous experience.

Initial Module

PA1 FOUNDATION MODULE (Safe Use of Pesticides) - The successful completion of this module will be a condition of entry to any other module such as knapsack spraying.

Application Modules

PA2A GROUND CROP SPRAYER (Tractor mounted sprayers, quad bike mounted etc etc)

PA6A HAND HELD APPLICATOR (Knapsack sprayers etc etc)
Hydraulic Nozzle and/or Rotary Atomiser Types

PA6AW HAND HELD APPLICATOR
Application to water using Hydraulic Nozzle or Rotary atomiser type sprays (if PA6A is already held we offer updating sessions)

PA9 FOGGING, MISTING AND SMOKES
Any hand held and/or pedestrian controlled pesticide application equipment designed to produce a fog, mist or smoke

PA3A BROADCAST SPRAYER WITH AIR ASSISTANCE
- Mounted or Trailed

PA3B VARIABLE GEOMETRY BOOM SPRAYER WITH AIR ASSISTANCE
- Mounted or Trailed

PA4 GRANULE APPLICATOR
Mounted or Trailed

Except for PA1, assessment will take place on another date after the course. Assessment will be charged as an extra cost and fees are from £64.90 - £116.40 per assessment dependant on the units taken plus a registration fee of £21.10 for PA1 and £27.60 for other units (PA6, PA2, PA3 etc). These fees set by the local Proficiency Test Committee and are payable direct to them.  If required we will be happy to contact Field House Assessments Ltd to arrange your assessments. NPTC registration for re-assessment is £21.10.

Please note that attendance on a course does not necessarily mean that a person will pass the assessment; most people will need to practise before taking the applicator test. For further information please contact Enquiries.

Top of page

Other units that can be offered on demand

PA2C GROUND CROP SPRAYER
Boom type Twin Fluid Nozzle

PA2E GROUND CROP SPRAYER
Boom type fitted with downward air assistance

PA2F WICK APPLICATOR
Boom or frame type

PA2AR VEHICLE MOUNTED KERB SPRAYER

PA5A BOAT MOUNTED APPLICATOR
Hydraulic Nozzle Boom

PA5B BOAT MOUNTED APPLICATOR
Granule Applicator

PA6C HAND HELD APPLICATOR
Granule Applicator

PA6CW HAND HELD APPLICATOR
Application to water using granule applicators

PA6D HAND HELD APPLICATOR
Hand held applicators requiring minimal calibration

PA10 BATCH DIPPING
Any equipment designed for the purpose of applying pesticides by immersion.

PA11 SEED TREATING EQUIPMENT
Mobile and Static Equipment
Any equipment designed to apply pesticides to cereal grains, pulses and other seeds and which is mounted on a mobile vehicle or is in a fixed static position

PA12 APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES TO MATERIAL AS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS VIA CONVEYER, ROLLER TABLES AND OTHER MOVING EQUIPMENT
Any equipment designed to apply pesticides as a continuous process to materials being transported on a moving conveyer, roller table or other moving equipment

PA13 SUB SURFACE LIQUID APPLICATOR Any mounted or trailed sub surface liquid applicator

Top of Page