Learning the knowledge and skills you require as a public health pest control technician, covering techniques for the management of rodents and other mammals, invertebrate insects and health and safety.
Study to be a pest control technician with this industry-standard qualification delivered online by experts in pest management.
| Level |
Core |
| Prerequisites |
None (starting the online learning is advised) |
| Delivery |
Online-classroom and online-learning |
| Duration |
Classroom: 6 days (2 days a week, over 3 weeks, 9am-5pm)
Online learning: 60+ hours< |
| Assessment |
3-hour exam (not included) |
| CPD points |
24 BPCA Registered
TBC Basis Prompt |
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Delivery
The course will be delivered as an online classroom training course using the Zoom platform. As in a classroom environment, candidates will be encouraged to engage in discussions, share experiences and ask questions.
There will be regular breaks throughout the day including lunch. Please take advantage of these breaks to move away from your device and move around a little as this will help you maintain focus throughout the day.
Accessing the course
To take part in the session you will need:
• Computer, laptop or tablet
• Internet connection
Smartphones will work, however the session is not optimised for very small screens.
Slides from the training will NOT be available so please ensure that you have pens and paper to enable you to take your own notes.
Course times
9 am until 5 pm, with lunch and comfort breaks.
Online learning
As part of this course, you'll receive access to our GPC online learning for 6 weeks. This can be used both before the course, as preparation for the training, and after the course in preparation for the examination
Please note if early access is requested and subsequently cancelled and you are entitled to a refund, the online learning fee will be deducted from your refund.
British Pest Management (BPM) manual
You will also receive your own copy of the BPM manual.
Other delivery options
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Overview
This course will be delivered in three modules across six days.
Module 1: Health, Safety and Legislative Issues (Day 1)
• Reasons for Pest Control
• Introduction to Legislation and enforcement
• Legislation – Health & Safety
• Legislation – Animal Welfare
• Legislation – Food and Public Health
• Legislation – Pesticides
• Principles of pest control
• Risk assessment and hazard identification including STOP assessment
• Safety when using application equipment/pesticides
• PPE
• Pesticide toxicity
• Spillage.
Module 1: Health, Safety and Legislative Issues (Day 2)
• Documentation
• Practical Risk Assessment and Environmental Risk Assessment
• Communication
• Safety in confined spaces
• Safety when working at height
• Safety with vehicles
• Safety when lone working and manual handling
• Safety involving biohazards
• Accident reporting
• Hazardous waste
• Storage of pesticides.
Module 2: Vertebrate Pest Control (Day 3)
• Stewardship / CRRU
• Rodents of the UK
• UK species – brown rat, black rat, house mouse, wood mouse, grey squirrel, edible dormouse, water vole
• Reasons for controlling rodents
• Rat and mouse biology and behaviours
• Surveys and activity
• Integrated pest management (IPM) of rodents
• Non-toxic rodent control
• Rats and drainage
• Chemical control of rats
• Safe use of rodenticides
• Documentation.
Module 2: Vertebrate Pest Control (Day 4)
• Legislation relating to wildlife and countryside
• Reasons for vertebrate control
• Bird biology and control
• Considerations when undertaking vertebrate control
• Mammals and their control – foxes, moles, rabbits, feral cats, mink
• Principles of trapping
• Integrated pest management (IPM) plans.
Module 3: Invertebrate Pest Control (Day 5)
• Classification
• Types of invertebrates
• Arachnids
• Reasons for controlling insects
• General insect biology and behaviours
• Surveying and monitoring invertebrates
• Integrated pest management (IPM) of invertebrates
• Non-toxic control of invertebrates
• Cockroach biology and control.
Module 3: Invertebrate Pest Control (Day 6)
• Insecticides used in insect control
• Insecticide formulation
• Safety considerations when undertaking insect control work
• Bed bug biology and control
• Flea biology and control
• Mosquito biology and control
• Ant, bee and wasp biology and control
• True flies and their control
• Moths, beetles and their control
• Miscellaneous insects and their control – to include booklice, crickets, bristletails, crickets etc).
You can download the full RSPH syllabus here. You can view a sample exam paper here.
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Assessments
The RSPH Level 2 Award in Pest Management exam is NOT included as part of this programme and you must book your own exam date (with BPCA directly or through another exam centre).
Regardless of how you study this course, by passing the examination you will achieve the RSPH Level 2 Award in Pest Management.
The examination is made up of 3 papers each relating to public health pest control:
Unit 1: Vertebrates (15 questions)
Unit 2: Invertebrates (15 questions)
Unit 3: Health, Safety and Legal Aspects (15 questions)
If you are sitting the examination in the standard format, you will have up to 3 hours to complete all three papers.
The examination papers will consist of a mix of multiple-choice and short answer questions around the biology, behaviour and control of rodents, rabbits, squirrels, moles, feral cats, foxes and birds; control of insects (in particular wasps, flies, cockroaches, Pharaohs ants, stored product insects and biting insects), legislation, safe storage and transportation of pesticides, use of application equipment and much more.
Download a sample exam paper.
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Fees
The online course fee includes access to the course and all handouts.
| |
Including VAT |
Excluding VAT |
| Members |
£954 |
£795 |
| Non-members |
£1,134 |
£945 |
Cancellation terms
Course cancellations will only be accepted on receipt of written instruction and are effective from the date received by the BPCA.
- More than 15 working days prior to course: No charge
- 15 working days or less: 100% of fee.
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Having completed the BPCA Level 2 Award in Pest Control course - the standard can only be described as excellent - which is what attracted me to do the course in the first instances, having reviewed courses provided by others. The course provided by the BPCA is clearly best in class giving participants extensive knowledge to deal with pest issues in the field.
Mervyn Walsh BA(Hons), HDip. EnvMgt, MEHAI, Field Conservation Biologist, Ecologica Pest Control
I did the Level 2 last week at Yarnfield and would just like to say how enjoyable the course was. The venue was excellent and Paul was a fantastic tutor and a natural teacher. I look forward to doing more training with the BPCA in the future.
James Fellows