408 PLANT LIFE AND RELATED SERVICE OCCUPATIONS

408 Plant Life & Related Service Occupations

This group includes occupations typically found in establishments providing blight, weed, and pest control; and landscaping, tree, and related services on a fee or contract basis. Farm equipment operators are classified in Group 409. Crop-preparation-service-for-market occupations, such as sorting, grading, and packing fruit and vegetables; and nut hulling and shelling are classified in Division 92.

408.131-010 SUPERVISOR, SPRAY, LAWN AND TREE SERVICE (agric.) crew manager.

Supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in pruning trees and shrubs, cultivating lawns, and applying pesticides and other chemicals according to service contract specifications: Reviews contracts to ascertain service, machine, and work force requirements and schedules work for crews according to weather conditions, availability of equipment, and seasonal limitations. Investigates customer complaints and spot checks completed work to ascertain quality of subordinates' work and effectiveness of chemicals applied. Suggests formula and procedure changes and orders corrective work to improve quality of service and ensure contract compliance. Answers inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, materials, and price ranges in person or by telephone. Prepares service estimates according to labor hour, material, and machine requirement costs determined from job site appraisal data, experience, and records. Compiles reports of personnel matters, such as absenteeism and labor costs, for management. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.). May be designated according to kind of crew supervised as SPRAY SUPERVISOR (agric.); TREE-SERVICE SUPERVISOR (agric.).

408.137-010 SUPERVISOR, INSECT AND DISEASE INSPECTION (agric.) disease-and-insect-control boss.

Supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in detecting presence of noxious insects and plant diseases in field crops and counting insect population applying knowledge of standard sampling of acreage involved to determine need for modifying sampling techniques and to determine number of workers needed. Assigns fields identifying characteristics of prevalent insects and diseases. Compiles disease report for each field. Transports workers to and from fields using truck. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.).

408.137-014 SUPERVISOR, TREE-TRIMMING (light, heat, & power)

Supervises and coordinates the activities of workers engaged in removing trees that interfere with electric power lines: Examines work order to determine location of trees to be pruned or felled by trimming crews. Reads street and road maps and drives truck to transport crew to worksite. Inspects electric power lines near trees to be trimmed and secures clearance to work on lines if necessary. Directs placement of rigging for hoisting tools to workers in trees and for lowering severed tree limbs to ground. Supervises workers in cutting away branches of power lines. Orders removal of trees when necessary. Explains tree trimming activities to consumers when working on consumers' property. Keeps daily work records. Occasionally trims trees. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.).

408.161-010 LANDSCAPE GARDENER (agric.) landscaper.

Plans and executes small scale landscaping operations and maintains grounds and landscape of private and business residences: Participates with LABORER, LANDSCAPE (agric.) in preparing and grading terrain, applying fertilizers, seeding and sodding lawns, and transplanting shrubs and plants, using manual and power-operated equipment. Plans lawns, and plants and cultivates them, using gardening implements and power-operated equipment. Plants new and repairs established lawns, using seed mixtures and fertilizers recommended for particular soil type and lawn location. Locates and plants shrubs, trees, and flowers selected by property owner or those recommended for particular landscape effect. Mows and trims lawns, using hand mower or power mower. Trims shrubs and cultivates gardens. Cleans grounds, using rakes, brooms, and hose. Sprays trees and shrubs, and applies supplemental liquid and dry nutrients to lawn and trees. May dig trenches and install drain tiles. May make repairs to concrete and asphalt walks and driveways.

408.181-010 TREE SURGEON (agric.)

Prunes and treats ornamental and shade trees and shrubs in yards and parks to improve their appearance, health, and value: Cuts out dead and undesirable limbs and trims trees to enhance beauty and growth. Scrapes decayed matter from cavities in trees, and fills holes with cement to promote healing and prevent further deterioration. Sprays and dusts pesticides on shrubs and trees to control pests and disease or sprays foliar fertilizers to increase plant growth, using hand or machine dusters and sprayers. Tops trees to control growth characteristics and to prevent interference with utility wires. May apply herbicides to kill brush and weeds. May fell and remove trees and bushes. May plant trees and shrubs.

408.364-010 PLANT-CARE WORKER (agric.) interior horticulturist; plant tender.

Cares for ornamental plants on various customer premises, applying knowledge of horticultural requirements, and using items such as insecticides, fertilizers, and gardening tools: Reads work orders and supply requisitions to determine job requirements, and confers with supervisor to clarify work procedures. Loads plants and supplies onto truck in order of scheduled stops, using hand truck. Drives truck to premises and carries needed supplies to work area. Examines plants and soil to determine moisture level, using water sensor gauge, and waters plants according to requirements of species, using hose and watering can. Sponges plant leaves to apply moisture and remove dust. Observes plants under magnifying glass to detect insects and disease, and consults plant care books or confers with supervisor to identify problems and determine treatments. Selects and applies specified chemical solutions to feed plants, kill insects, and treat diseases, using hose or mist-sprayer. Transplants root bound plants into larger containers. Pinches and prunes stems and leaves to remove dead and diseased leaves, to shape plants, and to induce growth, using them with healthy plants. Informs customer of plant care needs. Enters record of actions taken at each stop in route book and prepares requisitions for materials needed on subsequent visit. Returns diseased, dying, and unused plants and supplies to employer premises.

408.381.010 SCOUT (agric.) pest-control worker.

Locates and exterminates plant and tree pests and diseases: Searches fields, brush, trees, and warehouses to locate plant pests, such as witchweed, boll weevil, Japanese beetle, soybean cyst nematode, fire ant, gypsy moth, white-fringes beetles, and army worms. Mixes exterminating agents, such as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, according to type of infection or infestation to be treated. Applies exterminating agent, using spray equipment. Destroys clusters of gypsy-moth eggs by painting or spraying clusters with creosote. Collects samples of infected soil or plants for laboratory analysis. Marks infested area to determine effectiveness of treatment. May specialize in treatment of one type of infestation, such as gypsy moth or witchweed.

408.381-014 WEED INSPECTOR (agric.)

Locates and destroys noxious weeds in rural municipality: Inspects roadsides and ditches for noxious weeds and notifies landowners in areas where suspected weeds are located. Identifies weeds and prepares poisonous solution required to destroy them. Sprays infected area with solution.

408.662-010 HYDRO-SPRAYER OPERATOR (agric.)

Operates truck-mounted hydro-sprayer to cover areas, such as highway median strip, hillsides and fields with mixture of grass seed, fertilizer and mulch according to specifications: Pumps water and dumps seed, fertilizer, and wood fiber into hydro-sprayer tank according to formula. Connects hoses and nozzles, selected according to terrain and distribution pattern requirements, using pressure couplings and threaded fittings. Starts motors and engages machinery, such as hydro-sprayer agitator and pump. Lifts, pushes, and swings nozzle, hose, and tube to direct spray over designated area. Covers area to specified depth, applying knowledge of weather conditions, such as humidity and wind velocity; machinery capacities, such as droplet size and elevation-to-distance ratio; and obstructions, such as trees and buildings. Gives driving instructions to truck driver, using hand and horn signals, to insure complete coverage of designated area. Cleans and services machinery to insure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, and hand tools. Occasionally plants grass with seed spreader and operates straw blower to cover seeded area with asphalt and straw mixture.

408.687-010 FIELD INSPECTOR, DISEASE AND INSECT CONTROL (agric.)

Inspects fields to detect presence of noxious insects and plant diseases, applying knowledge of identifying characteristics of insects and diseases: Walks through fields, following standard sampling patterns, and examines plants at periodic intervals to detect presence of insects or diseases. Counts numbers of insects on examined plants or number or diseased plants within sample area. Records results or counts onto field work sheet. Collects samples of unidentifiable insects or diseased plants for identification by supervisor.

408.687-014 LABORER, LANDSCAPE (agric.)

Moves soil, equipment, and materials, digs holes, and performs related duties to assist LANDSCAPE GARDENER (agric.) in landscaping grounds: Digs holes and trenches with pick and shovel. Plants and waters sod and shrubbery. Mixes and pours cement for garden borders and mows lawns. Places stone and plants flowers in garden areas. Hauls topsoil in wheelbarrow and spreads and levels soil, using rake.

408.687-018 TREE-SURGEON HELPER (agric.)II

Hands or hoists tools and equipment to TREE TRIMMER (agric.) or TREE SURGEON (agric.). Lowers pruned limbs and truck sections, using ropes; sections limbs, using saw; and reduces sections to chips, using chipper. Rakes up debris and loads it on truck. Performs other duties as described under HELPER (any ind.).

Adapted from US Department of Labor DOT for Dictionary of Agricultural Occupations



Dictionary of Agricultural Occupations

Send questions to: gebillikopf@ucdavis.edu

Gregorio Billikopf Encina
(209) 525-6800


15 November 2004