Class Code 0106
Tree Pruning, Repairing Or Trimming
Class Code 0106 covers workers engaged in tree pruning, trimming and related repair work in California. This includes arborists and crews who climb, use aerial lifts, chainsaws and ropes to maintain trees. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate is $12.393 per $100 of payroll, a key factor in calculating your workers' comp cost.
What Class Code 0106 Covers
This classification applies to on-site tree maintenance operations: selective pruning, crown reduction, limb and branch trimming, corrective pruning and minor tree repairs such as cabling, bracing and splice repairs. Covered work typically involves climbing with ropes and harnesses, working from ladders or aerial lifts, operating chainsaws and hand saws, and stabilizing damaged trees after storms. Routine plant health care tasks that are part of pruning jobs—like fertilizing or minor insect treatment—are included when performed by the pruning crew, but large-scale tree removal, logging, or specialized stump grinding may be classified elsewhere. The code applies to both residential and commercial tree service jobs, municipal tree crews and utility vegetation management when the primary task is pruning or repairing trees.
Who It Applies To
- Arborists and tree trimming crews working for tree service companies
- Municipal or city tree maintenance crews
- Landscaping companies that perform routine tree pruning
- Utility vegetation management crews performing line-clearance pruning
- Contractors who install cabling/bracing and perform storm damage repairs
Common Job Duties
- Climbing trees using spikes, ropes and harnesses to access canopy
- Operating chainsaws and hand saws to remove branches and limbs
- Working from aerial lifts or bucket trucks to trim high branches
- Installing tree support systems: cabling, bracing, and stakes
- Cutting and removing hazardous limbs, and stabilizing storm-damaged trees
- Ground crew duties: rigging, lowering branches, chipping and clearing debris
- Conducting basic tree health inspections as part of pruning
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $12.393 Rate
The pure premium rate of $12.393 per $100 of payroll represents the portion of premium set aside to pay expected claims: multiply your payroll (divided by 100) by 12.393 to get the pure premium. Insurers then add expense loads, profit, and policy-level adjustments, and your final premium is affected by experience modification (X-Mod), deductibles, classification accuracy, and company claims history.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers must maintain an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and provide job-specific training for chainsaw operation, aerial lift use, climbing and rope systems. Employers must enforce fall protection and personal fall arrest systems for tree work, ensure aerial lift and ladder safety, provide PPE (hard hats, eye protection, cut-resistant chaps, hearing protection) and follow minimum approach distances and electrical safety protocols when near power lines. Hazard communication and pesticide licensing apply when crews apply insecticides or fungicides as part of tree care.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 0106
A PEO like Key HR can manage payroll classification and audits to ensure pruning payroll is accurately reported for Class 0106, administer workers' comp claims and return-to-work programs to limit lost-time costs, and implement safety programs and training modules tailored to arborists. Key HR also provides loss-run analysis, helps control the experience modification factor, and coordinates compliance documentation and Cal/OSHA recordkeeping to reduce exposure and premium volatility.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 0106 include full tree removals and stump grinding?
Not always. 0106 primarily covers pruning, trimming and minor tree repairs. Large-diameter tree removals, extensive felling, logging-style operations or specialized stump grinding are often assigned to different WCIRB codes; have your payroll allocation and job descriptions reviewed during audit.
What safety measures most effectively reduce claims and lower premiums for tree pruning crews?
Formalized training (chainsaw certification, aerial lift and climbing systems), mandatory use of fall arrest and cut-resistant PPE, documented pre-job hazard assessments for utility lines, maintenance of equipment and enforced safe rigging/lowering procedures all reduce claim frequency and severity and help improve your X-Mod.
How does Key HR help during a workers' comp audit for Class 0106 payroll?
Key HR centralizes payroll reporting, provides detailed job descriptions and time tracking to justify classification, supports documentation for subcontractors, and liaises with carriers during audits to contest misclassifications and limit premium adjustments.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 0106
- Classification
- Tree Pruning, Repairing Or Trimming
- Pure Premium Rate
- $12.393 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
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Get a Quoteor call (800) 922-4133Ready to Simplify Workers' Comp for Class Code 0106?
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