Class Code 1701
Cement Mfg
Class Code 1701 covers industrial cement manufacturing operations in California — from raw material handling and crushing to kiln firing, clinker grinding, bagging and shipping. The approved pure premium rate for Sept. 1, 2026 is $4.264 per $100 of payroll, a baseline used to calculate your workers' comp premium before experience modification and policy adjustments.
What Class Code 1701 Covers
This classification applies to facilities that produce Portland and blended cements and includes the full production chain when performed by the employer: quarrying or receiving raw materials (limestone, clay, shale), crushing and grinding, raw meal blending, rotary kiln and clinker production, finish grinding, bagging, bulk loading and bulk truck/rail operations. It also covers maintenance trades employed by the plant (millwrights, electricians, welders) when working on cement plant equipment, and onsite laboratory testing related to product quality. Contracted work such as offsite transportation or third‑party quarry excavation may be classified differently, but integrated plant operations and direct employees fit under 1701.
Who It Applies To
- Integrated cement manufacturing plants and operators
- Plant maintenance crews (millwrights, electricians, mechanics)
- Bagging, packing and bulk loading/unloading crews
- Onsite raw material handling and crusher operators
- Quality-control lab technicians working in the plant
Common Job Duties
- Operating crushers, raw mills and finish grinding mills
- Monitoring and controlling rotary kilns, burners and clinker coolers
- Feeding, blending and conveying raw materials and additives
- Bagging, palletizing and loading finished cement into trucks or railcars
- Routine and preventive maintenance: bearing changes, belt repairs, welding
- Housekeeping and dust control: vacuuming, silo cleaning, chute clearing
- Sampling and lab testing of raw meal, clinker and finished cement
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $4.264 Rate
The pure premium rate of $4.264 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB's approved cost for expected losses before insurer expenses and adjustments. To estimate pure premium, multiply total payroll (divided by 100) by 4.264; the final policy premium will also reflect your employer experience modification, company expense loads, policy discounts, classification audits, and any retrospective or deductible programs.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cement manufacturing is subject to Cal/OSHA requirements including the state crystalline silica standard (respiratory protection, exposure monitoring, and medical surveillance), heat illness prevention rules for outdoor and high‑temperature work, permit‑required confined space procedures for silos and kilns, and control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) during maintenance. Employers must implement engineering controls (local exhaust, water suppression), written programs (respiratory, hearing, hazard communication), and training specific to cement dust, alkaline exposures and confined‑space entry.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 1701
A PEO like Key HR can centralize workers' comp administration, provide industry‑specific safety programs (silica control, LOTO, confined space), coordinate respirator fit testing and medical surveillance, and manage claims and return‑to‑work proactively to reduce experience‑mod and premium. Key HR also offers payroll classification audits, loss control site assessments, and training modules tailored to cement plant hazards to help lower long‑term workers' comp costs.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does on‑site quarrying and raw material crushing automatically fall under Class Code 1701?
If quarrying and crushing are performed by the cement manufacturer as part of integrated plant operations, they are typically included in 1701. If a separate contractor or third party performs quarry work, that activity may be classified under a different code.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp costs for a cement plant?
Key actions include engineering dust controls and ventilation, respiratory programs with medical surveillance, confined space and LOTO procedures, robust return‑to‑work and light‑duty plans, targeted training, and accurate payroll classification and experience‑mod management.
Which Cal/OSHA compliance areas are most likely to trigger inspections or citations?
High‑risk enforcement areas are crystalline silica exposures, combustible/accumulated dust housekeeping, permit‑required confined spaces (silos, bins), failure to implement lockout/tagout during maintenance, inadequate heat illness prevention, and missing hazard communication or respiratory protection programs.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 1701
- Classification
- Cement Mfg
- Pure Premium Rate
- $4.264 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
Key HR provides pay-as-you-go workers' comp for California employers — no large deposits, no audits, better rates.
Get a Quoteor call (800) 922-4133Ready to Simplify Workers' Comp for Class Code 1701?
Key HR provides California employers with pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HR compliance support, and payroll — all through one PEO partnership.