Class Code 2107
Fruit – Fresh Fruit Packing And Handling
WCIRB class code 2107 applies to fresh fruit packing and handling operations — from receiving field bins to palletizing cases for shipment. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium is $4.560 per $100 of payroll; understanding this classification helps California employers control payroll classification, safety, and claims.
What Class Code 2107 Covers
Class code 2107 covers on-site packinghouse and packing-shed activities for fresh fruit: receiving and unloading farm bins, inspection and culling, washing, waxing, grading and sizing, manual and automated packing into clamshells, trays or boxes, weighing, labeling and lot-coding, palletizing and shrink-wrapping, and loading prepared pallets to refrigerated trailers. It includes workers who operate and maintain conveyors, graders, sorters, packing machines, and cold-room staging when those tasks are part of fresh fruit handling. This classification is specific to fresh fruit intended for retail or wholesale sale; it does not cover field harvesting, fruit processing into canned or dried products, or long-term storage-only operations that do not perform packing functions. Seasonal and temporary workers assigned to packing lines are included when performing packing/handling duties under the employer's control.
Who It Applies To
- Commercial fresh fruit packing houses and farm packing sheds
- Co-packers that receive bulk fruit and pack for shippers/retailers
- Packing line workers, hand-packers, and quality inspectors
- Conveyor and packing machine operators and maintenance techs
- Forklift and pallet jack operators who stage packed fruit
Common Job Duties
- Unloading and receiving bulk field bins and performing initial inspection
- Hand-sorting, culling defects, and grading by size and quality
- Operating washers, waxers, graders, conveyors, and packing machines
- Manually packing fruit into trays, clamshells, crates, and cartons
- Applying lot codes, labels, and weight stickers; recording pack data
- Palletizing, shrink-wrapping, and staging cases in refrigerated docks
- Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and working in cold rooms
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $4.560 Rate
The pure premium of $4.560 per $100 of payroll represents the WCIRB-approved portion of premium intended to cover expected claim costs for this classification. Employers calculate expected claim cost by multiplying payroll for employees assigned to class 2107 by the rate and dividing by 100; carriers then add their expense loadings, assessments, and apply the employer's experience modification and any credits or debits. Final premium is influenced by payroll accuracy, experience modification (loss history), deductible choices, classification audits, seasonal workforce patterns, and implemented safety and return-to-work programs.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers must implement an effective written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) under 8 CCR 3203 and provide training in languages understood by employees. Hazard Communication (8 CCR 5194) applies to cleaning agents and sanitizers used in packinghouses, and Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention (8 CCR 3395) may apply to receiving or outdoor sorting tasks; employers also must comply with machine guarding, lockout/tagout and powered industrial truck safety requirements and maintain sanitation and hygiene appropriate for food-handling facilities.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 2107
A PEO like Key HR helps employers correctly classify workers into 2107, manage payroll reporting, and centralize workers' comp claims handling to control loss development. Key HR can implement site-specific safety programs (IIPP templates, HACCP-adjacent sanitation coordination, forklift and lockout/tagout training), centralized return-to-work protocols, and access to group purchasing power and loss-control consultants to reduce frequency and severity of claims.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether my workers belong in class code 2107 or a different code?
Use 2107 when employees perform packinghouse or packing-shed activities for fresh fruit — receiving, sorting, washing, grading, packing, labeling, palletizing and loading. Field harvesters, processors who convert fruit into canned/dried products, and pure cold-storage operators that do not pack are typically assigned different class codes. A payroll classification audit or consultation with Key HR and the carrier will confirm correct coding.
What practical controls reduce common injuries in fresh fruit packing operations?
Focus on engineering controls (machine guarding, conveyor emergency stops, ergonomic packing stations, anti-slip decking, proper drainage), administrative controls (line rotation, enforced breaks, training in safe knife handling and chemical use), PPE, forklift certification and traffic management, and a documented IIPP tied to daily sanitation and cold-room procedures.
Can Key HR help lower our workers' comp premium for class 2107?
Yes. Key HR can ensure accurate payroll classification, deliver targeted safety training, implement return-to-work programs that limit indemnity exposure, coordinate timely claims management to reduce reserve build-up, and leverage group buying and loss-control services to improve your experience modification — all of which affect the final premium charged by carriers.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 2107
- Classification
- Fruit – Fresh Fruit Packing And Handling
- Pure Premium Rate
- $4.560 / $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 2107?
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