Class Code 2109
Fruit – Dried Fruit Packing And Handling
Class Code 2109 covers work in packing and handling dried fruit — raisins, prunes, apricots, dates — in packinghouses and processing facilities. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate for California is $7.248 per $100 of payroll. Understanding this classification helps employers assign payroll correctly, manage exposures, and control workers' comp costs.
What Class Code 2109 Covers
This classification applies to operations that receive, sort, grade, clean, pack, weigh, bag, box and palletize dried fruit for wholesale or retail distribution. It includes both manual hand-packing lines and workers who load and unload packaging machines, operate conveyors, perform quality inspection, and conduct final packing and labeling in temperature-controlled rooms or dry warehouses. Activities also covered include mechanical or semi-automated packing, manual trimming, manual de-stemming or destoning when directly part of packing operations, and routine housekeeping/sanitation in packing areas. It does not typically include work whose primary function is orchard harvesting, fruit drying operations performed off-site by a third party, or heavy equipment operations that are the employee's main duty and may be coded separately.
Who It Applies To
- Dried fruit packinghouse owners and operators (raisins, prunes, apricots, dates)
- Line packers and hand pack operators on conveyor packing lines
- Quality control and inspection technicians in packing rooms
- Sanitation crews assigned to packing/packaging areas
- Material handlers who palletize, stack, and load finished boxes
- Packaging machine attendants and production support staff
Common Job Duties
- Sorting, grading and hand-inspection of dried fruit on conveyors
- Feeding product into packaging machines and adjusting filler heads
- Weighing, filling, sealing, labeling and boxing finished product
- Palletizing, strapping, wrapping, and staging shipments
- Cleaning conveyors, sieves and packing-room surfaces; sanitizing equipment
- Operating small mechanical equipment and assisting with preventative maintenance
- Moving sacks, cartons and totes by hand or with manual pallet jacks
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $7.248 Rate
The approved pure premium rate of $7.248 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB-calculated cost of expected claims for this work class before insurer adjustments. Insurers multiply this rate by your payroll in hundreds of dollars to compute the base premium and then apply insurer expense loads, credits/discounts, and your experience modification factor to produce the final premium. Accurate payroll allocation, timely claims handling, and demonstrated safety programs can lower the experience mod and reduce what you actually pay.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
California employers in dried fruit packing must follow relevant Title 8 Cal/OSHA standards including machine guarding and lockout/tagout for conveyors and packaging equipment, Hazard Communication for cleaning agents and sulfites, and Powered Industrial Truck safety for pallet jacks and forklifts. Heat Illness Prevention requirements apply to indoor hot work areas and any outdoor receiving/sorting operations; employers must also maintain an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), training records, and report serious workplace injuries to Cal/OSHA within required timeframes.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 2109
A PEO like Key HR helps packinghouse employers manage workers' comp by ensuring correct class coding and payroll allocation, implementing targeted safety programs (machine guarding checklists, LOTO, ergonomics and dust-control), and coordinating fast, return-to-work plans. Key HR combines California-specific compliance expertise with claims advocacy, loss-control audits, and aggregated purchasing power to help lower experience mods and overall workers' comp expense.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 2109 cover automated packing lines and manual packers together?
Yes — Class Code 2109 covers both manual and semi-automated packing and handling when the primary duties are packing, sorting and preparing dried fruit for shipment. If an employee's main job is operating heavy equipment or driving a forklift full time, that person may be assigned a different class code.
What are the quickest ways to reduce workers' comp costs for a dried fruit packer?
Focus on prevention: implement machine guarding and LOTO, enforce PPE and dust-control, train on safe lifting and ergonomic packing postures, maintain housekeeping to prevent slips, and set up a formal return-to-work/light-duty program to shorten claim durations and improve your experience modification.
Are there special chemical or respiratory requirements in packing operations?
Yes. Employers must follow Hazard Communication for preservatives, fumigants or cleaning chemicals and provide respiratory protection if dust or powders exceed permissible exposure limits. Written programs, training, and medical evaluations for respirator use may be required.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 2109
- Classification
- Fruit – Dried Fruit Packing And Handling
- Pure Premium Rate
- $7.248 / $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 2109?
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