Class Code 2702
Logging; Land Clearing; Wood Chopping/Tie Making
Class code 2702 covers on-the-ground logging operations, land clearing, wood chopping and tie making — high-hazard work common to forestry contractors, utility/right-of-way clearing, and railroad tie production. California employers with these operations should note the September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate of $19.223 per $100 of payroll because it drives workers' comp pricing and risk management priorities. Proper classification and safety controls can materially affect your premium and claims experience.
What Class Code 2702 Covers
This classification applies to operations that cut, fell, limn, buck and process trees and large woody vegetation, remove stumps and roots, clear brush and debris, and fabricate wood products such as railroad ties on-site. It includes manual wood chopping with axes and mauls, chainsaw felling and bucking, hand and mechanical piling, stump grinding, controlled burning prep, and use of heavy equipment (skidders, feller-bunchers, masticators, mulchers, excavators) for land clearing. Tie making in the field — shaping, charring, treating or stacking ties — is included when performed as part of logging/clearing operations. Work that is primarily landscaping, routine tree trimming from ladders at homes, or indoor woodworking is typically classified differently and should be separately evaluated.
Who It Applies To
- Commercial logging contractors and independent fallers working on timber harvests
- Land clearing and brush-removal crews for development or right-of-way projects
- Utility and pipeline vegetation management crews performing mechanical or hand clearing
- Contractors producing, cutting, or shaping railroad ties on-site
- Small crews doing stump removal, pile burning prep or site reclamation after harvest
Common Job Duties
- Felling and limbing trees using chainsaws and hand tools
- Operating heavy clearing equipment (skidders, mulchers, feller-bunchers)
- Manual wood chopping, splitting and bucking for tie making or removal
- Loading and securing logs and debris for transport
- Operating stump grinders, chippers, and brush mowers
- Setting, monitoring and extinguishing burn piles or conducting slash disposal
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $19.223 Rate
The approved pure premium rate of $19.223 per $100 of payroll represents the estimated cost of future claims (losses) for this classification before insurer loadings and adjustments. To calculate the base premium, insurers multiply payroll (in hundreds) by the pure premium rate; carriers then add expense loads, policy fees, and apply your experience modification. Final premium is influenced by your claims history, payroll audits, classification splits, safety programs and whether payroll is properly assigned to high- vs. low-risk operations.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements that commonly apply include Title 8 standards for PPE, chainsaw and powered equipment safety, machine guarding, excavation and trenching for berms and root exposure, hazard communication for herbicides or preservatives, heat illness prevention, and emergency medical response for remote worksites. Employers must implement written safety procedures, provide job-hazard analyses for felling and rigging, enforce respiratory protection when needed, and maintain effective communications and rescue plans for crews working in isolated locations.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 2702
A PEO like Key HR can help employers with classification review to ensure only bona fide logging/clearing payroll is assigned to Class 2702, implement tailored safety programs (chainsaw certification, equipment maintenance, felling plans), and centralize claims management to shorten disability durations. Key HR also assists with payroll reporting accuracy, return-to-work plans and loss-control consulting to lower experience modifiers and workers' comp costs over time.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does occasional brush clearing at a commercial site belong in Class 2702?
If the work is part of a larger logging, timber harvest, or dedicated land-clearing operation using professional felling and heavy clearing equipment, it typically falls in Class 2702. Sporadic, light landscaping or small-scale pruning at commercial properties is normally classified differently; document scope, tools used and frequency to support correct classification.
How can we reduce our premium given the high pure premium rate for Class 2702?
Focus on reducing and documenting claims through mandatory PPE and chainsaw training, written felling and rigging procedures, equipment maintenance logs, crew supervision, heat-illness plans, and formal return-to-work programs. Proper payroll segregation of lower-risk tasks and partnering with a PEO for claims advocacy and safety coaching can also improve your experience modification over time.
What specific safety training should we provide for employees in this class?
Provide formal chainsaw operation and maintenance training, tree-felling and rigging safety, heavy-equipment operator qualifications, stump grinder/chipper safety, first aid/trauma response for remote sites, heat-illness and wildland fire awareness, and hazard communication for chemical preservatives—document completions and refresher intervals.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 2702
- Classification
- Logging; Land Clearing; Wood Chopping/Tie Making
- Pure Premium Rate
- $19.223 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
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