Class Code 2923
Musical Instrument Mfg – Not Metal
Class Code 2923 covers manufacturing of musical instruments made primarily of wood, plastics, composites or other non‑metal materials. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium is $4.457 per $100 of payroll — a baseline used to price workers' comp for these operations in California. Understanding the specific tasks, chemical exposures, and machine hazards in this trade helps employers control costs and stay compliant.
What Class Code 2923 Covers
This classification applies to shops and factories that build non‑metal musical instruments or instrument components — for example acoustic guitars, violins, ukuleles, mandolins, stringed instrument necks and bodies, wooden or composite woodwinds, drum shells made from wood/composites, and soundboards, bridges or fingerboards. Work includes cutting, shaping, carving, routing, CNC woodworking, veneering, gluing, clamping, sanding, fret work, assembly, stringing, tuning, acoustic testing, and spray or brush finishing (stains, lacquers, varnishes). It does not cover heavy metalworking or manufacture of brass/bronze instruments where metal forming, casting or plating is the primary operation. Component manufacture limited to non‑metal parts (soundboards, braces, shells, fingerboards) is included under this code.
Who It Applies To
- Independent luthiers and small custom instrument makers (acoustic guitars, violins, ukuleles)
- Boutique or production manufacturers of wooden or composite wind and string instruments
- Workshops producing non‑metal instrument components (soundboards, bridges, drum shells)
- Finish technicians who perform staining, lacquering, sealing and polishing
- Assembly line workers who glue, clamp, fret, string and tune instruments
Common Job Duties
- Cutting and shaping tonewoods using saws, routers, band saws and CNC woodworking centers
- Hand carving, rasping and detailing of necks, scrolls and bodies
- Sanding, buffing and surface preparation for finish application
- Gluing, clamping and assembly of multiple components (soundboard to rim, neck to body)
- Applying stains, shellacs, lacquers or polyurethane finishes via spray booths or brush
- Installing frets, bridges and hardware, stringing and preliminary tuning
- Acoustic testing, setup and quality control checks
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $4.457 Rate
The approved pure premium of $4.457 per $100 of payroll is the insurer's base charge that reflects expected loss costs for Class 2923 in California. Insurers multiply this rate by an employer's payroll (divided by 100) to get the pure premium, then apply experience modification, policy adjustments, deductible programs, and insurer expense/load factors to determine the final premium. Accurate classification, timely claims management, payroll reporting, and safety programs directly influence the experience modifier and the premium an employer actually pays.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements commonly relevant to non‑metal instrument manufacturing include Hazard Communication (proper labeling and SDS management for finishes and adhesives), respiratory protection and ventilation for wood dust and spray finishing, effective dust‑collection and local exhaust systems to control airborne contaminants, machine guarding and lockout/tagout for woodworking equipment, and hearing conservation where noise exposures exceed limits. Employers must document training, exposure assessments, and respiratory and hearing programs when exposures meet regulatory thresholds.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 2923
A PEO like Key HR can help employers in Class 2923 reduce workers' comp costs by ensuring accurate classification and payroll reporting, implementing targeted loss‑control measures (dust collection, spray booth controls, PPE and machine guarding), and managing claims and return‑to‑work programs to limit indemnity exposure. Key HR provides safety program templates, Cal/OSHA compliance support, and hands‑on claims advocacy to help lower experience mods and stabilize premiums for California instrument makers.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does this class include repair and restoration of wooden instruments?
Minor repair and restoration of non‑metal instruments is commonly coded to Class 2923 when the work primarily involves woodworking, finishing and assembly. Extensive repair that involves specialty services (electrical pickup soldering, metal plate work for pianos) may require separate classification. Document payroll by task to ensure correct coding.
What are the most effective steps to lower workers' comp costs for a luthier shop?
Control wood dust with local exhaust and dust collectors, enforce respiratory protection and PPE, improve machine guarding and operator training, implement engineered spray booth ventilation and capture systems, and adopt a formal return‑to‑work program. These measures reduce claim frequency and severity and support a better experience modification.
Which finishing chemicals require special Cal/OSHA controls?
Solvent‑based lacquers, isocyanate‑containing finishes, dichloromethane‑containing strippers, and other high‑VOCs require engineering controls (ventilation/spray booths), respiratory protection programs, hazard communication, and exposure monitoring when worker exposure approaches permissible limits.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 2923
- Classification
- Musical Instrument Mfg – Not Metal
- Pure Premium Rate
- $4.457 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
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