Class Code 3220
Can Mfg
Class Code 3220 covers employees engaged in can manufacturing — metal coil handling, stamping, drawing, seaming, coating and packaging of beverage, food, and industrial cans. The California pure premium for 3220 is $2.485 per $100 of payroll, a baseline for expected loss costs that matter to plant owners and HR managers.
What Class Code 3220 Covers
This classification applies to operations that convert sheet or coil metal into rigid cans and can components: coil uncoiling and leveling, blanking and progressive stamping presses, drawing and ironing (deep drawing), necking and flanging, seaming and end application, internal/external coating or varnishing, printing/labeling, and final packaging. It also includes set-up, die change, preventive maintenance on presses and ovens, quality inspection on line, and materials handling tied directly to the production process. Ancillary tasks performed in the same facility that are integral to can manufacture — such as metal treatment ovens, annealing, and solvent-based coating lines — are included under this code. Office-only employees in the same building are normally assigned a clerical code; production floor employees belong in 3220.
Who It Applies To
- Progressive press operators and blanking press workers
- Draw/ironing and necking machine operators
- Seamer operators and end-application technicians
- Coating/varnish line operators and curing oven attendants
- Maintenance mechanics and die setters who service presses
- Material handlers and forklift drivers working the production lines
Common Job Duties
- Feeding coil stock and operating leveling and straightening equipment
- Running and setting up high-speed stamping and deep-draw presses
- Adjusting dies, changing tooling and performing precision press setup
- Operating seamers, end-application machines and inspection equipment
- Applying internal/external coatings, curing in ovens and solvent handling
- Performing preventive maintenance, welding, electrical repairs and machine troubleshooting
- Packing finished cans, palletizing and staging for shipment
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $2.485 Rate
The pure premium of $2.485 per $100 payroll represents the expected cost of claims for this classification per unit of payroll; carriers multiply that factor by your payroll in hundreds of dollars to estimate loss costs. The final premium an employer pays also includes insurer expense loads, state assessments, experience modification (loss history), classification split accuracy, and any retrospective adjustments, credits, or deductible programs.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Can manufacturing must follow Cal/OSHA requirements for machine guarding, control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), hazard communication for solvents and coatings, respiratory protection and ventilation for spray/solvent operations, and noise monitoring and hearing conservation. Employers should maintain written procedures for lockout/tagout, provide PPE and training, keep accurate injury records and comply with Cal/OSHA reporting and inspection obligations.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 3220
A PEO like Key HR can centralize workers' comp administration, provide dedicated claims management to limit payout and expedite return-to-work, and implement targeted loss-control programs (machine-guarding audits, LOTO procedures, hearing conservation and hazardous-material handling training). Key HR also helps ensure payroll and classifications are reported correctly, which protects you from misclassification audits and improves the chance to lower experience modification over time.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does 3220 include maintenance mechanics and electricians working in a can plant?
Yes. Maintenance mechanics and electricians whose primary duties are servicing presses, seamers, ovens and other production equipment in the can manufacturing operation are typically included under Class Code 3220. If their duties are strictly office or separate facilities, a different classification may apply.
What specific safety controls reduce premiums for can manufacturing?
Key controls that reduce claim frequency and severity include engineered machine guarding and interlocks, rigorous lockout/tagout procedures and training, documented preventive maintenance, solvent-handling and ventilation controls, a hearing conservation program, and a formal return-to-work program to reduce indemnity costs — all of which can improve your experience modification and lower premiums.
How can misclassification be avoided for mixed operations at a plant?
Maintain clear job descriptions, segregate nonproduction office functions where practical, and work with your PEO or broker to audit payroll allocation by job code each reporting period. Accurate timekeeping and departmental payroll splits prevent overbilling and reduce audit exposure.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 3220
- Classification
- Can Mfg
- Pure Premium Rate
- $2.485 / $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 3220?
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