Class Code 3719
Oil Or Gas Refineries
Class Code 3719 applies to employees working at oil and gas refineries in California, including on-site processing, storage and plant maintenance. The September 1, 2026 approved pure premium rate for this class is $1.540 per $100 of payroll — a reflection of the high-hazard operations and heavy equipment exposure employers must manage.
What Class Code 3719 Covers
This classification covers refinery operations where crude oil or natural gas liquids are processed into fuels, feedstocks and finished products. Typical operations include crude distillation, catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, coking, fractionation, blending, and product storage and transfer. It also includes unit startups, shutdowns and turnarounds, on-site tank farms, loading/unloading of railcars and tank trucks while on refinery property, and routine plant maintenance and turnaround contracting work performed inside refinery boundaries. Control room operators, laboratory analysts working with process samples, and utility crews servicing boilers and steam systems at the refinery site are part of the scope when employed by the refinery or a contractor working under refinery control. Work performed offsite (pipeline transportation, terminal distribution beyond refinery property) is typically classified separately.
Who It Applies To
- Refinery process operators and control room technicians
- Maintenance mechanics, millwrights and pipefitters working on refinery equipment
- Instrumentation and electrical technicians servicing process controls
- Turnaround contractors performing hot work, scaffolding and major repairs
- Tank farm operators and bulk loading/unloading crews on refinery property
- On-site lab analysts and process engineers conducting sampling and testing
Common Job Duties
- Operating and monitoring distillation columns, reactors and furnaces
- Performing hot work (welding, cutting) and maintaining boilers/heat exchangers
- Inspecting, repairing and replacing piping, valves, pumps and rotating equipment
- Confined space entry into vessels, tanks and pits for inspection or repair
- Sampling and laboratory analysis of hydrocarbons and chemical additives
- Loading/unloading railcars and tank trucks, connecting/detaching hoses and couplings
- Executing lockout/tagout and maintenance on high-pressure steam and electrical systems
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $1.540 Rate
The pure premium rate of $1.540 per $100 of payroll represents the insurer's cost estimate for indemnity and medical losses for exposures in this classification before expense loads and adjustments. Carriers multiply this rate by an employer's payroll in the class to derive the base premium, then apply experience modification, schedule credits/debits, deductible programs and policy-level expenses to determine the final premium. Factors that change what an employer actually pays include claims history, mix of classifications on the policy, payroll accuracy, location and the presence of formal PSM and loss-control programs.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Refineries must comply with Cal/OSHA regulations that mirror federal Process Safety Management (PSM) and related standards: hazard evaluation and mechanical integrity, management of change, pre-startup safety reviews and incident investigation. Additional California standards apply for permit-required confined spaces, hot work permits, hazardous communication, respiratory protection and lockout/tagout procedures. Maintaining complete PSM documentation, training records, hot work and confined-space permits, and maintenance logs is essential for enforcement inspections and to reduce citation and loss exposure.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 3719
A PEO like Key HR can help refineries and refinery contractors control workers' comp costs by ensuring accurate classification and payroll reporting, centralizing claims management, and implementing industry-specific safety programs tied to PSM requirements. Key HR provides access to loss-control consultants, coordinated return-to-work and medical management services, and training programs that reduce claim frequency and improve experience modification over time.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class Code 3719 include pipeline employees who bring crude to the refinery?
Employees performing loading/unloading and transfer operations on refinery property are included under 3719. Long-distance pipeline transmission and interstate transportation activities are usually classified separately under pipeline or transportation codes.
What practical steps lower premium for a refinery classified under 3719?
Maintain a documented PSM program, enforce hot work and confined-space permits, perform regular mechanical integrity and preventive maintenance, provide site-specific H2S and respirator training, and manage post-incident medical care and return-to-work programs to reduce lost-time claims and improve your experience modification.
What Cal/OSHA records will auditors request at a refinery?
Inspectors commonly request PSM program documents (MOC, PSAs, safe operating limits), mechanical integrity and inspection records, training and competency logs, hot work and confined-space permits, incident investigations and corrective action records, and respirator medical evaluations and fit-test documentation.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 3719
- Classification
- Oil Or Gas Refineries
- Pure Premium Rate
- $1.540 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
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