Class Code 5027
Masonry – Low Wage
Class Code 5027 (Masonry Low Wage) covers masonry laborers and assistants who perform hands-on brick, block and stone work at lower wage levels. This classification matters because it sets the pure premium rate employers use to calculate workers' compensation cost in California; the approved rate is $9.332 per $100 of payroll.
What Class Code 5027 Covers
5027 specifically applies to workers who perform manual masonry tasks under supervision rather than functioning as skilled journeyman bricklayers or stonemasons. Typical operations include laying and pointing brick or block, mixing and carrying mortar, setting forms for small masonry structures, tuckpointing and patching, and cleaning masonry with hand tools or low-pressure water. The code is intended for lower-paid masonry labor classifications where the worker's primary duties are physical labor, site cleanup, material handling and basic setting rather than independent layout, structural bonding, or finishing work. It excludes high-skill masonry contractors who perform complex structural or ornamental stonework and who are usually assigned to a higher-skilled masonry class code.
Who It Applies To
- Masonry laborers and helpers on commercial or residential sites
- Block and brick setters who perform primarily manual support tasks
- Small masonry crews where assistants mix/carry mortar and clean work areas
- General construction laborers assigned mostly to masonry duties
- Landscape contractors doing retaining walls with block under supervision
Common Job Duties
- Mixing, carrying and applying mortar by hand or with small mixers
- Lifting and placing brick, concrete block and stone under direction
- Cutting and shaping units with hand tools, grinders or small saws
- Tuckpointing, joint tooling, cleaning and surface finishing
- Setting forms and bracing for small masonry elements
- Site cleanup, loading/unloading materials, and material staging
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $9.332 Rate
The pure premium rate of $9.332 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB-approved cost component that insurers use to build a workers' compensation premium. Insurers multiply this rate by reported payroll (divided by 100) to produce the base premium, which is then adjusted by your experience modification, policy-level credits/debits, state assessments and any deductible or retrospective programs. Accurate class coding, payroll reporting, loss history and safety programs all affect the final premium you pay.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements commonly applicable to masonry labor include fall protection for work over 6 feet, scaffold and ladder safety rules, and the state's respirable crystalline silica controls and written exposure control procedures. Employers must provide training, applicable written programs (respiratory protection, hazard communication, heat illness prevention) and PPE, and implement dust-control measures such as wet cutting, local exhaust or HEPA vacuums when employees perform cutting, grinding or drilling.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 5027
A PEO like Key HR helps California masonry employers by ensuring correct classification and payroll reporting, centralizing claims management, and providing access to California-specific safety consultants and training for silica, fall protection and scaffold safety. We also administer return-to-work programs, coordinate medical care with our provider networks, and can bundle group purchasing and loss-control services to help reduce experience modifiers and overall workers' comp costs.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
How do I know whether my workers belong in 5027 (Masonry Low Wage) or a different masonry class?
Class placement depends on the worker's primary duties and skill level. 5027 fits laborers and assistants who perform manual masonry support tasks under supervision. Skilled bricklayers, stonemasons and foremen who perform independent layout, structural bonding or finishing are typically assigned to higher-skilled masonry classes. Review actual job tasks and payroll and consult your insurer or Key HR to confirm correct coding.
What are the most effective ways to reduce workers' comp claims for masonry laborers?
Focus on fall protection and scaffold safety, enforce safe lifting techniques and mechanical aids, control silica with wet methods and HEPA vacuums, require PPE and eye protection, and maintain a formal return-to-work program. Consistent training, daily toolbox talks and pre-job hazard assessments measurably reduce claim frequency and severity.
Which Cal/OSHA standards should masonry employers prioritize to stay compliant?
Prioritize Cal/OSHA rules for fall protection and scaffolds, the state respirable crystalline silica requirements (exposure controls, written procedures and training), respiratory protection programs when required, hazard communication for cement and admixtures, and heat illness prevention during hot-weather work. Keep written programs, training records and exposure controls on-site and available for inspection.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 5027
- Classification
- Masonry – Low Wage
- Pure Premium Rate
- $9.332 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
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