Class Code 5028
Masonry – High Wage
Class Code 5028 covers hands-on masonry work in California where labor is paid at higher wage levels. It applies to workers who lay brick, block, stone, or similar masonry units and perform related structural or finish tasks. The approved pure premium rate for this classification effective Sept 1, 2026 is $4.928 per $100 of payroll.
What Class Code 5028 Covers
This classification is specific to masonry trades doing physical installation, repair and restoration of masonry units: brick, concrete block, structural and veneer stone, and related mortar/grout work. It includes new construction, load-bearing wall construction, retaining walls, chimneys, fireplaces, tuckpointing, and masonry restoration where the workers perform hands-on tasks. Work commonly involves mixing and applying mortar and grout, cutting and shaping units with saws and grinders, placing and tying reinforcing steel and installing masonry anchors. It does not apply to supervisory staff who do not perform manual masonry work or to masonry design services; those payrolls should be classified differently.
Who It Applies To
- Bricklayers and brick masons doing new construction or repair
- Block layers and concrete block installers on structural walls
- Stone masons installing veneer, flagstone, or structural stone
- Tuckpointers and masonry restoration specialists working hands-on
- Masonry crews where wage rates meet the high-wage payroll criteria
- Hands-on foremen who regularly perform masonry tasks
Common Job Duties
- Laying brick, concrete block, stone and aligning units to plans
- Mixing, applying and finishing mortar and grout
- Cutting, shaping and grinding masonry units with power saws and grinders
- Placing and tying rebar, installing anchors and installing reinforcement
- Building scaffolds, using ladders and suspended platforms for access
- Tuckpointing, repointing, and masonry restoration and cleaning
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $4.928 Rate
The pure premium rate of $4.928 per $100 of payroll represents the estimated cost of future claim losses for this class per unit of payroll. To estimate the pure loss portion, divide total payroll by 100 and multiply by 4.928; insurers then add expense loads, profit margins, state assessments, and any employer-specific modifiers to determine the final premium. The final premium an employer pays is influenced by experience modification (loss history), payroll accuracy and reporting, deductible choices, and underwriting adjustments.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Masonry work in California is subject to Cal/OSHA Construction Safety Orders and standards including the general Injury and Illness Prevention Program requirement (Title 8 73203). Control of respirable crystalline silica is mandatory under Cal/OSHA's silica standard (Title 8 1532.3) and requires engineering controls, written exposure control plans, and medical surveillance when exposures exceed limits. Employers must also comply with fall protection, scaffold and ladder safety rules, respiratory protection program requirements (Title 8 144), and heat illness prevention on outdoor jobsites.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 5028
A PEO like Key HR helps masonry employers by ensuring accurate class coding and payroll reporting, implementing written safety programs (IIPP, silica control plan, respiratory protection), delivering jobsite safety training, and managing claims and return-to-work to reduce lost-time. Key HR can also consolidate purchasing power for insurance, monitor experience modification, and provide loss-control consultants to lower long-term workers' comp costs.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
How is "High Wage" different from standard masonry class codes?
High-wage variants like 5028 reflect the same hands-on masonry operations but apply when payroll is reported at higher wage rates for those workers. The operations and hazards are the same; the distinction matters for premium calculation and proper payroll reporting.
What steps reduce workers' comp premiums for masonry crews?
Key actions include accurate job classification and payroll reporting, a strong IIPP, silica exposure controls and respiratory program, scaffold and ladder safety, pre-shift stretching programs, prompt claims reporting, and return-to-work/transitional duty to minimize lost-time claims.
Do masonry employers need a silica control plan?
Yes. Cutting, grinding, and chipping masonry can generate respirable crystalline silica. California requires written exposure control plans, engineering controls (wet methods, local exhaust), training, and medical surveillance when exposures approach or exceed the PEL.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 5028
- Classification
- Masonry – High Wage
- Pure Premium Rate
- $4.928 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
Manage Workers' Comp Through a PEO
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