Class Code 5102
Iron/Steel/Brass/Bronze/Aluminum Erection; Floor Installation – Elevated
Class Code 5102 covers erection of iron, steel, brass, bronze and aluminum structures and elevated floor installation in California — work with high fall and rigging exposure. The WCIRB-approved pure premium for this class is $6.144 per $100 of payroll. Key HR, a PEO based in Orlando serving all 50 states including California, helps contractors understand classification and control costs.
What Class Code 5102 Covers
This classification applies to on-site erection and assembly of structural and miscellaneous metal components and installation of elevated metal floor systems. Typical operations include setting, aligning and securing steel and aluminum beams, columns and girders; installing metal deck, floor pans and bridging at heights; rigging and signaling crane lifts; bolting, welding and tack-welding while exposed to fall hazards; and attaching anchor bolts and shear connectors. It covers work on buildings, metal buildings, bridges, platforms and elevated mezzanines where employees perform elevated floor installation or structural erection. Shop fabrication done entirely on the ground or in a fabrication shop is generally excluded; this code is specifically for erection/installation activities at elevation.
Who It Applies To
- Structural steel erectors and ironworker crews
- Metal building and prefabricated building erectors
- Metal deck and elevated floor installers
- Bridge and heavy-civil erection subcontractors
- General contractors or GC-employed ironworkers performing on-site erection
- Contractors installing aluminum or bronze structural components at height
Common Job Duties
- Rigging, signaling and guiding crane lifts for beams, columns and decking
- Positioning, aligning and bolting or welding structural members at elevation
- Installing metal deck panels, shear connectors and floor pans on elevated framing
- Installing temporary bracing, shoring and guying during erection
- Operating air tools, impact wrenches, torquing bolts and using power saws
- Performing tack-welding, final welding and grinding on elevated platforms
- Setting anchor bolts, anchor plates and installing edge protection or guardrails
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $6.144 Rate
The pure premium of $6.144 per $100 of payroll is the WCIRB-calculated expected loss cost for this classification before insurer expenses and profit. To estimate base premium, multiply your payroll for Class 5102 by 0.06144 (for example, $100,000 payroll × 0.06144 = $6,144). The final premium an employer pays is adjusted by the insurer's expense loads, the employer's experience modification (X-Mod), state assessments, deductible or large-loss programs, and accuracy of payroll classification.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA imposes stringent fall protection and steel-erection controls for elevated work: employers must provide fall protection at the California threshold (construction typically requires protection at 7 feet), competent persons for scaffolds and fall protection, and written plans for controlled decking or leading-edge work when applicable. Employers must ensure qualified crane operators and riggers, provide confined-space procedures where applicable, maintain welding and respiratory protection programs, and document training and toolbox talks for fall arrest, scaffold safety, rigging, and signaling.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 5102
A PEO like Key HR can centralize payroll classification, handle claims and medical case management, and deploy targeted safety and return-to-work programs that reduce lost-time exposures. Key HR provides California-specific compliance support, coordinates Cal/OSHA training (fall protection, rigging, crane signaling, welding safety), and can help place clients in loss-sensitive or group-rated workers' comp programs to lower overall cost.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does Class 5102 include welding and tack-welding on-site?
Yes. Welding, tack-welding and associated cutting done on-site as part of erection and elevated floor installation are included under 5102, because those tasks are integral to assembling and securing structural members at height.
How can I lower workers' comp premiums for a steel erection crew?
Improve training and supervision (competent persons, crane/rigger training), enforce fall protection and edge controls, implement return-to-work transitional duties, document toolbox talks and safety inspections, and work with a PEO to improve claims handling and pursue group-rated or loss-sensitive programs that reduce premium.
Should subcontracted ironworkers be on my policy or carry their own coverage?
Best practice is to require subcontractors to carry their own workers' comp, provide certificates of insurance naming you as additional insured when appropriate, and verify class codes and payroll reporting. If you payroll subcontractor labor or hire them as W-2 employees, their wages should be reported under the appropriate classification (often 5102 for elevated erection work).
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 5102
- Classification
- Iron/Steel/Brass/Bronze/Aluminum Erection; Floor Installation – Elevated
- Pure Premium Rate
- $6.144 / $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 5102?
Key HR provides California employers with pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HR compliance support, and payroll — all through one PEO partnership.