Class Code 5470
Glaziers – Away From Shop – High Wage
Class Code 5470 covers glaziers who perform glazing work away from the employer's shop on customer sites and high-wage employees in that field. The approved California pure premium rate for September 1, 2026 is $3.349 per $100 of payroll, which reflects the exposure from on-site installation, transport and rigging of glass.
What Class Code 5470 Covers
This classification applies to glaziers who travel to job sites to install, replace, or repair glass and glazing systems rather than performing primary fabrication in a shop. Typical operations include storefronts, curtain wall systems, high-rise window installation, skylights, storefront framing, mirror and glass replacement in commercial and residential settings, and field glazing of insulated glass units. It covers work that requires field handling of large, heavy panels, use of suction cups and mechanical lifts, setting structural silicone and sealants, temporary bracing, and attachment to scaffolds or aerial lifts. The "away from shop" distinction excludes employees whose duties are primarily cutting, tempering, or fabricating glass inside a controlled shop environment.
Who It Applies To
- Commercial storefront and curtain-wall glazing contractors
- High-rise glass installers working on job sites or scaffolds
- Window replacement companies performing on-site installs
- Specialty installers for skylights, glass canopies, and store fronts
- Traffic-control or service crews that transport and set large panels
Common Job Duties
- Measuring and fitting glass and glazing systems at customer sites
- Lifting, carrying and positioning large glass panels using suction cups, cranes, or boom lifts
- Setting structural silicone, sealants, glazing gaskets and setting blocks
- Installation and removal of frames, storefront systems, and curtain wall components
- Working from scaffolds, aerial lifts, ladders, or suspended staging
- Rigging glass panels, signaling crane operators, and securing temporary bracing
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $3.349 Rate
The pure premium rate of $3.349 per $100 of payroll represents the portion of expected loss costs before insurer expense loads, taxes, experience modification, and credits. Employers multiply that rate by their classified payroll to calculate the pure-loss portion of premium; the final premium an employer pays will also depend on their experience mod, deductible or SIR choices, carrier rates, and any premium adjustments for payroll audits or misclassification.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Work covered under this class must follow Cal/OSHA Construction Safety Orders, including written injury and illness prevention programs, fall protection systems for elevated work, scaffold and aerial lift safety, and competent-person inspections. Cutting, grinding, or sanding glass can generate respirable crystalline silica and requires compliance with California's silica standard and an exposure control plan; hazard communication applies to adhesives and solvents and employers must provide PPE like cut-resistant gloves and safety glasses.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 5470
A PEO like Key HR helps employers with Class Code 5470 by ensuring correct payroll classification, administering claims and return-to-work programs, and delivering targeted loss-control services such as site safety audits and fall-protection training. By managing claims, securing cost-effective group workers' comp programs, and documenting compliance (IIPP, training, exposure plans), a PEO can reduce claim severity and help improve an employer's experience modification over time.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
When should glaziers be coded to 5470 rather than a shop glazier code?
Use 5470 for employees whose primary duties are on customer job sites installing, repairing, or removing glass and glazing systems. If most work is done inside the employer's controlled shop (cutting, tempering, fabricating), a shop glazier classification should be used instead.
What specific safety controls lower injury risk and influence premium?
Effective controls include documented fall-protection programs, scaffold and aerial-lift training, use of mechanical lifting aids and suction cups, tool tethering, cut-resistant PPE, silica exposure controls when grinding, and a formal return-to-work program. Consistent training and fast, well-managed claims reduce frequency and severity, which helps lower premiums over time.
What does 'High Wage' mean in this class and does it change my premium?
High Wage is a WCIRB designation separating higher-paid glaziers within the away-from-shop grouping; it affects which payroll bucket the employer reports under this class. While the pure premium rate applies per $100 of payroll, overall cost is also affected by payroll size, experience modification, and insurer adjustments—so higher wages increase the base premium but good loss experience can offset that.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 5470
- Classification
- Glaziers – Away From Shop – High Wage
- Pure Premium Rate
- $3.349 / $100 payroll
- Effective Date
- September 1, 2026
- Source
- WCIRB Approved Filing
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