Class Code 6504
Food Products Mfg Or Processing
Class code 6504 covers California employers engaged in manufacturing, processing, packaging or handling of food products. The approved pure premium rate for September 1, 2026 is $7.444 per $100 of payroll — a baseline used to estimate expected claim costs for these operations. Understanding the specific operations in this code helps control exposures and keep premiums competitive.
What Class Code 6504 Covers
This classification applies to establishments that manufacture, process, pack, or otherwise prepare food and beverage products for sale or distribution — from meat, dairy, baked goods and canned or frozen goods to snack foods and ingredient blending. It includes on-site processing lines, packaging, labeling, quality control labs, ingredient mixing, cooking or baking rooms, cold storage and associated sanitation crews. Employees doing slicing, grinding, canning, bottling, baking, fermentation, ingredient handling, metal detection, automated line operation or manual packing are generally included. It excludes purely retail food service (restaurants) and some agricultural harvesting activities unless the employer is doing post-harvest processing on-site.
Who It Applies To
- Food and beverage manufacturers (bakeries, canneries, snack food plants)
- Processors of dairy, meat, seafood, fruit and vegetable packing houses
- Bottling and beverage production facilities
- Ingredient blending and seasoning manufacturers
- Quality control/food safety lab technicians and QA staff
- Sanitation crews and maintenance teams in food plants
Common Job Duties
- Operating and tending automated production lines and conveyors
- Cutting, slicing, grinding, mixing and ingredient handling
- Baking, steaming, pasteurizing, canning, freezing and cooling
- Packaging, sealing, labeling and palletizing finished goods
- Sanitation and cleaning with caustic and disinfectant chemicals
- Routine equipment maintenance, changeovers and machine setup
- Forklift operation and material staging in production/cold storage
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $7.444 Rate
The pure premium rate of $7.444 per $100 of payroll estimates the expected cost of claims for this class before insurer expenses and adjustments. To get the pure premium amount, divide payroll by 100 and multiply by 7.444; carriers then apply loss experience modifications, policy fees, underwriting adjustments, and any group or PEO credits to determine the final premium. Factors that drive your actual premium include your company’s claims history, safety programs, payroll mix of higher-risk jobs, use of temporary labor, and selected deductibles or retrospective rating plans.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requires an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), hazard communication for cleaning agents and allergens, and control-of-hazardous-energy procedures (lockout/tagout) for equipment maintenance. Food processors must also address machine guarding, permit-required confined space procedures (tanks and silos), ergonomics for repetitive tasks, noise monitoring where packaging lines are loud, and heat illness prevention in hot production areas. Proper recordkeeping, training, and pre-shift hazard assessments are essential for inspections and to reduce citations.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 6504
A PEO like Key HR helps food processors by centralizing workers' comp claims management, providing OSHA-aligned safety programs and operator training, and implementing return-to-work plans that reduce indemnity exposure. Key HR can aggregate safety data, help negotiate better pricing through pooled experience, manage drug and fit-for-duty testing programs, and provide on-site safety audits to identify machine guarding, ergonomics, and sanitation improvements that lower claim frequency.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does packaging-only work in a warehouse fall under 6504 or another code?
If packaging and labeling occur as part of an on-site food manufacturing or processing operation, those workers are typically included in 6504. However, standalone third-party distribution or generic warehouse packaging not directly tied to processing may be classified differently; review specific duties and production integration with your broker or PEO to confirm.
What are the most effective actions to reduce workers' comp experience in food processing?
Focus on machine guarding and lockout/tagout compliance, formalized ergonomics and rotation schedules to limit repetitive strain, thorough sanitation training to reduce slip hazards, heat illness and confined-space programs, and fast, documented return-to-work plans. These controls reduce frequency and severity, which directly improves your experience modification and premium.
How are temporary or seasonal workers handled under this class code?
Temporary and seasonal workers performing processing, packing or sanitation tasks in the food plant are generally covered under the employer’s workers' comp policy and should be included in payroll for class code 6504. When staffing agencies supply labor, verify whether the staffing firm or your company carries coverage and how payroll is reported to avoid misclassification and gaps in coverage.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 6504
- Classification
- Food Products Mfg Or Processing
- Pure Premium Rate
- $7.444 / $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.
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