Class Code 9403
Garbage Or Refuse Collecting; Street Sweeping Service Companies; Document Destruction
Class Code 9403 covers employees engaged in garbage and refuse collecting, street sweeping operations, and document destruction services in California. The approved pure premium rate for 9/1/2026 is $7.555 per $100 of payroll. Understanding this classification helps employers assign correct payroll, control losses, and manage premiums.
What Class Code 9403 Covers
This classification applies to operations that collect, transport, compact or remove municipal or commercial refuse, perform street sweeping and litter pickup, or operate document destruction and mobile shredding services. Covered work includes curbside residential and commercial pickup, operation of rear‑loader, front‑loader and automated side‑loader trucks, manual and mechanized loading, operation of sweepers and vacuum street machines, and on‑site or plant‑based shredding, baling and secure storage of destroyed documents. It also covers mechanics and maintenance staff who service collection and sweeping vehicles and drivers who perform route stops and customer interactions. Tasks at transfer stations and small mobile shredding operations are included when the employee payroll is primarily for these activities.
Who It Applies To
- Private and municipal refuse and recycling haulers (route drivers, loaders)
- Street sweeping and urban litter control companies
- Mobile and plant-based document destruction/shredding firms
- Transfer station attendants and small-scale compactor operators
- Mechanics/technicians servicing refuse and sweeping fleets
- Route clerks and customer service staff assigned primarily to collection routes
Common Job Duties
- Driving and operating refuse collection trucks, sweepers, and mobile shredders
- Manual lifting, handling and emptying of bins, bags and recycling containers
- Operating compacting mechanisms, conveyors, balers and shredding equipment
- Performing vehicle inspections, preventative maintenance and field repairs
- Street sweeping, vacuuming and debris pickup in traffic environments
- Securing and handling confidential documents, chain-of-custody procedures
- Communicating with customers at stops and directing truck positioning
Common Injury Risks
Understanding the $7.555 Rate
The approved pure premium rate of $7.555 per $100 of payroll represents the portion of premium intended to cover the expected cost of claims (paid losses and loss adjustment expenses) before company loading and adjustments. Insurers multiply this pure premium by the employer's payroll (divided by 100) and then apply experience modification, policy-specific credits/ debits, deductible programs, and insurer expense loads to produce the final premium. Employer loss history, safety programs, payroll mix between classifications, and state assessments all affect the ultimate cost.
Cal/OSHA Compliance Requirements
Cal/OSHA requirements especially relevant to 9403 include the Heat Illness Prevention standard for outdoor crews, Bloodborne Pathogens and handling of sharps for refuse handlers, vehicle and mobile equipment safety rules, and confined space entry controls for tanks and compactors. Employers must also comply with lockout/tagout procedures for servicing compactors and shredders, respiratory protection for dust exposure when needed, noise controls, and written injury and illness prevention programs.
How Key HR Helps Employers Under Class Code 9403
A PEO like Key HR can centralize payroll classification and ensure correct assignment of hours to 9403, provide targeted safety training (truck safety, compactor lockout, heat illness, bloodborne pathogens), and manage claims through prompt reporting and return‑to‑work programs to limit indemnity costs. Key HR also offers loss‑run review, OSHA recordkeeping support, and access to preferred carriers and safety consultants to help lower experience modification and overall workers' comp expense.
Get a QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Do municipal sanitation departments and private haulers both belong in 9403?
Yes — both municipal and private employers whose employees perform refuse collection, street sweeping or document destruction operations are typically classified to 9403, provided the payroll reflects those activities. Specialized work like heavy landfill equipment operation or long‑term transfer station heavy machinery may fall into different codes.
What practical steps reduce workers' comp costs for a refuse collection company?
Implement a documented driver and vehicle inspection program, mechanize lifts where possible, require lifting techniques and ergonomic training, enforce PPE and sharps handling, run a heat‑illness prevention plan, and use a timely return‑to‑work policy. Consistent training and proactive claims management lower frequency and severity, which improves experience modification.
Is mobile on‑site document shredding treated the same as curbside collection for classification?
Mobile shredding shares overlapping risks (vehicle operations, manual handling) and is commonly included in 9403, but shredding plant staff who primarily operate industrial balers, conveyors or stationary shredders should have duties and payroll reviewed to ensure correct classification and safety controls specific to machine entanglement and dust exposure.
Quick Facts
- Class Code
- 9403
- Classification
- Garbage Or Refuse Collecting; Street Sweeping Service Companies; Document Destruction
- Pure Premium Rate
- $7.555 / $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 9403?
Key HR provides California employers with pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HR compliance support, and payroll — all through one PEO partnership.