What code 5473 covers
Typical duties
- Setting up regulated work areas with poly sheeting, negative-air machines and decontamination units
- Wet removal of asbestos ceiling texture, floor tile, mastic and siding
- Encapsulating or enclosing materials that stay in place
- Bagging, labeling and loading waste for licensed disposal
- Wearing and maintaining respirators and protective suits
- Air monitoring support and final cleaning before clearance
Operations included
- Licensed asbestos abatement contractors working in buildings
- Removal of asbestos-containing floor, ceiling, roofing and wall materials
- Encapsulation and enclosure projects
- Drivers who haul abatement equipment and waste for the contractor
What code 5473 does not cover
- Asbestos work exclusively on pipe and boiler insulation: 5472
- Glass and glazing installation: 5462
- Painting and coating work after abatement: 5474
- Executive supervisors who do not enter work areas: possibly 5606
- Consultants who only survey or monitor, if separately licensed and employed: ask your carrier
- Office staff in a separated office: 8810
Code 5473 rate and cost context
The 2026 rate for 5473 is $5.650 per $100 of payroll, down from the 2022 filed figure but still among the higher construction rates in Florida. Long-tail occupational disease exposure is part of why the code carries more than its injury frequency alone would suggest.
Carriers that write this code look closely at licensing, respiratory protection programs and medical surveillance records. Having them organized makes underwriting faster and can open markets outside the FWCJUA.
| Year | Rate per $100 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $8.80 |
| 2023 | $8.31 |
| 2024 | $6.74 |
| 2025 | $6.23 |
| 2026 | $5.650 |
If you are placed in the FWCJUA
Florida’s residual market charges the voluntary rate plus a surcharge on the voluntary premium: 93% in Tier 1 and 183% in Tiers 2 and 3 for 2026. On this code that works out to about $10.90 (Tier 1) or $15.99 (Tiers 2–3) per $100 of payroll before any experience mod.
Example: estimating code 5473 premium
Assume a licensed abatement contractor with $450,000 of annual field payroll in code 5473.
| Annual payroll in this code | $450,000 |
| Voluntary-market premium (rate × payroll ÷ 100) | $25,425 |
| FWCJUA Tier 1 (with 93% surcharge) | $49,070 |
| FWCJUA Tiers 2–3 (with 183% surcharge) | $71,953 |
Example only. Assumes no experience modification, schedule credits, expense constant or taxes. Minimum premium applies if the result is lower ($725 / FWCJUA $2,900).
Misclassification pitfalls for code 5473
Taking glass work under 5473
Because some pages mislabeled this code, glass companies have been quoted in 5473. Glazing is 5462. Abatement contractors should make sure no one has listed their work under a glass description, either.
Demolition crews doing incidental abatement
General demolition contractors who remove asbestos without an abatement license create both a licensing problem and a classification problem. Florida law requires a licensed asbestos contractor for abatement work.
Pipe-and-boiler work mixed with general abatement
5472 is limited to work exclusively on pipe and boiler insulation. A contractor doing both kinds of work is generally classified 5473.
Temporary laborers from a staffing agency
If you use agency labor, the staffing firm’s policy must cover them in an appropriate code. Without a certificate, the auditor may add the cost to your payroll.
Codes that sit next to 5473
- Code 5472: for asbestos work done exclusively on pipe and boiler insulation (2026 rate $3.830).
- Code 5462: for glass and glazing contractors.
- Code 5474: for painting and coatings applied after abatement.
- Code 5606: for executive supervisors who stay out of the regulated area.
- Code 8810: for project managers and office staff in a separated office.
Payroll and audit notes for code 5473
Payroll includes wages for time in suits, decon and setup, as well as hazard or project bonuses. Prevailing-wage fringe amounts paid in cash count as payroll.
Keep project logs showing which jobs were pipe and boiler only. Those records support reporting 5472 payroll separately.
Have the DBPR license, worker training certificates and medical surveillance files available; underwriters and auditors both ask for them.
Who usually reports code 5473
- Licensed asbestos abatement contractors
- Environmental remediation firms with abatement crews
- Renovation contractors that hold a separate abatement license
- School and public-building abatement subcontractors
Code 5473 questions
What is workers comp class code 5473?
In Florida, 5473 is the asbestos removal contractor classification. It is not a glazier code.
What is the 2026 Florida rate for code 5473?
The OIR-approved NCCI rate is $5.650 per $100 of payroll, effective January 1, 2026. FWCJUA policies add a 93% or 183% surcharge.
Do I need a license to remove asbestos in Florida?
Yes. Section 469.003 of the Florida Statutes says no person may conduct asbestos abatement work unless licensed as an asbestos contractor, with limited exceptions.
What is the difference between 5472 and 5473?
5472 applies to asbestos work exclusively on pipe and boiler insulation. 5473 is the general asbestos contractor code.
Sources
- NCCI: Summary of the Florida Workers Compensation Rate Filing Recommendation Effective January 1, 2026
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Commissioner approves 6.9% workers’ compensation rate decrease effective January 1, 2026 (Nov. 17, 2025)
- Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association (FWCJUA): Rates (2022–2026 rate tables and minimum premiums)
- FWCJUA: Bulletins (Bulletin 25-9: 2026 Tier 1, 2 and 3 surcharges)
- NCCI: Summary of the Florida Workers Compensation Rate Filing Recommendation Effective January 1, 2027 (filed Aug. 21, 2026)
- OSHA: Asbestos (construction standard 29 CFR 1926.1101)
- U.S. EPA: Asbestos: NESHAP and abatement requirements
- Florida Statutes: Section 440.02 — Definitions (employee, employer, construction industry)
- Florida Statutes: Section 469.003 — Asbestos abatement: license required
- Florida DBPR: Asbestos licensing (contractors and consultants)
Facts checked October 12, 2026.