EXCAVATION INSURANCE GROUP
Does Workers’ Comp Cover an Operator Injured Off-Site?
Excavation Insurance Group explains when an off-site injury is still covered under workers' comp, and where the ordinary commute exclusion typically draws the line.
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Quick answer: Excavation Insurance Group on this: Generally, workers’ comp covers an injury if it happens within the course and scope of employment, which usually includes off-site work like driving equipment between job sites, running a delivery for the job, or working at a second site the same day, but typically excludes an ordinary commute from home. The exact line depends on your state’s rules and the specific facts of the incident.
WHAT “COURSE AND SCOPE” GENERALLY MEANS
Workers’ comp isn’t limited to injuries that happen physically inside your job site’s fence line. If an operator is hurt while transporting equipment between sites, running a work-related errand, or performing duties at a client location off your main site, that’s typically still within the course and scope of their employment and covered the same as an on-site injury. The test most states apply looks at whether the activity was reasonably connected to the job at the time of the injury, not simply where it happened.
WHERE COVERAGE TYPICALLY STOPS
Most states apply what’s commonly called the “coming and going” rule: an ordinary commute between home and a fixed regular job site generally falls outside workers’ comp coverage, since that travel isn’t considered part of the job itself. There are exceptions, travel between multiple job sites during the workday, being called out for an emergency, or driving a company vehicle as a job requirement can all shift an incident back into covered territory. Because this line gets fact-specific fast, any off-site injury involving one of your operators is worth reporting and reviewing rather than assuming it’s excluded.
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Related: What Happens If an Employee Is Hurt Without Coverage? · Is Workers’ Comp Required for Out-of-State Crews?
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