If an employee is injured while changing clothes in the workplace, how is the injury categorized?

• A. Personal error and not compensable
• B. Compensable if performed on work premises
• C. Not compensable if the injury is self-inflicted
• D. Always compensable regardless of circumstances

Answer: (B)

When an employee sustains an injury while changing clothes in the workplace, the injury is categorized as compensable if it occurs on work premises. This is because workplace injuries typically fall under the workers' compensation regulations, which ensure that employees are covered for injuries sustained while performing work-related activities or during the course of their employment.

Changing clothes on the employer's premises is generally considered an extension of the employee's duties or responsibilities at work. Therefore, the circumstances leading to the injury—being on company property and engaging in an activity necessary for fulfilling work obligations—support the claim for compensation. This makes it clear that injuries incurred in such scenarios are linked to the employment context, thus qualifying them for coverage under workers' compensation laws.

The other possibilities do not fit this context neatly; for example, personal errors may be relevant in discussing liability, and self-inflicted injuries would not typically apply here since the activity of changing clothes is routine and associated with the work environment. Hence, the emphasis on location and context leads to the conclusion that such injuries should indeed be considered compensable.