Strong on the Job

It’s not a pretty job, but somebody’s got to do it. You’ve no doubt heard this expression, which covers a variety of thankless tasks. The harder the duty, the more likely it’s going to take a toll on your work clothes. Choose well from the bottom up, and you’re likely to feel better when you clock out at the end of the day.

Any job with heavy lifting can be a job with heavy items falling. Footwear with a protective toe box and nonskid soles helps prevent accidents while ensuring protection if they happen. Find one with good arch support and a deep heel cup for jobs that require long periods of standing. This helps maintain good posture for safer lifting and walking with heavy items, and also keeps your dogs from barking too long and loud before closing time. Tough should never have to mean uncomfortable!

The need for quality work trousers is most likely the easiest to forget about. It’s not that you’d wear no pants, which could easily end in a pink slip, but that jeans or khakis may seem adequate in the moment. A mere brush against hot machinery or rough-cut metal will quickly put that idea to rest, though. Don’t let it put you in harm’s way. Tough dungarees are designed to take a pounding and keep you safe inside them. Many are made with loops to keep needed tools close at hand, but their primary attribute is being a barrier against whatever the job can throw at you, be it mud, engine oil or a shower of sparks.

Above the waist things are no less risky. Heavy jumpsuits can get a body battle-ready in very little time, but there are long-sleeved shirts heavy enough to resist what would tear other material, and jackets to keep out the cold while allowing room to stretch and move, as most outdoor work requires. Gloves can be heat-resistant or designed to keep hands warm, and some are mesh-lined; if a job requires a modern take on chain mail, does it make employees honorary knights? Protective eyewear is a must in some fields, optional in others, but keeping some goggles in the pocket of a shirt or jacket means never being caught shorthanded. The job will also determine whether a helmet or snug hat is required, but these, too, can be lifesavers in the right circumstances. Being prepared means one less thing to worry about, which tends lower the risk of things going wrong. Check this website for work clothing in San Diego.