What to Wear on the Jobsite
Your everyday work clothes are part of your protection. The wrong clothes can catch in machinery, melt onto your skin, leave you exposed to sun and cuts, or make you invisible to equipment operators. Here’s what to wear before you add the required PPE.
- New workers
- Construction
- General Industry
Photo: worker dressed for the jobsite in long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, boots, hard hat and hi-vis
The basics
- Long, durable pants (like work jeans or canvas). No shorts on most sites
- Shirt with sleeves; many sites require at least 4-inch sleeves, and long sleeves protect from sun, cuts and chemicals
- Work boots, usually with safety toes. See Safety Footwear
- Hi-vis where there’s traffic or equipment. See High-Visibility Clothing
- Clothes that fit: not baggy enough to snag, not so tight you can’t move
Avoid
- Loose sleeves, hoodie strings, scarves and untucked shirttails near rotating tools and machinery
- Rings, necklaces, bracelets and watches: they can catch and cause degloving injuries
- Long loose hair near drills, lathes and conveyors; tie it back and tuck it in
- Synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon) near welding, cutting or flash fire hazards; they melt. See FR Clothing
- Sneakers, sandals and worn-out shoes
- Ripped clothing that exposes skin to cuts or concrete
Dress for the weather
- Heat: light-colored, breathable long sleeves; a hard hat brim or neck shade. See Heat Illness.
- Cold: layers: a moisture-wicking base, an insulating middle and a wind- and water-resistant outer layer. Keep a dry pair of socks and gloves. See Cold Stress.
- Rain: rain gear that’s hi-vis or worn under a vest, and boots with good tread.
Keep it clean
Clothes contaminated with lead, silica, asbestos, concrete or chemicals can expose you and your family at home. Change and wash work clothes separately, and use the site’s wash and change areas if provided. See Lead.
Standards & references
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