We are often told to wear the right clothes when going to work. Depending on the type of job that we have, we may be told to wear a dress shirt and slacks, an office uniform, or simply decent plain clothes.
As employees, we are obliged to be presentable to the public. It would be very off-putting to see lawyers or engineers in flip-flops, for instance. However, when it comes to other professions, coming to work is not as simple as wearing a coat or a blazer. Sometimes, you need something special when it comes to entering the work area.
Construction workers, chemists, and paleontologists, in particular, need to wear specific types of apparel before they start working. Here’s why.
To ensure safety
Obviously, safety will always be a concern for all professions. But in some niche and technical fields, they take it very seriously. Take for example the construction workers.
These hard-working employees are required to wear hard hats, work suits, and work boots when they load their trucks or go to the field. Their specific work clothes help protect them from any debris while also giving them enough comfort whenever they work.
The same can also be said for chemists and anyone else working with chemicals and hazardous materials (hazmat). Instead of debris, their lab coats and hazmat suits protect their bodies from exposure to harmful materials or diseases.
There are different things that a person can wear to make his or herself safe inside the working environment. Wearing the right type of clothing can increase their safety.
To prevent the spread of bacteria or viruses
This is quite similar to the example above. For some careers, they may need to stay in labs working with different viruses and bacteria to find cures for them. Using and wearing the right type of clothing can help prevent the spread of said diseases.
For example, most professions in the medical and research fields require their employees to wear sanitized clothes. They usually have these clothes scrubbed clean before entering their workstations and then immediately afterwards to contain all substances and such in that area.
To reduce risks
While safety is always in mind with wearing protective work wear, when an accident eventually occurs, it helps reduce the risks of the accident from happening in the first place.
Wearing work boots can prevent accidental slipping and tripping while on the production floor or in construction areas. Gloves can prevent items from slipping from your hands. They can also protect your hands from risks of burns from chemicals. Visible vests, meanwhile, can help other people recognize you in work areas to prevent bumping into you.
Different work clothes serve different functions. A suit and tie may be classy and appropriate for the courtroom, but may not exactly fit in a manufacturing plant. Using the right type of clothing can really go a long way. From safety assurance and risk reduction to being presentable and comfortable, clothes do have a big impact at work.
