Your summer workwear guide
Safety and style tips for surviving the sweltering heat
Summer is well and truly upon us. Manual jobs become even more demanding as the mercury creeps higher and there’s no rain in sight.
To all the Builders, Brickies, Labourers, Boilermakers, Electricians, Plumbers, Farmers and Tradies pulling long days in this weather: we applaud you.
The job must go on. But you need to look after yourself, or heat stroke and exhaustion could take you off the tools.
Our guide to the best summer workwear has you covered top to toe, from staying shaded to investing in lightweight work boots.
Workwear tips for tradies
Light fabric
Summer clothing should be lightweight, light coloured and breathable. Choosing natural fabrics with a loose weave, like 100% cotton or bamboo, circulates air while you work.
A lot of jobs call for hard-wearing material to avoid cuts and scrapes. If you can’t pull on a light cotton top, look for other cooling features:
- Underarm mesh
- Upper back venting
- Lightweight fabric (100 GSM)
- UPF30 or 50 protection to prevent sunstroke
- Rollable sleeves
- Comfortable fit (not too tight)
Keep it short
Long pants offer better physical protection, but there’s no denying shorts are more comfortable on work sites in the summer.
If your job allows it, pull on a pair of work shorts instead of long pants. Alternatively, you can find zip-off pants that enable you to ditch the lower half for less dangerous tasks.
Like work shirts, choosing lightweight, breathable materials also help ventilate your legs as you work.
The key to keeping cool is allowing sweat to evaporate from your skin. So hang up your jeans and pull on a pair of cotton work pants instead.
Comfortable, lightweight work boots
High-quality work boots shouldn’t weigh you down. The best summer work boots are built with breathable, lightweight material and a heat-resistant outsole for total protection.
Although our Nitrile Outsole offers heat resistance up to 300°C, you might prefer boots with a TPU Outsole for summer. TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) guarantees protection in situations up to 130°C but weighs in lighter, making it a great all-rounder safety boot.
Breathable socks
Our final workwear tip for a comfortable summer is breathable socks. If you haven’t discovered our eco-friendly bamboo socks yet, we suggest you pick up a pair.
Bamboo is lightweight and breathable, helping to evaporate sweat and moisture from skin. It’s also antibacterial, anti-static and non-slip, making bamboo one of the best sock fabrics for all-day comfort on the job.
More tips to breeze through summer on job sites
Now that you’re properly kitted out for the hotter months, we have a few final tips:
- Stay hydrated: Replace lost fluids. Drink approximately 250ml of water every 15 to 20 minutes during hot work conditions. Coffee, alcohol and energy drinks can all dehydrate you, so stick to clear liquids.
- Don’t overdo it: Take regular breaks and know your limits.
- Head indoors: Where possible, schedule indoor work during the hottest hours.
- Seek shade: Rig up shade wherever possible. When working outside, always wear a wide-brim hat and take breaks in the shade.
Browse the range of Steel Blue lightweight work boots, the best in all-day comfort and protection for long summer days on the job.
