Most American employees need the right clothing and uniforms for the job, whether a cool cop working in the summer, or a construction worker repairing a highway at night in the rain. Safety and comfort alike are on the line for these workers, especially those who work outdoors in dangerous conditions. And even if a police officer is not staring down an armed criminal, a cool cop will need the right clothing to stay cooler in summer. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can happen to anyone, even the toughest officer in the department. There are some creative solutions out there for a police officer working in summer, though, such as Cool Cop personal air conditioning. What is more, park rangers and construction workers will need the right clothing for their jobs, too.
Police and Beating the Heat
A police officer out on the job is wearing their dark-colored uniform, which tends to have short sleeves but long pants and shoes. An officer may also be wearing a bulletproof vest, and all of this can get very warm in some weather. There are some ways to stay cool, however. An officer can keep cool drinks in his or her cruiser, for example, such as water or sports drinks to restore electrolytes and hydration. An officer may also wear a uniform and under-shirts that are designed to be lightweight and breathe well in summer. The Under Armour brand, for one example, may breathe well for warm weather while a police officer is on the job. Police boots may also be designed to help breathe a little better.
Those interested can also make use of products such as a Cool Cop air conditioning system. Such a device will use a flexible plastic hose to connect to the cruiser’s air conditioning output, and channel this cool air directly underneath the officer’s vest. This can help cool the officer down with direct contact with cold air, since it may be impractical for an officer to remove their vest for this. Cool Cop cooling shirts might also be desired for use in warm weather.
Other Outdoor Workers
Police officers are not the only ones working outdoors. Construction workers are hard at work repairing highways or roads, and they can often be found at construction sites as well. These workers may be at work day or night, rain or snow, or in hot or cold weather. In short, they are totally exposed to the elements, and their clothing must reflect that. Literally, in some cases, since many workers wear reflective silver strips on their vests or pants to warn vehicle drivers of their presence. This can help save a life during nighttime, when a worker will be much more difficult to spot.
During the way, construction workers are covering a lot of ground, and sometimes they may be in the way of vehicles. Construction workers tend to take nearly 30,000 steps a day, triple the average 10,000 steps, and they must stand out the entire time. Construction workers face enough workplace hazards as it is, and getting run over by a bulldozer would simply make it worse. Or, a crane operator might accidentally swing the crane’s load and strike a worker. To prevent such accidents, construction and highway repair workers will wear vivid colors to stand out. Orange and yellow are common colors, and they help the worker create a distinctive outline that contrasts with their surroundings. It is the opposite of camouflage, which aims to erase a person’s outline. Hard hats often tend to be yellow or orange for the same reason.
Construction workers may face temperature extremes. In summer, workers are urged to wear light fabrics that breathe easily, and they should take frequent breaks and cool off with cold liquids. In winter, workers may wear boots, parkas, and gloves, and they may also wear goggles to protect their eyes from cold winds.
Park rangers and similar workers will also be exposed to the elements. Hiking boots and waterproof boots can help a park ranger navigate rugged and unfriendly terrain with ease, and in summer, such workers may also wear lightweight fabrics. In winter, they may wear warm boot, coats, and gloves to protect them from the cold, and to prevent snow from soaking their socks.