Best Pants???
Hey! I don't know if my job is technically blue collar, but I cook gummy candy. I work with a lot of mineral oil, 200°F+ candy slurry in open pails, and sharp objects that can poke me. Bending and crawling into the machine, as well as having to squat to lift 20 liter buckets of tapioca syrup are usually the issues I deal with. I've trashed a pair of cotton pants that I had, my right leg is stained from oil where I have to kneel on the machine to fill it.
We are provided those white lab coats that Cintas sends, but having to cook 15+ kettles a day in a tin box without working air conditioning makes wearing them unbearable. On top of that, my coworker already got caught in one of the chains because of his coat. Granted, he wasn't paying attention but we shouldn't have to risk that doing a task that needs to be done quickly and over and over.
I was wondering if anybody had suggestions for workwear that is breathable and light, but can also stretch a little. Jeans are my next best bet. Any help would be appreciated!