Overalls
Overalls, coveralls, dungarees, bibs, and boiler suits are all types of workwear that can form part of a personal protective (PPE) system to shield workers from dirt, abrasion, sparks, and other workplace hazards. In Singapore, many workplaces follow the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) framework, where there are PPE regulations in place to reduce risks during operations involving machinery, chemicals, and high-visibility environments.
Whether you need a construction overall for job sites or a robust overall suit for workshops, RS Singapore supports local businesses with dependable workwear designed for comfort, function and protection.
Types of Workwear Overalls
Selecting the right overalls depends on the task environment, comfort needs, and required level of protection. Some designs focus on flexibility and breathable wear, while others prioritise full-body protection for hazardous conditions.
Here are the most common types of workwear overalls used across various industries:
By Design
- Bib & Brace Overalls: Bib and brace overalls offer a two-piece style with a trouser section and a front bib with straps over the shoulders, allowing greater flexibility and ventilation compared with full coveralls. They are commonly used by tradespeople, warehouse teams, and maintenance crews who need unrestricted movement, easy layering with jackets or fleeces, and multiple pockets for tools and accessories.
- Coveralls (Boiler Suits): Coveralls, often called boiler suits, are one-piece overalls that provide full-body coverage. They are ideal for industrial settings where workers are exposed to dust, oils, and grime, such as workshops and production lines, and can be supplied in disposable or reusable fabric options.
By Protection
- High Visibility: High-visibility overalls are designed with fluorescent fabrics and retroreflective strips to improve visibility in low-light or high-traffic areas. This type is commonly used in construction, especially for road works, site operations, and environments where vehicles and machinery are in constant motion.
- Flame Resistance: Flame-resistant work overalls are treated or manufactured with fire-retardant materials to reduce burn injury risk. They are essential for welding metal fabrication, and environments where sparks or open flames may occur, providing additional protection without restricting mobility.
- Arc-flash Rated: Arc-flash rated overalls are built for electrical safety, offering protection against thermal hazards caused by electrical faults. They are often worn by electricians and technicians working on switchboards, control panels, and high-risk electrical systems.
Benefits of Using Workwear Overalls
Overall suits are a common protective garment on many job sites. These are some of the reasons why they are so widely used:
- Work overalls provide a protective barrier between workers and common workplace hazards such as dirt, abrasion, and minor splashes, helping reduce damage to personal clothing and skin.
- Full-body garments help maintain hygiene and consistency in shared work environments, particularly in manufacturing, food processing, and technical facilities.
- Task-specific designs, such as high-visibility or flame-resistant overalls, support safer working conditions when used as part of a wider risk control strategy.
Industrial Applications of Work Overalls
Work overalls play an important role in ensuring worker safety, hygiene, and uniform consistency in industrial environments. Many workplaces in Singapore require durable protective clothing to minimise contamination risks, improve identification, and promote industrial workplace safety.
Construction
Construction teams rely on workwear overalls to protect against dust, cement, abrasion, and rough site surfaces. High-visibility options also support safer operations by improving worker visibility near heavy equipment, cranes, and moving vehicles.
Manufacturing
In factories and production lines, overalls help protect workers from mechanical contact, oil splashes, and repetitive friction. Work overalls also reduce clothing entanglement risks near machinery and provide consistent standards across assembly and processing zones.
Oil and Gas
Oil and gas environments often require flame-resistant and arc-rated overall suit options to improve protection around heat sources, pressurised systems, and hazardous materials. Overalls also help minimise contamination and support safety protocol compliance in high-risk zones.
Food Processing
Workwear overalls help to reduce contamination risks in food manufacturing and processing environments by covering personal clothing and simplifying hygiene controls. Overalls are often selected for their ease of cleaning, colour coding, and compatibility with layered PPE requirements such as work gloves, aprons, hair coverings, and safety footwear specified in site hygiene procedures.
Automotive
Automotive technicians use overalls to protect against grease, oils, solvents and metal fragments. A durable overall suit also supports comfort during long shifts, offering pockets for tools, and reinforced areas for kneeling and frequent movement.
Key Selection Criteria for Overalls
Follow this selection criteria when buying workwear overalls for a project:
- Fabric and Material Type: Choose overalls made of cotton, polyester blends, or specialised flame-resistant fabrics selected based on comfort, durability, and hazard exposure.
- Protective Performance: Ensure your work overalls are compliant with relevant standards for flame resistance, arc flash protection, or high visibility where applicable.
- Fit and Sizing: Proper sizing to allow movement will help you move around while wearing work overalls without excess looseness that could increase snag or entanglement risks.
- Design Features: Zippers, closures, reinforced knees, pockets, and ventilation features that support task efficiency and comfort.
- Maintenance Requirements: Washability, resistance to shrinkage, and compatibility with industrial laundering processes.
Trusted Overalls Supplier & Manufacturer in Singapore
RS Singapore is a trusted overalls supplier, manufacturer and distributor in Singapore, supporting industries with reliable PPE and workwear solutions from trusted brands that include Elka Gb, Portwest, and Dickies. Whether you are sourcing construction overalls for site teams or overall suit options for industrial operations, RS makes it easy to procure high-quality workwear with dependable local service.
If you are looking for other types of workwear such as protective hoods, arc flash clothing, or lab coats, RS Singapore offers free next-day delivery on qualifying orders. Ordering from us is simple: simply browse by size, material properties or safety standards, and add your chosen overalls to cart for checkout. For more information on our delivery timelines and options, please refer to our delivery page.
