Working in the brewhouse, you learned to listen when coworkers suggested not tucking pants in your rubber boots. More than one had hot caustic water sprayed on them, and down into their boots. Eats and cooks the skin rather fast.
Cleaned a bunch of stalls every day for years and never felt the need to do that. Neither did any of my employees.
With the Levis outside the boots, anything over ankle deep makes for dirty Levis. The same with dealing with snow and slush in the winter and mud in the spring, summer, and fall. It was easier to clean a pair of boots than my jeans so it just became a habit. Wearing your fatigues outside your boots meant you were out of uniform and that also may have had some influence as I still wore my old army boots for years afterward.
and you can't just sit up under the car....Welding overhead under the car, a big fat cherry dropped onto my welding jacket, rolled down the "slight swell" of my stomach, found the gap at the bottom. It went from below the belly button to my belt, and sat there burning like hell. The lesson is, don't lift the belt, it rolled farther south, burning a swath as it rolled, and you can't just sit up under the car....
