Protective construction chaps are worn about a worker's waist to extend downwardly from a location just below the worker's abdomen. The chaps cover the fronts of the worker's thighs in substantially form-fitting fashion (even when the worker is bending, walking, or otherwise moving), and terminate at a point slightly above the worker's knees. The chaps include a waist section which extends vertically between an upper edge and an opposing lower portion, and laterally between opposing inner and outer side edges. A pair of leg sections is also included, wherein each leg section extends vertically between a top portion and an opposing bottom edge, and laterally between opposing inner and outer side edges. The top portions of the leg sections are joined to the waist section on opposing sides of its lower portion, with the inner side edges of the leg sections extending from the lower portion of the waist section. As a result, the waist sections and leg sections together have a shape resembling the front of a worker's waist and thighs. The chaps further include one or more waist straps which each extend from one of the side edges of the waist section, and these waist straps may be extended about a worker's waist to be selectively connected to each other or to the waist section to affix the waist section about a worker's waist. Each leg section similarly includes one or more leg straps, wherein each leg strap extends from one of the side edges of its leg section, so that the leg straps on each leg section may be selectively connected to each other or to the leg section to affix each leg section about one of the worker's legs.