I am an electrical engineer and engaged in the construction business, so I know how important it is that hard hats be worn at all times to ensure the safety of everyone on the work site. I myself follow such a strict safety requirement whenever I am in the construction site.

The hard hat is one of the most common articles of PPE, Personnel Protective Equipment. Other items of PPE include protective clothing, goggles and other garments designed to protect the wearer’s body or clothing from injury by blunt impact, electric hazards, heat, chemicals and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes. PPE can also be used to protect the working environment from pollution or infection from the worker (ex. In a microchip factory).

Having the PPE, you are assured, to a high degree, of your physical safety and protection.
But what about the person’s emotional injury? What about his daily encounter with the hazards of temptations? What about his protection from an infectious system of corruption? How does the person protect his workplace from cutting corners, shortchanging, dishonesty, use of substandard materials and the like?

What can I, as a Christian businessman and professional engineer, do about these unchristian practices in the marketplace? How can I protect myself from them?

Construction people like me should wear not only PPE’s (Personnel Protective Equipment) to protect ourselves from physical harm but we must also wear God’s PPE (Protection by Praying Enthusiastically) that only He can supply.

Yes, I not only wear the required hard hat at the construction site, I always wear God’s PPE at work. My favorite PPE is Psalm 91, a psalm in praise of security under God’s protection. I claim God’s promise in verses 10 and 11: “No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, For to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways.”
God’s PPE is the best protection we can have!

Francis Mapile has been a practicing professional Electrical Engineer since 1985; in 2002 he served as the National President of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of the Phils., Inc. (IIEE). This year 2009 Francis was recognized as the Most Outstanding Professional in the field of Electrical Engineering by the Professional Regulations Commission. He is presently a member of the Technical Committee of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and a lecturer-resource person in electrical engineering practices. Francis has also been active in the BCBP, serving three years as chapter head of BCBP Manila. He and his wife Edel regularly attend the chapter, regional and national activities of the Brotherhood. “This is where I learned how important it is for a person to wear God’s PPE!” proclaims Francis.