Emotional Intelligence and General Health as tools for occupational safety enhancement (A case study in an electrical equipment company)

Humans with upper levels of health are less likely to be injured. Furthermore, lost work days due to occupational accidents will be lower in organizations with better workers in viewpoint of emotional intelligence. The aim of this research was to assess relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and general health with occupational accidents and safety. This study was designed as a cross-sectional research and involved all workers in electrical equipment company in Qom-Iran, in 2014. Bradberry and Greaves’s questionnaire to assess EI and Goldberg's 28-general health questionnaire were used. Also, demographic factors and occupational accidents gathered by a questionnaire. Then, Data analyzed by SPSS V20 using Pearson, T and ANOVA tests. All participants were male with average age of 35.35±8.28 years old. Reliability of EI and general health questionnaires measured by cronbach's alpha coefficient and was 0.88 and 0.86 respectively. Average score of EI was calculated 87.63±19.88 and general health was 21.75±9.51. Based on the obtained results, relation between EI and general health was significant (P<0.05), although relation between EI and general health with occupational accident were not significant (P> 0.05). Based on importance of mental health, thinking, insight and awareness of workers, and their effects on worker's performance, it is necessary to integrate occupational health sciences with the psychological fields. This integrated policy can improve national level of workplaces health and safety.