ABSTRACT
When making recommendations on the selection of SHE performance indicators, we have to consider not only conditions outside the workplace such as legislation and top-management priorities. We also have to consider how the application of such indicators may affect the behaviour of middle and lower management and the employees. We have earlier discussed how unilateral control by top management will have negative cffects on the behaviour at these levels (Argyris, 1992). Top management may, for example, require compliance with unrealistic SHE goals that the lower levels do not feel any ownership of. The different departments may be able to show positive SHE performance results without changing the basic conditions that control the risk of accidents. We also discussed how top management, exercising more unilateral control as a reaction to such signs of superficial adaptation, would increase the behaviour further at the lower levels.
