Despite decades of experience, chemical accidents continue to occur across high-hazard industries, often sharing striking similarities with past events. Why do organisations repeat the same mistakes?

Chemical accidents often reveal that technical causes are only part of the story. The deeper lessons lie in how individuals and groups interpret events, share knowledge, and translate experience into lasting changes in practice. This webinar explores the human and organisational dimensions of learning, examining why lessons are sometimes identified but not fully embedded, and how organisations can move from insight to sustained improvement.

At the heart of this discussion is the role of leadership in shaping cultures where learning is not only encouraged but also operationalised. How do leaders create environments where people feel able to speak up and question assumptions? And how do organisations ensure that lessons from past incidents, whether internal or external, lead to meaningful behavioural and systemic change? These questions are critical for building resilient systems capable of anticipating and preventing future events.

Discover what the event is about.

13.00 – 13.10 | Welcome to the Webinar by OECD and the Webinar Chair

• Eeva Leinala, Principal Administrator, Environment Directorate, OECD
• Rachel McCann, Policy Team Leader, Engagement and Policy Division, Health and Safety Executive, UK, Chair of the OECD Working Party on Chemical Accidents

13.10 – 13.20 | Introduction to the webinar

• “O this learning, what a thing it is!*” - How do organisations learn? What can leaders do to make it happen? (* W Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew)
• Charles Cowley, Visiting Fellow in Safety Leadership, Cranfield University School of Management,UK, Charles Cowley

13.20-13.40 | A world of learning

• Trish Kerin, Director, Lead Like Kerin, Australia

13.40 – 14.00 | Breaking the Safety Performance Plateau – how to prevent repeat incidents and new ones!

• Diane Chadwick-Jones, Former Director Human Performance BP

14.00 – 14.30 | Q&A

14.30 – 14.50 | A Sociological Perspective

• Ron Westrum, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Eastern Michigan University, US

14.50 – 15.10: The Cultural Chemistry of Turning Knowledge into Action - Reflections from the Nuclear Sector

• Andrew Lewis, Nuclear Project Director, Mott MacDonald

15.10 – 15.30: Q&A

15.30 – 16.00 | Final discussion with the audience on the key elements identified from the presentations that hinder organisations from learning from past events, and what actions could help address these challenges. What might an OECD guidance on this topic include?