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Building a culture that learns and lasts. The UK Chamber’s Safety Culture Conference promotes a maritime industry where learning is continuous, embedded and shared, recognising that safety grows not from compliance alone but from habits, behaviours and systems shaped by reflection and collaboration
This year's conference is kindly supported by Caledonian MacBrayne, UK P&I Club, ABS, Shell and City of Glasgow College.
The 2026 conference continues the theme from 2025 and will bring delegates together in Glasgow on 19–20 May for an unmatched cumulative learning experience over one and a half days.
0930 - Registration & Coffee
0955 - Welcome
Tim Springett, UK Chamber of Shipping
1000 - Introduction and Welcome
Mike Bradshaw, Chairperson, Health and Safety Sub-Committee
1010 - Opening address
Phoebe Smith, Health and Safety Executive
1030 - Patterns of incidents and analysis of repeat behaviours
Petar Modev, UK P&I Club
Petar will present a high-impact session on patterns of incidents and the behaviours driving repeat events, offering delegates practical insight they can apply immediately. With a wealth of seafaring experience and deep operational understanding of risk management and loss control, Petar has extensive expertise in both tanker and offshore operations as well as marine insurance. His background as an experienced mariner makes him exceptionally well-placed to speak on these topics.The presentation will be focused on the need for effective risk control, emphasising that it must address human performance alongside technical systems. Petar will cover areas including improved training, fatigue management, clear procedures, teamwork, and strong safety leadership to help reduce incidents and enhance maritime safety.
1100 - Coffee Break
1130 - Under Pressure: Why Good People Break Rules and What Hearts & Minds Teaches Us About Culture
Marcus Peters, Greensforge Performance Solutions LtdFellow of the Energy Institute
This session explores why rule breaking is so common across high risk industries, even in organisations with strong systems, competent people, and clear procedures. Using real incident examples, human factors insight, and an engaging audience interaction, the talk reframes rule breaking as a predictable human response to pressure rather than individual failure. It introduces culture as the “glue” that holds people, process, and technology together under stress, and shows how the strength of that culture is shaped by everyday mindsets and micro decisions. The session concludes by demonstrating how the Energy Institute’s Hearts & Minds toolkit can be used to understand, measure, and strengthen culture, helping organisations move from blame and compliance to learning, ownership, and a true Togetherness Culture.
1215 - Showcase of Current UK Chamber Safety Work
• Vehicle deck safety – Stuart Reid, NorthLink Ferries• Lithium-ion battery safety – Phil Moss, Bibby Line• Safety familiarisation – Paul Markides, UK Chamber of Shipping • Enclosed spaces – Tim Springett, UK Chamber of Shipping • Fatigue – Micky Smyth, Nautilus International
1245 - Lunch Break
1400 - Safety on Trial
Brodies LLP
Duncan MacLean, Malcolm Mackay, Victoria Anderson and other members of the Brodies team will bring a short mock trial to us, demonstrating what happens at the sharp end when an incident ends up in a prosecution, and drawing out wider lessons for incident response and investigation management.
All who attend this event will get to be the jury.
1530 - Afternoon Tea
1600 - Cadet/Trainee Seafarer Panel
Representatives from City of Glasgow College
1630 - Human Performance and Safety Leadership
Milas Green, Green Jakobsen
With an increasing focus on human and organisational factors, this session will explore the practical application of Performance Influencing Factors (PIFs) to enhance safety and human performance, while deepening understanding of what truly drives safety outcomes in the maritime industry.
Centred on how work is carried out in practice, the session is relevant to shipowners and operators across all vessel types. It will examine how human performance data can be used to optimise decision-making and improve both safety and operational outcomes, highlighting why such data is essential and how it can be applied effectively at individual, team, and organisational levels.
Through real-world case studies and best practices, attendees will gain insight into leveraging both quantitative and qualitative data to enhance performance, reduce incidents, and foster a culture of continuous improvement across employees and organisations.
1715 - Conclusion of Day 1
Rhett Hatcher, CEO, UK Chamber of Shipping
1830 - Evening Buffet at The Social
0900 - Opening and Review of Day 1
Mike Bradshaw – Chairperson, Health and Safety Sub-Committee
0915 - Building a Proactive Safety Culture
Craig Wiggins, Chief Executive Officer, Step Change in Safety
This interactive session explores what it takes to build and sustain a proactive safety culture in high-hazard industries. Drawing on human performance principles, practical leadership insight, and real-world discussion, the presentation examines how leadership behaviours, organisational culture, and personal beliefs influence safety outcomes. Through a just and fair culture exercise, attendees will be encouraged to reflect on accountability, decision-making, and the conditions that shape behaviour at work. It concludes with audience Q&A and practical takeaways for leaders looking to strengthen safety culture in their own organisations.
1015 - Audits as Learning Opportunities: It’s All About the People
Georg T. Smefjell, Senior Principal Specialist, DNV
At a time when the ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain skilled people is critical, Georg will underline why effectiveness and efficiency ultimately come through people at all levels of an organisation, ashore and on board, supported by trusted assessments and meaningful performance data.
Audit reports, including deficiencies and non‑conformities, should be viewed as opportunities for learning rather than indicators of failure. When framed positively, they provide clear insight into where systems can be strengthened and where people can be better supported, helping organisations focus effort where it delivers the greatest value.
As management systems continue to expand in scope, the industry risks losing focus on what truly matters. Georg will highlight the importance of maintaining clarity and avoiding scope creep, ensuring management systems remain effective, proportionate, and centred on people.
Georg will challenge delegates to take these conversations beyond this year’s conference, establishing ongoing forums for meaningful dialogue that elevate discussion and support long‑term improvement.
1130 - Learning that Lasts: Failing Safely, Every Time
Cerian Mellor, Safety Programmes Coordinator, Shell Trading & Shipping Company Limited
1245 - Closing Remarks
Duncan Mackison, CalMac Ferries Ltd
1300 - End of Conference
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- Tea, Coffee & Pastries both days
- Lunch on Day 1
- Evening Buffet on Day 1
Conference Venue: 200 SVS Conferences & Events
Address: 200 St Vincent St, Glasgow, G2 5SG
Hotelmap
Please click on the HotelMap for Safety Culture Conference can be found at: https://HotelMap.com/M94ZY
Attendees are able to view accommodation with live rates & availability.