Sharing accident information and learning the lessons is an important way of reducing errors in any industry. All human beings make errors at some time and it is necessary that design and operational work must be capable of dealing with human fallibility. It is necessary for a management system in all companies to deal with the sharing of information and the learning of lessons from the information. Companies have been reluctant to share information and engineers reluctant to provide information on accidents for fear of the consequences. This paper deals with the ethics issue of the engineer and the social responsibilities of companies to their employees and the public. It is proposed that the professional bodies should make efforts to ensure companies share accident information so that the risks involved in the industry are reduced for the benefit of all. (C) 2008 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.