Headlines January
Administrative chaos at LUMC: the donor of 80 children cannot be found
The administration of the sperm donor bank of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), which was closed in 2004, was very poor. It is not possible to determine who the donor is for 80 of the 1,141 registered descendants because the registration data are missing. This is evident from internal research by the hospital. The research also shows that the sperm from nine donors was used much more often than the maximum of 25 times allowed under the guideline. These nine donors have fathered more than 400 children, according to Martin Schalij, member of the board of directors. Almost 90 children have been conceived with sperm from one donor. "We find that a very worrying figure." The hospital calls on mothers and offspring who are related to the sperm donor bank to come forward.
The rule that sperm donors in the Netherlands may father a maximum of 25 children, divided among twelve women, came into effect in 1992. For example, incest and inbreeding must be prevented. If half-brothers and half-sisters have children together, there is a greater risk of hereditary defects. “And that chance is certainly not zero,” says Schalij. The women who used the sperm donor bank at the time almost all came from the west of the country, in the postcode areas 2000 to 3000. As a result, the offspring are not sufficiently spread geographically and there is a real risk that half-sisters and half-brothers will start a relationship with each other. The case at the LUMC should not be confused with recent reports about another fertility clinic in Leiden. Last week it emerged that a laboratory technician from the Medical Center for Birth Control Foundation (SMCG) had at least eleven children conceived with his own sperm in the years 1979-1984. This clinic was also located in Leiden, but has nothing to do with the LUMC. The laboratory technician in question was not registered as a sperm donor.
The case of the LUMC, which was still called the AZL when the sperm donor bank started in 1977, is not an incident. In recent years, more and more examples have emerged of other clinics where the administration was also a mess. There were also doctors who used their own sperm as donor sperm, without women or couples knowing about it.
Cesspool
Jan Karbaat is one of the most infamous . As far as we know, he has approximately 80 donor children of whom he is the biological father.
A more recent case is the gynecologist Jan Wildschut. He has fathered at least 60 donor children with his own sperm at the Sophia Hospital in Zwolle. Wildschut was one of the founders of the LUMC's sperm donor bank. However, he is said to have left before the donor bank became operational in 1977.
According to Schalij, no indication has been found that Wildschut also used his own sperm in Leiden. This is confirmed by a group of donor children from Wildschut who had their own research done.
Clean house
Schalij calls on all other clinics to jointly conduct an investigation, as the LUMC has done. "It may be that all other sperm banks had everything in order in detail, but I would not be surprised if more questions arise. I think it would be good to make a clean sweep in one go." Ties van der Meer of the Donor Child Foundation encourages such research. "What we see so far is the tip of the iceberg. We know that files and archives are also not in order at many other hospitals."
Family secret
At Fiom, the expertise center in the field of kinship questions, it is expected that this news will cause some unrest, among donor children and donors, but also among parents. "Children often do not know that they were conceived with donor sperm, this is a big family secret," says Janneke Maas, specialist in donor conception at Fiom. "It is important that parents are open with their children, even if they are in their thirties or forties" Both Fiom and the Donor Child Foundation help parents and donor children to have such a conversation . They also teach people how to deal with the news that they have dozens of half-sisters and half-brothers, for example. "We have a whole network of experienced experts who are also professional care providers," says Van der Meer. "We are always available for parents, donor children and donors."
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2505093-administratieve-chaos-bij-lumc-van-80-kinderen-is-de-donor-niet-terug-te-vinden
Inspectorate intervenes: Ambulance care Groningen under increased supervision
Ambulance care Groningen will be under increased supervision by the Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ) for the next six months. The ongoing unrest at the ambulance service is reason for the IGJ to intervene now.
The measure means that the inspectorate will keep a close eye on whether and how peace is restored in the organization for six months. If this does not work or is not successful enough, this may be a reason for a follow-up measure. What that could be is left unclear.
The IGJ notes that there is no direct danger to patient safety. But the administrative chaos in the organization must be resolved as quickly as possible. It is currently unclear whether the improvement measures that have been initiated will lead to the desired result. The organization is vulnerable, according to the IGJ. 'This can lead to risky situations for the quality of care and patient safety.'
History
The unrest was caused by transgressive behavior, insecurity and distrust in the workplace. The inspectorate has been working on the issue for some time. In May 2022, IGJ employees noted various shortcomings during a visit to Ambulance Care Groningen. Internal business processes, such as disaster reporting and investigation, are under pressure.
Risky situation
In January 2023, the alarm bells went off when the chairman of the Supervisory Board informed the inspectorate that the entire top management had been dismissed or resigned. In addition, there is a high turnover among team managers. This situation is characterized as 'risky'.
According to the then interim manager, the quality and continuity of patient care were not at risk. But the medical manager thought differently and previously informed the Supervisory Board in writing.
Three interim directors in a row
The appointed interim director drew up an improvement plan. Its implementation was left to his successor, who was also appointed on a temporary basis. He in turn had to leave the field after accusations of undesirable behavior against him. Ambulancezorg Groningen is now ready for the third interim director in a row.
Insufficient monitoring of patient safety
The time has come for the inspectorate to take formal action now, because internal control over the quality of care and patient safety is still insufficient. 'Ambulance care Groningen therefore does not meet the necessary conditions for good care with regard to systematic monitoring, control and improving the quality of care.'
Signals regarding safety were picked up late
The final report of the IGJ shows that (too) much time was lost as far as the inspection is concerned: 'The inspectorate finds it remarkable that only after the delivery of the change plan (2023) was noticed by the (interim) board and the Supervisory Board that many shortcomings arise. (...). In addition, the inspectorate concludes that the seriousness of the signals regarding culture and safety were not recognized in a timely manner and that they were not adequately addressed.'
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/1111167/inspectie-grijpt-in-ambulancezorg-groningen-onder-verscherpt-toezicht
Urk fishing companies also victims of the Rutten fire
Urk fishing companies have also been affected by the major fire at De Groene Agri in Rutten. That's what the Urkerland writes. According to the newspaper, several fishing companies used the cooling facilities in Rutten. Large quantities of fish were stored there.
The fire started around 8 a.m. on Tuesday in a cell where chicory roots were stored. Putting out the fire became a huge operation. According to Urkerland, the news surrounding the fire was followed with suspicion at various Urk offices. Fishing company Dayseaday estimated on Wednesday that it had stocked approximately one million euros worth of fish. The fire also had major consequences for Visscher Seafood. Due to an expansion of the insurance policy, part of the stock was temporarily not insured. On Wednesday it turned out that a large part of the stock was in a cell that was not involved in the fire, but the damage was still extensive.
Large-scale deployment
To extinguish the fire, fire brigades from the surrounding area were called to Rutten. The help of a crash tender from Lelystad Airport , a special fire engine made to extinguish aircraft fires, was also called in. In addition, two extinguishing robots from Rotterdam and the Overijssel village of Wesepe were called in, because it became too dangerous for firefighters to enter the building. Nevertheless, it was difficult to extinguish the fire. The fire was only brought under control after 8 p.m. In total, the fire brigade spent a day and a half extinguishing the fire and conducting follow-up checks. Thousands of liters of water were involved.
Source: https://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/362764/urker-visbedrijven-ook-slachtoffer-van-brand-rutten
New-build apartments must be demolished again after construction errors
An error during construction has major consequences for a new apartment building on Repellaan in Schaijk. The foundation is too low and needs to be raised, but that is not possible without demolishing the building under construction and starting over. The construction of the 24 social rental apartments, on the site of an old supermarket, has been at a standstill for more than six months. Since then, there has only been a carcass of concrete walls. Nothing has happened on the construction site for months. The bricks for the exterior walls lie unused on pallets in front of the apartment complex. Construction scaffolding is waiting against the facade. Initially there was a plan to jack up the building. This means that the building is lifted to raise the floor. But a company that specializes in this type of work has announced that lifting is not possible in this case.
Materials are reused.
That is why construction company Van Herpen and landlord Brabant Wonen have decided to demolish the entire building, raise the foundation and then rebuild it. "The intention in the new plan is to reuse as many building materials as possible. Only the sand-lime brick walls cannot be reused," a spokesperson for Brabant Wonen said. 'Lifting' the building would take approximately three months. Taking the entire building apart and starting over takes almost six months. "The building is dismantled down to the load-bearing inner walls of the ground floor. The floor is then raised before everything is rebuilt again. First the left side of the building is tackled and then the right side. At the same time, it is not possible to get through the space available on the construction site."
Residents will not be able to move in until later
The apartment complex will house homes for small families, couples and singles. The delay in construction is especially a bitter pill for future residents. Initially, the building was expected to be completed at the end of last year. That will now be spring 2025.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4397694/nieuwbouwappartementen-moeten-weer-worden-afgebroken-na-bouwfout
Bus operator Hermes loses tons of revenue due to problem with check-in system
Bus operator Hermes is losing tons of revenue due to a problem with its check-in system. Since Sunday morning, 70,000 to 90,000 passengers in Southeast Brabant had been travelling by bus for free every day as a result. It was not until Wednesday afternoon that the malfunction was fixed. According to a spokesman, the problem arose when the new timetable went into effect during the night from Saturday to Sunday. ,,For this, the software also had to be adjusted and something went wrong there. Checking in and out was not possible in most buses since then." Hermes provides bus transport throughout Southeast Brabant. A ride normally costs about 2 euros on average, according to a spokesman, and the malfunction cost the company between 150,000 and 200,000 euros daily as a result. ,,Very annoying and also a financial noose for us. We cannot recover the money from travellers afterwards either. Fortunately, so it has now been solved." For Hermes, the breakdown is a new setback in an already difficult period. The carrier has been struggling for a long time with a severe shortage of drivers, as a result of which its timetable had to be sharply reduced. This is also reducing revenues. Problems expected to continue throughout 2024.
Source: bd.nl
Sabic sentenced to 10 million euros in fine
Fire on the Chemelot site on November 9, 2015
Chemical company Sabic has been sentenced to a fine of 10 million euros for endangering employees during maintenance work. Two incidents left one person dead and two seriously injured. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) had demanded a fine of 25 million euros. The court agrees with the Public Prosecution Service that Sabic was negligent, but the court imposes a lower fine. Intention has not been proven, Sabic is guilty. When reducing the fine demanded, the court took into account the fact that the accident happened eight years ago.
Theory and practice
The court ruled against four companies on Tuesday: Sabic, OCI, AnQore and Borealis. The latter was acquitted. The court also ruled that the Chemelot organization itself, as holder of the umbrella license for the entire Chemelot complex, is not responsible for the accidents at individual factories.
The incidents mainly took place in the period 2015-2017. The common thread in the Public Prosecution Service's argument was: on paper the chemical companies had their affairs in order, but unfortunately the practice was different. And the companies knew that, the Public Prosecution Service stated during the substantive hearing of the lawsuit at the end of last year.
Sabic
The demand of 25 million euros against Sabic was by far the highest demand in this process. Sabic is the largest company at the Chemelot complex.
The public prosecutor called the chemical company 'amateurish' when it comes to safety. This involved four serious incidents. One of the accidents during maintenance work left one person dead and one seriously injured. Another accident left someone seriously injured.
Inconsiderate
It has not been proven that naphtha was deliberately released during the accidents, but Sabic is guilty because the installation was not properly maintained, the court said. Among other things, the label on a valve was inadequate. According to the court, Sabic "acted negligently and carelessly".
The court also finds that Sabic can be blamed for the fact that a loose roof of a tank storage facility did not close properly, causing a major problem. In another incident (leakage), according to the court, Sabic waited far too long to report the incident. All in all, the court sentenced Sabic to a fine of 10 million euros.
OCI
"Utterly disturbing" was the opinion of the Public Prosecution Service at the end of last year about the safety policy of chemical company OCI Nitrogen (fertilizer, melanin). The Public Prosecution Service demanded a fine of 2.5 million euros. The factory had already started up and some insulation work still had to be done. A boiler ruptured due to an error. A heavy fire lasting half an hour followed. There were no injuries. The court finds that OCI did not take sufficient measures to prevent the accident. Process safety has not been properly monitored. OCI has been sentenced to a fine of 360,000 euros.
AnQore
The Public Prosecution Service had also demanded a fine of 2.5 million euros against chemical company AnQore for endangering technicians during maintenance work at the ACN factory. Very poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas was released. Seven people had to be taken to hospital for evaluation, but no one was injured. The court finds that AnQore has taken too few precautions. It was not sufficiently clear to the technicians what had to be done. And the company did not immediately sound a siren alarm. AnQore receives a fine of 360,000 euros.
Borealis
The case against Borealis was by far the smallest in this process. The Public Prosecution Service accused the company of making a mistake when reporting a fire. A fine of 45,000 euros was demanded for this. According to the court, the company's report was correct, but the error lay with the central control room. Therefore, Borealis was acquitted
Not co-responsible
At the end of last year, the Public Prosecution Service demanded a fine of 7.5 million against Chemelot Site Permit (CSP), holder of the umbrella permit for the entire industrial complex, of which 5 million was conditional. Safety and the environment are Chemelot's driving forces. But this does not make Chemelot responsible in a legal sense if companies may make mistakes in their own factory, Chemelot stated during the hearing of the lawsuit.
According to the court, CSP is not responsible for the way in which the various companies organize their business processes in the factory. And therefore the Chemelot organization is not responsible for violations. The court acquitted the Chemelot organization. The management of CSP is pleased "that the court does not agree with the image that the Public Prosecution Service has sketched about the role of Chemelot Site Permit. That image also does not correspond with the intention with which CSP started twenty years ago from the companies."
Source: https://www.1limburg.nl/nieuws/2546427/sabic-veroordeeld-tot-10-miljoen-euro-boete
The administration of the sperm donor bank of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), which was closed in 2004, was very poor. It is not possible to determine who the donor is for 80 of the 1,141 registered descendants because the registration data are missing. This is evident from internal research by the hospital. The research also shows that the sperm from nine donors was used much more often than the maximum of 25 times allowed under the guideline. These nine donors have fathered more than 400 children, according to Martin Schalij, member of the board of directors. Almost 90 children have been conceived with sperm from one donor. "We find that a very worrying figure." The hospital calls on mothers and offspring who are related to the sperm donor bank to come forward.
The rule that sperm donors in the Netherlands may father a maximum of 25 children, divided among twelve women, came into effect in 1992. For example, incest and inbreeding must be prevented. If half-brothers and half-sisters have children together, there is a greater risk of hereditary defects. “And that chance is certainly not zero,” says Schalij. The women who used the sperm donor bank at the time almost all came from the west of the country, in the postcode areas 2000 to 3000. As a result, the offspring are not sufficiently spread geographically and there is a real risk that half-sisters and half-brothers will start a relationship with each other. The case at the LUMC should not be confused with recent reports about another fertility clinic in Leiden. Last week it emerged that a laboratory technician from the Medical Center for Birth Control Foundation (SMCG) had at least eleven children conceived with his own sperm in the years 1979-1984. This clinic was also located in Leiden, but has nothing to do with the LUMC. The laboratory technician in question was not registered as a sperm donor.
The case of the LUMC, which was still called the AZL when the sperm donor bank started in 1977, is not an incident. In recent years, more and more examples have emerged of other clinics where the administration was also a mess. There were also doctors who used their own sperm as donor sperm, without women or couples knowing about it.
Cesspool
Jan Karbaat is one of the most infamous . As far as we know, he has approximately 80 donor children of whom he is the biological father.
A more recent case is the gynecologist Jan Wildschut. He has fathered at least 60 donor children with his own sperm at the Sophia Hospital in Zwolle. Wildschut was one of the founders of the LUMC's sperm donor bank. However, he is said to have left before the donor bank became operational in 1977.
According to Schalij, no indication has been found that Wildschut also used his own sperm in Leiden. This is confirmed by a group of donor children from Wildschut who had their own research done.
Clean house
Schalij calls on all other clinics to jointly conduct an investigation, as the LUMC has done. "It may be that all other sperm banks had everything in order in detail, but I would not be surprised if more questions arise. I think it would be good to make a clean sweep in one go." Ties van der Meer of the Donor Child Foundation encourages such research. "What we see so far is the tip of the iceberg. We know that files and archives are also not in order at many other hospitals."
Family secret
At Fiom, the expertise center in the field of kinship questions, it is expected that this news will cause some unrest, among donor children and donors, but also among parents. "Children often do not know that they were conceived with donor sperm, this is a big family secret," says Janneke Maas, specialist in donor conception at Fiom. "It is important that parents are open with their children, even if they are in their thirties or forties" Both Fiom and the Donor Child Foundation help parents and donor children to have such a conversation . They also teach people how to deal with the news that they have dozens of half-sisters and half-brothers, for example. "We have a whole network of experienced experts who are also professional care providers," says Van der Meer. "We are always available for parents, donor children and donors."
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2505093-administratieve-chaos-bij-lumc-van-80-kinderen-is-de-donor-niet-terug-te-vinden
Inspectorate intervenes: Ambulance care Groningen under increased supervision
Ambulance care Groningen will be under increased supervision by the Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ) for the next six months. The ongoing unrest at the ambulance service is reason for the IGJ to intervene now.
The measure means that the inspectorate will keep a close eye on whether and how peace is restored in the organization for six months. If this does not work or is not successful enough, this may be a reason for a follow-up measure. What that could be is left unclear.
The IGJ notes that there is no direct danger to patient safety. But the administrative chaos in the organization must be resolved as quickly as possible. It is currently unclear whether the improvement measures that have been initiated will lead to the desired result. The organization is vulnerable, according to the IGJ. 'This can lead to risky situations for the quality of care and patient safety.'
History
The unrest was caused by transgressive behavior, insecurity and distrust in the workplace. The inspectorate has been working on the issue for some time. In May 2022, IGJ employees noted various shortcomings during a visit to Ambulance Care Groningen. Internal business processes, such as disaster reporting and investigation, are under pressure.
Risky situation
In January 2023, the alarm bells went off when the chairman of the Supervisory Board informed the inspectorate that the entire top management had been dismissed or resigned. In addition, there is a high turnover among team managers. This situation is characterized as 'risky'.
According to the then interim manager, the quality and continuity of patient care were not at risk. But the medical manager thought differently and previously informed the Supervisory Board in writing.
Three interim directors in a row
The appointed interim director drew up an improvement plan. Its implementation was left to his successor, who was also appointed on a temporary basis. He in turn had to leave the field after accusations of undesirable behavior against him. Ambulancezorg Groningen is now ready for the third interim director in a row.
Insufficient monitoring of patient safety
The time has come for the inspectorate to take formal action now, because internal control over the quality of care and patient safety is still insufficient. 'Ambulance care Groningen therefore does not meet the necessary conditions for good care with regard to systematic monitoring, control and improving the quality of care.'
Signals regarding safety were picked up late
The final report of the IGJ shows that (too) much time was lost as far as the inspection is concerned: 'The inspectorate finds it remarkable that only after the delivery of the change plan (2023) was noticed by the (interim) board and the Supervisory Board that many shortcomings arise. (...). In addition, the inspectorate concludes that the seriousness of the signals regarding culture and safety were not recognized in a timely manner and that they were not adequately addressed.'
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/1111167/inspectie-grijpt-in-ambulancezorg-groningen-onder-verscherpt-toezicht
Urk fishing companies also victims of the Rutten fire
Urk fishing companies have also been affected by the major fire at De Groene Agri in Rutten. That's what the Urkerland writes. According to the newspaper, several fishing companies used the cooling facilities in Rutten. Large quantities of fish were stored there.
The fire started around 8 a.m. on Tuesday in a cell where chicory roots were stored. Putting out the fire became a huge operation. According to Urkerland, the news surrounding the fire was followed with suspicion at various Urk offices. Fishing company Dayseaday estimated on Wednesday that it had stocked approximately one million euros worth of fish. The fire also had major consequences for Visscher Seafood. Due to an expansion of the insurance policy, part of the stock was temporarily not insured. On Wednesday it turned out that a large part of the stock was in a cell that was not involved in the fire, but the damage was still extensive.
Large-scale deployment
To extinguish the fire, fire brigades from the surrounding area were called to Rutten. The help of a crash tender from Lelystad Airport , a special fire engine made to extinguish aircraft fires, was also called in. In addition, two extinguishing robots from Rotterdam and the Overijssel village of Wesepe were called in, because it became too dangerous for firefighters to enter the building. Nevertheless, it was difficult to extinguish the fire. The fire was only brought under control after 8 p.m. In total, the fire brigade spent a day and a half extinguishing the fire and conducting follow-up checks. Thousands of liters of water were involved.
Source: https://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/362764/urker-visbedrijven-ook-slachtoffer-van-brand-rutten
New-build apartments must be demolished again after construction errors
An error during construction has major consequences for a new apartment building on Repellaan in Schaijk. The foundation is too low and needs to be raised, but that is not possible without demolishing the building under construction and starting over. The construction of the 24 social rental apartments, on the site of an old supermarket, has been at a standstill for more than six months. Since then, there has only been a carcass of concrete walls. Nothing has happened on the construction site for months. The bricks for the exterior walls lie unused on pallets in front of the apartment complex. Construction scaffolding is waiting against the facade. Initially there was a plan to jack up the building. This means that the building is lifted to raise the floor. But a company that specializes in this type of work has announced that lifting is not possible in this case.
Materials are reused.
That is why construction company Van Herpen and landlord Brabant Wonen have decided to demolish the entire building, raise the foundation and then rebuild it. "The intention in the new plan is to reuse as many building materials as possible. Only the sand-lime brick walls cannot be reused," a spokesperson for Brabant Wonen said. 'Lifting' the building would take approximately three months. Taking the entire building apart and starting over takes almost six months. "The building is dismantled down to the load-bearing inner walls of the ground floor. The floor is then raised before everything is rebuilt again. First the left side of the building is tackled and then the right side. At the same time, it is not possible to get through the space available on the construction site."
Residents will not be able to move in until later
The apartment complex will house homes for small families, couples and singles. The delay in construction is especially a bitter pill for future residents. Initially, the building was expected to be completed at the end of last year. That will now be spring 2025.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4397694/nieuwbouwappartementen-moeten-weer-worden-afgebroken-na-bouwfout
Bus operator Hermes loses tons of revenue due to problem with check-in system
Bus operator Hermes is losing tons of revenue due to a problem with its check-in system. Since Sunday morning, 70,000 to 90,000 passengers in Southeast Brabant had been travelling by bus for free every day as a result. It was not until Wednesday afternoon that the malfunction was fixed. According to a spokesman, the problem arose when the new timetable went into effect during the night from Saturday to Sunday. ,,For this, the software also had to be adjusted and something went wrong there. Checking in and out was not possible in most buses since then." Hermes provides bus transport throughout Southeast Brabant. A ride normally costs about 2 euros on average, according to a spokesman, and the malfunction cost the company between 150,000 and 200,000 euros daily as a result. ,,Very annoying and also a financial noose for us. We cannot recover the money from travellers afterwards either. Fortunately, so it has now been solved." For Hermes, the breakdown is a new setback in an already difficult period. The carrier has been struggling for a long time with a severe shortage of drivers, as a result of which its timetable had to be sharply reduced. This is also reducing revenues. Problems expected to continue throughout 2024.
Source: bd.nl
Sabic sentenced to 10 million euros in fine
Fire on the Chemelot site on November 9, 2015
Chemical company Sabic has been sentenced to a fine of 10 million euros for endangering employees during maintenance work. Two incidents left one person dead and two seriously injured. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) had demanded a fine of 25 million euros. The court agrees with the Public Prosecution Service that Sabic was negligent, but the court imposes a lower fine. Intention has not been proven, Sabic is guilty. When reducing the fine demanded, the court took into account the fact that the accident happened eight years ago.
Theory and practice
The court ruled against four companies on Tuesday: Sabic, OCI, AnQore and Borealis. The latter was acquitted. The court also ruled that the Chemelot organization itself, as holder of the umbrella license for the entire Chemelot complex, is not responsible for the accidents at individual factories.
The incidents mainly took place in the period 2015-2017. The common thread in the Public Prosecution Service's argument was: on paper the chemical companies had their affairs in order, but unfortunately the practice was different. And the companies knew that, the Public Prosecution Service stated during the substantive hearing of the lawsuit at the end of last year.
Sabic
The demand of 25 million euros against Sabic was by far the highest demand in this process. Sabic is the largest company at the Chemelot complex.
The public prosecutor called the chemical company 'amateurish' when it comes to safety. This involved four serious incidents. One of the accidents during maintenance work left one person dead and one seriously injured. Another accident left someone seriously injured.
Inconsiderate
It has not been proven that naphtha was deliberately released during the accidents, but Sabic is guilty because the installation was not properly maintained, the court said. Among other things, the label on a valve was inadequate. According to the court, Sabic "acted negligently and carelessly".
The court also finds that Sabic can be blamed for the fact that a loose roof of a tank storage facility did not close properly, causing a major problem. In another incident (leakage), according to the court, Sabic waited far too long to report the incident. All in all, the court sentenced Sabic to a fine of 10 million euros.
OCI
"Utterly disturbing" was the opinion of the Public Prosecution Service at the end of last year about the safety policy of chemical company OCI Nitrogen (fertilizer, melanin). The Public Prosecution Service demanded a fine of 2.5 million euros. The factory had already started up and some insulation work still had to be done. A boiler ruptured due to an error. A heavy fire lasting half an hour followed. There were no injuries. The court finds that OCI did not take sufficient measures to prevent the accident. Process safety has not been properly monitored. OCI has been sentenced to a fine of 360,000 euros.
AnQore
The Public Prosecution Service had also demanded a fine of 2.5 million euros against chemical company AnQore for endangering technicians during maintenance work at the ACN factory. Very poisonous hydrogen cyanide gas was released. Seven people had to be taken to hospital for evaluation, but no one was injured. The court finds that AnQore has taken too few precautions. It was not sufficiently clear to the technicians what had to be done. And the company did not immediately sound a siren alarm. AnQore receives a fine of 360,000 euros.
Borealis
The case against Borealis was by far the smallest in this process. The Public Prosecution Service accused the company of making a mistake when reporting a fire. A fine of 45,000 euros was demanded for this. According to the court, the company's report was correct, but the error lay with the central control room. Therefore, Borealis was acquitted
Not co-responsible
At the end of last year, the Public Prosecution Service demanded a fine of 7.5 million against Chemelot Site Permit (CSP), holder of the umbrella permit for the entire industrial complex, of which 5 million was conditional. Safety and the environment are Chemelot's driving forces. But this does not make Chemelot responsible in a legal sense if companies may make mistakes in their own factory, Chemelot stated during the hearing of the lawsuit.
According to the court, CSP is not responsible for the way in which the various companies organize their business processes in the factory. And therefore the Chemelot organization is not responsible for violations. The court acquitted the Chemelot organization. The management of CSP is pleased "that the court does not agree with the image that the Public Prosecution Service has sketched about the role of Chemelot Site Permit. That image also does not correspond with the intention with which CSP started twenty years ago from the companies."
Source: https://www.1limburg.nl/nieuws/2546427/sabic-veroordeeld-tot-10-miljoen-euro-boete
Translated from Dutch to English with Google translate