Headlines August
Major train disturbance again caused by ProRail's failing backup system
The major train disturbance that occurred last Sunday was partly caused by a failing backup system of ProRail. The VVD has asked State Secretary Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management for clarification today. Due to an ICT failure, train traffic around Rotterdam was halted on Sunday evening, which disrupted train traffic in the west of the country. Important information about the position of trains in the Rotterdam region is received via the computers of the traffic control centre in Rotterdam. Due to a malfunction in one of the systems ProRail could not see where the trains were located. The computer system is redundant. In the event of a failure, ProRail should be able to fall back on a backup system.
"Unfortunately, this backup did not function properly. An extensive investigation is being conducted into the cause of this, but it seems that it was due to a fault in the software. Multiple systems stopped working as a result," ProRail said in a statement. A major train failure in April of this year that prevented trains from running across the country was partly caused by a failing backup system. Last September, ProRail decided to halt train traffic nationwide after problems arose with telephone servers and the initial backup of these systems did not work.
"Are you familiar with the fact that in 2015 a stress test was conducted on ProRail's ict systems? What lessons were learned from that? And could the disruptions of 2021 and 2022 have been prevented in that light?" asks VVD MP Minhas to the State Secretary. She must also let us know whether she is prepared to have a new stress test carried out into the vulnerability of vital systems that must ensure that the rail network continues to operate. Minhas also wants to know what actions Heijnen has taken after the previous major disruptions on the rail network. The State Secretary has three weeks to come up with a response.
Source: https://www.security.nl/posting/763403/Grote+treinstoring+opnieuw+veroorzaakt+door+falend+back-upsysteem+ProRail?channel=twitter
More than 100 dental offices closed for days due to cyber attack
More than 100 dental practices will be forced to close their doors for the next few days. It concerns practices of Colosseum Dental Benelux, a large company with more than 130 branches in Belgium and the Netherlands. The company has been hit by a cyber attack and will report it to the police. The company has also informed the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP). This is confirmed by Colosseum Dental Benelux after questions from RTL Z. Companies are required to inform the AP when there is a data breach. "Where necessary, we will also contact those whose interests may have been affected by this incident," reports a spokesperson for Colosseum Dental Benelux.
120 locations closed
Due to the attack, dental offices in the Netherlands have been closed since Thursday. It is unclear what exactly happened. The company keeps it to a "cyber incident", which affected approximately 120 Dutch locations. Colosseum Dental expects practices to reopen sparingly next week. According to a well-informed source, staff does not have access to customers' patient histories. "This unfortunately has all the hallmarks of a ransomware attack," said Dave Maasland CEO of cybersecurity firm ESET Netherlands. "The shutdown of an operation, not being able to access systems or websites, reporting to the police and a notification to the AP, all point in that direction," Maasland says. He does not rule out the possibility that it could be another type of attack, but considers that chance to be small. "In the current wave of cyber incidents, unfortunately, it's almost always ransomware."
Restoring systems
The company is currently working on restoring the systems, and is investigating the incident together with external parties. Due to the ongoing investigation, the spokesperson does not want to share more information. Which party is behind the incident, and whether patient data was captured, he would not share. Colosseum Dental Benelux has more than 130 locations in the Netherlands and Belgium, treating some 600,000 patients annually, the company's site states. The attack only affected the approximately 120 Dutch sites. A spokesperson reveals that Belgium or other countries were not involved in the incident.
Source:l https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/bedrijven/artikel/5325232/meer-dan-100-tandartspraktijken-dicht-door-cyberaanval
Concrete producer in Groningen at a loss for words due to low river water levels
The drought causes low water levels in the Rhine, Waal and IJssel, with significant consequences for inland shipping. The supply of sand and gravel is faltering, they also notice at concrete producer Theo Pouw in Groningen and in the Eemshaven. It's a drama', sighs manager Peter Heideveld of the Theo Pouw Groep. He refers to the increasing problems in the production of concrete mortar by a lack of supply of gravel. For example, if I need three thousand tons of soil, that is normally supplied by one ship. Now it has to be done by two ships.'
Ships can only be loaded half way
For the production of concrete, his company uses a special type of gravel from the Sauerland, needed for fire-resistant concrete, which is transported to the Netherlands via the Rhine, Heideveld explains. Because the water level in this important transport artery is extremely low at the moment, the ships can only be loaded for half at the most: "That means a doubling of costs. On top of that there is a low water surcharge for the carriers.' It can be even worse, says Heideveld: 'The other day, one of our own ships was sent away empty from the port of Amsterdam because there was simply no gravel to transport.'
War in Ukraine
The low water levels are not the only cause of the lack of transport capacity. Europe's inland waterway skippers can barely handle the work anymore. This is also a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Because Putin has virtually stopped the supply of gas to Germany, German coal-fired power plants are being fired up again to meet energy demand. This requires a lot of coal that has to be brought in by ships on the Rhine. Another part of the inland shipping fleet is busy exporting Ukrainian grain via the Danube, which would normally be done by large ocean-going vessels via the Black Sea.
Three price increases
In short, lack of transport capacity, vessels and cargo capacity are causing a shortage of raw materials, such as sand and gravel. Scarcity drives up the price; that is an economic law of nature. Heideveld also observes this: 'We have already had to raise the price of our concrete three times in one year. It is now fifty percent more expensive than a year ago.' For his company, these price increases are not in themselves a major problem, says Heideveld: 'In all contracts with our customers there is a clause that we pass on these kinds of cost increases.'
Additional costs for customers
The extra costs will therefore be passed on to the customers. One of them is contractor Combinatie Herepoort, which is working on the construction of the new southern ring road in Groningen. Apart from the increased production costs, there is a chance that builders will have to wait longer for their orders because of the faltering supply of raw materials. That could have far-reaching consequences. Heideveld: 'It all depends. We have had to postpone several deliveries. That means that certain parts of a project are delayed. If no other work is scheduled for after that, it's not so bad. But if they have to wait for a concrete pour, it's a different story.' Heideveld expects the problems to prove even greater after the construction period than they already are. Bert Kramer, environment manager at Combinatie Herepoort, reacts with surprise to Heideveld's statements. 'I can't confirm it,' says Kramer. 'There's a bit less work at the moment because of the construction holidays. Many people in the organization are on vacation; that's why I can't say anything about it right now.'
No shortage of gravel and sand yet
Customers of BCG (Betonmortel Centrale Groningen) also have to reckon with extra costs due to the low water levels, according to an announcement on the company's website. But there is no shortage of supply of gravel and sand (yet), says concrete mixer Tom Kremer: "So far we manage. Moreover, it is now construction season. So the demand is also somewhat less. In extreme cases, we can still use material from the sea. But you'd rather not, because the quality is lower.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/946020/groningse-betonproducent-met-de-handen-in-het-haar-door-lage-rivierwaterstanden?swipePagination=ee587f27-b160-5cc0-9fbd-59d687b3d14b
Zinc plant goes into 'sleep mode' due to high energy costs
Metal company Nyrstar is temporarily closing its zinc smelter in Budel due to high energy costs. The Dutch plant, which has not been running at full capacity since late last year for the same reason, will be put into a kind of hibernation mode that is normally used for maintenance work. There will be no layoffs, according to the company. The staff, some 430 people, will be given other tasks such as maintenance of the installations. They will also attend training courses. How long the closure will last, Nyrstar can not yet say. According to the company, the situation is 'continuously evaluated'. The zinc smelter in Budel is one of the largest in Europe and can produce up to 315,000 tons per year. Nyrstar is keeping other plants in Balen, Belgium, and Aubry, France, open for the time being. Those plants have also been producing less than they can since late last year and regularly adjust their production to changing prices.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4133957/zinkfabriek-gaat-in-de-slaapstand-vanwege-hoge-energiekosten
Patient safety at Zwolle Heart Center at risk'.
Cardiac care at the Isala Heart Center in Zwolle is in serious trouble and patient safety is at stake. Internal documents in the possession of the Volkskrant show that the waiting lists are increasing, partly due to a conflict about the replacement of two suspended cardiologists who are suspected of corruption. "Patient safety and the continuity of patient care" are at stake, the hospital board writes in a letter sent to the cardiology department last week. "The waiting lists are getting longer and longer, and current care is also struggling to be filled." Other internal documents show that there are now over 7,000 patients on the outpatient waiting list. In March, there were 3,000.
Additional cardiologists already recruited
It now takes too long for patients to get to the heart center in Zwolle after a referral from their family doctor, the hospital reports. According to the documents, this deteriorates their health and increases the likelihood that they will end up in the emergency room for heart patients. Isala says it is doing everything it can to prevent patient unsafety. Additional cardiologists from other hospitals have already been recruited and two new cardiologists are also being sought. Furthermore, there are talks with "parties in the region" to see if they can support the hospital and agreements have been made with other heart centers to take over patients in acute situations.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2441210-patientveiligheid-hartcentrum-isala-zwolle-in-gevaar
Power failure in Slingeland Hospital
Since Monday afternoon 29 August 16.30 hours, the Slingeland Hospital has been confronted with a power failure. The hospital is currently still running on emergency generators. The cause of the failure has now been found. We will be working through the night with all our might to solve the problem as quickly as possible. We hope to be able to switch back to regular power supply on Tuesday morning.
Consequences for patient care
We are doing our utmost to allow regular care to continue as much as possible on Tuesday, with as few consequences for patients as possible. In doing so, patient safety is paramount. All appointments at the outpatient clinic will continue on Tuesday in any case. We will call patients whose appointment or intervention cannot take place on Tuesday as soon as possible. We may not be able to reach all patients in time. They will be informed in the hospital. We hope for your understanding.
Stop on intakes remains in force
The intake stop will remain in effect and the acute doors will remain closed for the time being. This concerns the Emergency Department, CCU, ICU, Acute Paediatrics and Obstetrics.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2442541-stroomstoring-bij-ziekenhuis-in-doetinchem-tijdelijke-opnamestop
Philips extends recall for respirators
Philips has expanded a recall for respirators from 43 to 1,700 units. They may contain faulty plastic parts. If these get into the motor, chemical substances can be released. Also, a device can suddenly fail. The Philips Respironics subsidiary has not received any reports of complaints from patients, but is recalling devices to prevent incidents. The company will repair or replace them. Not all produced devices are being recalled, only those with a certain serial number. These do not include devices sold in the Netherlands, but hundreds in the United States. Philips got into trouble last year because millions of sleep apnea devices had to be recalled for similar reasons. Top man Frans van Houten is stepping down early on October 15. Roy Jacobs will succeed him. He is currently the person with final responsibility at Philips for the recall of these devices.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2442545-philips-breidt-terugroepactie-beademingsapparaten-uit
The major train disturbance that occurred last Sunday was partly caused by a failing backup system of ProRail. The VVD has asked State Secretary Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management for clarification today. Due to an ICT failure, train traffic around Rotterdam was halted on Sunday evening, which disrupted train traffic in the west of the country. Important information about the position of trains in the Rotterdam region is received via the computers of the traffic control centre in Rotterdam. Due to a malfunction in one of the systems ProRail could not see where the trains were located. The computer system is redundant. In the event of a failure, ProRail should be able to fall back on a backup system.
"Unfortunately, this backup did not function properly. An extensive investigation is being conducted into the cause of this, but it seems that it was due to a fault in the software. Multiple systems stopped working as a result," ProRail said in a statement. A major train failure in April of this year that prevented trains from running across the country was partly caused by a failing backup system. Last September, ProRail decided to halt train traffic nationwide after problems arose with telephone servers and the initial backup of these systems did not work.
"Are you familiar with the fact that in 2015 a stress test was conducted on ProRail's ict systems? What lessons were learned from that? And could the disruptions of 2021 and 2022 have been prevented in that light?" asks VVD MP Minhas to the State Secretary. She must also let us know whether she is prepared to have a new stress test carried out into the vulnerability of vital systems that must ensure that the rail network continues to operate. Minhas also wants to know what actions Heijnen has taken after the previous major disruptions on the rail network. The State Secretary has three weeks to come up with a response.
Source: https://www.security.nl/posting/763403/Grote+treinstoring+opnieuw+veroorzaakt+door+falend+back-upsysteem+ProRail?channel=twitter
More than 100 dental offices closed for days due to cyber attack
More than 100 dental practices will be forced to close their doors for the next few days. It concerns practices of Colosseum Dental Benelux, a large company with more than 130 branches in Belgium and the Netherlands. The company has been hit by a cyber attack and will report it to the police. The company has also informed the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP). This is confirmed by Colosseum Dental Benelux after questions from RTL Z. Companies are required to inform the AP when there is a data breach. "Where necessary, we will also contact those whose interests may have been affected by this incident," reports a spokesperson for Colosseum Dental Benelux.
120 locations closed
Due to the attack, dental offices in the Netherlands have been closed since Thursday. It is unclear what exactly happened. The company keeps it to a "cyber incident", which affected approximately 120 Dutch locations. Colosseum Dental expects practices to reopen sparingly next week. According to a well-informed source, staff does not have access to customers' patient histories. "This unfortunately has all the hallmarks of a ransomware attack," said Dave Maasland CEO of cybersecurity firm ESET Netherlands. "The shutdown of an operation, not being able to access systems or websites, reporting to the police and a notification to the AP, all point in that direction," Maasland says. He does not rule out the possibility that it could be another type of attack, but considers that chance to be small. "In the current wave of cyber incidents, unfortunately, it's almost always ransomware."
Restoring systems
The company is currently working on restoring the systems, and is investigating the incident together with external parties. Due to the ongoing investigation, the spokesperson does not want to share more information. Which party is behind the incident, and whether patient data was captured, he would not share. Colosseum Dental Benelux has more than 130 locations in the Netherlands and Belgium, treating some 600,000 patients annually, the company's site states. The attack only affected the approximately 120 Dutch sites. A spokesperson reveals that Belgium or other countries were not involved in the incident.
Source:l https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/bedrijven/artikel/5325232/meer-dan-100-tandartspraktijken-dicht-door-cyberaanval
Concrete producer in Groningen at a loss for words due to low river water levels
The drought causes low water levels in the Rhine, Waal and IJssel, with significant consequences for inland shipping. The supply of sand and gravel is faltering, they also notice at concrete producer Theo Pouw in Groningen and in the Eemshaven. It's a drama', sighs manager Peter Heideveld of the Theo Pouw Groep. He refers to the increasing problems in the production of concrete mortar by a lack of supply of gravel. For example, if I need three thousand tons of soil, that is normally supplied by one ship. Now it has to be done by two ships.'
Ships can only be loaded half way
For the production of concrete, his company uses a special type of gravel from the Sauerland, needed for fire-resistant concrete, which is transported to the Netherlands via the Rhine, Heideveld explains. Because the water level in this important transport artery is extremely low at the moment, the ships can only be loaded for half at the most: "That means a doubling of costs. On top of that there is a low water surcharge for the carriers.' It can be even worse, says Heideveld: 'The other day, one of our own ships was sent away empty from the port of Amsterdam because there was simply no gravel to transport.'
War in Ukraine
The low water levels are not the only cause of the lack of transport capacity. Europe's inland waterway skippers can barely handle the work anymore. This is also a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Because Putin has virtually stopped the supply of gas to Germany, German coal-fired power plants are being fired up again to meet energy demand. This requires a lot of coal that has to be brought in by ships on the Rhine. Another part of the inland shipping fleet is busy exporting Ukrainian grain via the Danube, which would normally be done by large ocean-going vessels via the Black Sea.
Three price increases
In short, lack of transport capacity, vessels and cargo capacity are causing a shortage of raw materials, such as sand and gravel. Scarcity drives up the price; that is an economic law of nature. Heideveld also observes this: 'We have already had to raise the price of our concrete three times in one year. It is now fifty percent more expensive than a year ago.' For his company, these price increases are not in themselves a major problem, says Heideveld: 'In all contracts with our customers there is a clause that we pass on these kinds of cost increases.'
Additional costs for customers
The extra costs will therefore be passed on to the customers. One of them is contractor Combinatie Herepoort, which is working on the construction of the new southern ring road in Groningen. Apart from the increased production costs, there is a chance that builders will have to wait longer for their orders because of the faltering supply of raw materials. That could have far-reaching consequences. Heideveld: 'It all depends. We have had to postpone several deliveries. That means that certain parts of a project are delayed. If no other work is scheduled for after that, it's not so bad. But if they have to wait for a concrete pour, it's a different story.' Heideveld expects the problems to prove even greater after the construction period than they already are. Bert Kramer, environment manager at Combinatie Herepoort, reacts with surprise to Heideveld's statements. 'I can't confirm it,' says Kramer. 'There's a bit less work at the moment because of the construction holidays. Many people in the organization are on vacation; that's why I can't say anything about it right now.'
No shortage of gravel and sand yet
Customers of BCG (Betonmortel Centrale Groningen) also have to reckon with extra costs due to the low water levels, according to an announcement on the company's website. But there is no shortage of supply of gravel and sand (yet), says concrete mixer Tom Kremer: "So far we manage. Moreover, it is now construction season. So the demand is also somewhat less. In extreme cases, we can still use material from the sea. But you'd rather not, because the quality is lower.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/946020/groningse-betonproducent-met-de-handen-in-het-haar-door-lage-rivierwaterstanden?swipePagination=ee587f27-b160-5cc0-9fbd-59d687b3d14b
Zinc plant goes into 'sleep mode' due to high energy costs
Metal company Nyrstar is temporarily closing its zinc smelter in Budel due to high energy costs. The Dutch plant, which has not been running at full capacity since late last year for the same reason, will be put into a kind of hibernation mode that is normally used for maintenance work. There will be no layoffs, according to the company. The staff, some 430 people, will be given other tasks such as maintenance of the installations. They will also attend training courses. How long the closure will last, Nyrstar can not yet say. According to the company, the situation is 'continuously evaluated'. The zinc smelter in Budel is one of the largest in Europe and can produce up to 315,000 tons per year. Nyrstar is keeping other plants in Balen, Belgium, and Aubry, France, open for the time being. Those plants have also been producing less than they can since late last year and regularly adjust their production to changing prices.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4133957/zinkfabriek-gaat-in-de-slaapstand-vanwege-hoge-energiekosten
Patient safety at Zwolle Heart Center at risk'.
Cardiac care at the Isala Heart Center in Zwolle is in serious trouble and patient safety is at stake. Internal documents in the possession of the Volkskrant show that the waiting lists are increasing, partly due to a conflict about the replacement of two suspended cardiologists who are suspected of corruption. "Patient safety and the continuity of patient care" are at stake, the hospital board writes in a letter sent to the cardiology department last week. "The waiting lists are getting longer and longer, and current care is also struggling to be filled." Other internal documents show that there are now over 7,000 patients on the outpatient waiting list. In March, there were 3,000.
Additional cardiologists already recruited
It now takes too long for patients to get to the heart center in Zwolle after a referral from their family doctor, the hospital reports. According to the documents, this deteriorates their health and increases the likelihood that they will end up in the emergency room for heart patients. Isala says it is doing everything it can to prevent patient unsafety. Additional cardiologists from other hospitals have already been recruited and two new cardiologists are also being sought. Furthermore, there are talks with "parties in the region" to see if they can support the hospital and agreements have been made with other heart centers to take over patients in acute situations.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2441210-patientveiligheid-hartcentrum-isala-zwolle-in-gevaar
Power failure in Slingeland Hospital
Since Monday afternoon 29 August 16.30 hours, the Slingeland Hospital has been confronted with a power failure. The hospital is currently still running on emergency generators. The cause of the failure has now been found. We will be working through the night with all our might to solve the problem as quickly as possible. We hope to be able to switch back to regular power supply on Tuesday morning.
Consequences for patient care
We are doing our utmost to allow regular care to continue as much as possible on Tuesday, with as few consequences for patients as possible. In doing so, patient safety is paramount. All appointments at the outpatient clinic will continue on Tuesday in any case. We will call patients whose appointment or intervention cannot take place on Tuesday as soon as possible. We may not be able to reach all patients in time. They will be informed in the hospital. We hope for your understanding.
Stop on intakes remains in force
The intake stop will remain in effect and the acute doors will remain closed for the time being. This concerns the Emergency Department, CCU, ICU, Acute Paediatrics and Obstetrics.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2442541-stroomstoring-bij-ziekenhuis-in-doetinchem-tijdelijke-opnamestop
Philips extends recall for respirators
Philips has expanded a recall for respirators from 43 to 1,700 units. They may contain faulty plastic parts. If these get into the motor, chemical substances can be released. Also, a device can suddenly fail. The Philips Respironics subsidiary has not received any reports of complaints from patients, but is recalling devices to prevent incidents. The company will repair or replace them. Not all produced devices are being recalled, only those with a certain serial number. These do not include devices sold in the Netherlands, but hundreds in the United States. Philips got into trouble last year because millions of sleep apnea devices had to be recalled for similar reasons. Top man Frans van Houten is stepping down early on October 15. Roy Jacobs will succeed him. He is currently the person with final responsibility at Philips for the recall of these devices.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2442545-philips-breidt-terugroepactie-beademingsapparaten-uit
Translated from Dutch to English with Google translate