The Integrated Lab » Regulatory http://theintegratedlab.com Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:06:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Risk management is scary http://theintegratedlab.com/2009/07/risk-management-is-scary/ http://theintegratedlab.com/2009/07/risk-management-is-scary/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:38:04 +0000 John Trigg http://theintegratedlab.com/?p=428 As if we didn’t have enough to worry about already, risk management seems to be the latest addition to our list of responsibilities in the workplace.  There was a time when risk management probably meant no more than mopping up a spillage, or sweeping up some broken glassware.  These days it’s a career.  And it [...]]]> As if we didn’t have enough to worry about already, risk management seems to be the latest addition to our list of responsibilities in the workplace.  There was a time when risk management probably meant no more than mopping up a spillage, or sweeping up some broken glassware.  These days it’s a career.  And it applies to almost any aspect, of any business, that involves making a decision.  But it also has a fear factor – what if the decision is wrong?  what will the consequences be?  Few businesses can afford to run a ‘shoot now, ask questions later’ approach to decision making.  As scientists, we all know that data driven decisions make sense; in fact, you could argue that this is part of our purpose in life, to advance knowledge by rigorously testing scientific hypotheses through the acquisition and logical interpretation of data.  But as human beings, we also take a subjective view of risk.  Siri Segalstad has authored an article ‘Do We Really Understand Risks?’, published in Scientific Computing, that looks at a comparison between subjective and objective approaches to risk.  It’s well worth reading, just to add a little perspective to some of life’s scary moments.

As an extension to this, and slightly away from the laboratory, I’ve just finished reading Bad Science by Ben Goldacre; actually, it’s the second time I’ve read it.  Ben Goldacre is a writer, broadcaster and doctor, known for his Bad Science column in the Guardian newspaper which is presented as a  weblog.  The book attacks the misuse of science, primarily in the field of medicine and nutrition.  If you work for a pharmaceutical company, it could make for some uncomfortable reading, but the underlying principles of data-based decision making and risk management will be appreciated by any scientist who has squirmed at some of the nonsense that is fed to the public at large.  And it is very funny……

]]> http://theintegratedlab.com/2009/07/risk-management-is-scary/feed/ 0 Tales from the Crypt, part deux http://theintegratedlab.com/2009/07/tales-from-the-crypt-part-deux/ http://theintegratedlab.com/2009/07/tales-from-the-crypt-part-deux/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:51:43 +0000 Sebastien Dupuis http://theintegratedlab.com/?p=347 Hello everyone! As a new contributor to The Integrated Lab and my first time ever writing a blog entry, I was wondering how I would start contributing to the site and also how do you blog?

John’s earlier post “Tales from the Crypt” gave me that answer: Document Management.  Having done some projects related to [...]]]> Hello everyone! As a new contributor to The Integrated Lab and my first time ever writing a blog entry, I was wondering how I would start contributing to the site and also how do you blog?

John’s earlier post “Tales from the Crypt” gave me that answer: Document Management.  Having done some projects related to document management, I thought I could contribute with what I know.

A good example supporting John’s point (and I’m sure it happened to others out there!) is when the lab I worked in at the time (around 1997-98) decided to upgrade our old HPLC’s controlled by PC’s with Windows 3.1 and the Chromatography software installed.  All instrument and software validation had gone well and we were up and running on the new systems when came the day where we had to review and reprint some older data.  Oops, we couldn’t retrieve the old data on the newer software.  Fortunately, we had kept the PC’s aside just for that.

A laboratory, or any organization for that matter, can store all the information it wants but if there’s no way to read that data at a later point in time, storing that data is useless.  Organizations need a well-defined strategy for managing their documents and electronic records.

AIIM is a good place to start when it comes to documents and records management.  They provide a lot of information on best practices as well as training on how to implement a documents and records management strategy.

One of the things AIIM has been doing in the last few years is pushing for the adoption of the PDF standard, which was finally adopted last year.  This adoption is a big step forward and details are available if you look for ISO 32000-1:2008 and is freely available here.

 

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