RMQA Team Meets on Developing a More Robust Risk Management Strategy at IRRI

The Risk Management Quality Assurance (RMQA) team convened to discuss a comprehensive approach for preventing  the occurrence and reducing the impact of hazardous  events at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Spearheaded by RMQA Senior Manager Menchu Bernardo, the 33-member team formed the steering committee for the 1st Safety Awareness Summit at IRRI HQ to be held in August. The summit aims to promote safety in the workplace through lectures on ergonomics, emergency and disaster preparedness, biosafety compliance, general waste management, and best field and laboratory safety practices.  The RMQA team also discussed the documentation standard operating procedure for all units where all documents will be uploaded in a common repository as part of IRRI’s Quality Management System (QMS).

Jose Luis of the Safety and Security Services presented a plan for assessing and reviewing existing safety practices used at IRRI’s laboratories, greenhouse, screenhouse, and offices in compliance with the Board-approved Occupational Health and Safety Policy.  Reah Gonzales of the Grain Quality and Nutrition Services Laboratory (GQNSL ) also shared their experience in developing QMS and SOP documentation as part of the successful renewal of the laboratories ISO 17025 accreditation.

The new members of RMQA were also introduced during the worskshop and meeting on 19 May at the IRRI Guest House. They include Francis Rubianes from Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, Cindy Llorente from GQNSL, Janet Lazarte from Human Resource Services, Fernando Artates from Financial Planning and Reporting,  and Jun Correa from Experiment Station (ES).

PBGB-RMQA Reviews Activities Through Planning Workshop

The Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology Division Risk Management and Quality Assurance (PBGB-RMQA) team held a review and planning workshop last March 20-21 at Surga, Majayjay Laguna.  The team was composed of the RMQA officers and representatives from each of the 35 groups/units within the division.  The IRRI RMQA unit facilitated the activities.

With the aim to enhance risk awareness and to continuously imbed the risk management culture in PBGB, the group reviewed the division’s Risk Register and its Business Continuity and Recovery Plan, and devised various strategies and approaches on how to better manage the risks the division is exposed to. The plans will be approved by the Division Head, Eero Nissila, and Deputy Division Head/RMQA IRS, Glenn Gregorio.    Specifically, the proposal to establish an off-site back-up seed storage facility at PhilRice for the elite breeding lines was discussed and will be initiated soon.  The participants also reviewed existing guidelines/policies such as (1) the IRRI review and publications guidelines, (2) the OU internal clearance, (3) the use of the IRRI Research Notebook and, (4) the PBGB Operations Manual and Guidelines.

The RMQA-Research Data Management (RDM) team reported on the status of the divisions’ network repository while the Biosafety Officer gave an overview of its role and functions and updated the group on issues and some policies regarding transgenics.

The PBGB RMQA Officers include: Glenn Gregorio, Vit Lopena, Norman Oliva, Joie Ramos, and Mayee Reveche. RMQA unit is composed of Menchu Bernardo (Senior Manager), Rizza Mendoza (Manager, Biosafety Office), Icoy Mercado and Dec Arreza (Research Data Management).

RMQA Holds Business Continuity Management Planning

Thirty-three IRRI staff from research, management services, operations, and external relations participated in a 2-day training workshop, Practical course on incident management and business continuity based on BS 25999, held on 1-2 December 2011 at the IRRI Guest House.

Richard Regalado, a qualified ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and BS 25999 lead assessor, was invited as course facilitator/tutor and discussed business continuity (BC) concepts and requirements of the BS 25999 standard.

Workshop activities included identification of crisis-prepared versus crisis -prone situations, strategies, policy review, prioritization of services, business impact analysis, risk assessment, and crisis communication. Sophie Clayton, head of IRRI Public Relations, joined the exercises on crisis communications.