RQMA Conducts Refresher Course on Proper Use of Laboratory Oven

A refresher course, Proper Use of the Laboratory Oven: Baking 101, was held on 22 September 2011 in IRRI.

The course aimed to enhance awareness of oven users in the laboratory with the risks related to improper use, such as oven fire, loss of samples, and quality and integrity of data.

Sixty-three participants attended from IRRI's various divisions.

Resource speakers were Menchu Bernardo, Risk Management and Quality Assurance (RMQA) senior manager (risks related to improper use of oven); Lithium Li, from YANA Chemodities, Inc. (technical aspects of the laboratory oven); Evangeline Ella (preventive maintenance); Rolly Torres (roles and responsibilities of oven users); and Glenn Enriquez, senior manager for Security and Safety Services (responding to oven fire).

A hands-on exercise on the proper use of the laboratory oven was facilitated by Ofie Namuco.

The course was organized by the RMQA team of IRRI's Crop and Environmental Sciences Division.

RMQA Holds Mass Metrology and Calibration Training Workshop

To address accuracy and traceability of data collected using weighing balance, a training workshop, Understanding the Principles of Mass Metrology and Corresponding Uncertainty Components in Mass Calibration, was held in 15 July 2011 at Umali Rooms B and C.

The course was held in 2 parts: (A) principles of mass calibration (lecture) and (B) hands-on calibration of weighing balances.

Seventy participants from laboratories around IRRI attended the workshop, which was organized by IRRI's Risk Management and Quality Assurance (RMQA) office and conducted by Roxan de Luna Roxas, quality and technical manager, Metrologie Concepts Solutions, Inc., Philippines.

Proper calibration of weighing instruments will ensure that measurement data generated are accurate and traceable to international weight standards.

RMQA Conducts First Mendeley Training Workshop

IRRI-RMQA and CPS are now offering their first FREE training workshop on Mendeley for the month of July 2011.

Anyone who writes papers for publication and secretaries who assist in preparing bibliographical entries/references are invited to join.

For further information, you can contact the IRRI Mendeley Advisors:

CPS: Darell Sison (x2703)RMQA: Icoy Mercado (x2969)