Quality Control in Laboratory - Essay Example

Running Head: PROBLEMS IN LABORATORY Problems in laboratory Name Tutor Course Date Problems in laboratory It’s often very important to treat the processes which take place in the laboratory with a lot of care because any mishandling can lead to injuries or even death. This is because the laboratory is a very important place where all the experiment facilities are kept including very corrosive and dangerous liquids like acids are kept, apparatus like test tubes, needs and glass are kept and power alternative devices like generator and solar are stored. It’s therefore very important for every laboratory to have a set of rules which they should follow so as to achieve the standards required within and without the environment of the laboratory. At the moment there are several issues which need to be taken into consideration so as to be able to meet these standards. The most important aspects revolve around the management and the technical fields. Both of these fields may hinder the execution of activities in the laboratory if it is not taken into consideration appropriately. An issue which involves management is the poor coordination of activities within the departments. Root cause of the problem using fish bone A fishbone is a thorough analysis of the causes and effects of a particular problem. It is important since it helps individuals to have very a very broad scope in their thinking as they search for answers to the problem. The team members will have to begin by defining and identifying the problem, them taking the appropriate remedial and corrective actions and then later develop actions of prevention before finally reviewing and monitoring the project (General Safety Committee, 1998). Having a democratic control defining the organizational structure Training the management Exercising democracy following the structure adhering to rules given When reporting issues The above fish bone diagram illustrates the causes and effects of a management problem in the laboratory. It indicates the techniques and the courses of action which have to be out in place so as to solve the problem of lack of coordination within the departments. From the illustration, suggestions as to what the respective departments can do so as to avoid this problem are shown. 1. Identification of the problem Coordination is a very essential element in every institution because through it several objectives are met. The supply of apparatus and liquids in the laboratory need to be constant so that a shortage may not cause the processes in the laboratory to stop. The process of coordination in the laboratory starts from the administration of the institution and ends with the students. It’s therefore very important that the administration should put in place procedures which cater for the students as well as the lab assistants so that they can perform their lab activities very well. A problem often occurs when there is lack of coordination between the management, the lab technician, the suppliers of apparatus and the students (General Safety Committee, 1998). 2. Remedial Action When there is lack of coordination in the institution, it’s important to note the root cause of the problem and handle is as soon as possible. This involves scrutinizing the weak points in the structural organization and making sure there are proper communication strategies so as to solve this problem. Any body who is involved in the system needs to be taken for s refresher course as soon as possible so as to make sure that their proper communication within the communication and at the same time maintains a proper structure in the institution. 2. Root Cause Analysis The problem of lack of coordination can be very disastrous in the laboratory since it can create a misbalance in the flow of procedures which are important for the goals in the laboratory to be met. A good laboratory environment should give room for a proper coordination process such that in case there is a problem, it can be solved within the shortest time possible. A good coordination structure implies having a good communication network within the system and at the same time having a structure which is hierarchical in nature. 3. Corrective Actions In many instances, lack of coordination leads to execution of shoddy duties in the laboratory which does not make the laboratory of any meaning any more. Students for instance can misuse the apparatus in the laboratory because there is lack of commitment by the technician to monitor the use of these apparatus. The corrective actions which need to be taken therefore are; Improving communication in the hierarchy so that there is flow of information form the top to the bottom of the stricture Developing a structure which is hierarchical in nature i.e. where the flow of information follows a certain pattern Educating the top management to adopt a democratic rule 5. Preventive Actions The root cause of the coordination problem needs to be found out as soon as possible so as to sort out the problem in the institution. When the weak point has been found, for instance there could be a rift between the administration and the lab technician, then it can be sort very fast by allowing these individuals to talk out the issue. The entire system of persons who constitute the channel need to be educated on how the flow of information should be. 6. Monitor and Review At this point, the findings of a particular problem are recorded and scrutinized so as to come up with the best solution to the problem. The entire system needs to be reviewed so as to find the weak point where the whole problem comes from. When this has been done, a proper management is put in place so as to review the system constantly and find out whether its delivering or not. The technical department is also another area in the laboratory which may bring a problem. There are several errors which may happen in the technical department in the laboratory and can either be due to the carelessness of the lab technician or could be problem which could not be avoided. Strategies Methods Observation of the lab rules Getting spares for the apparatus Need to have first hand information Need to learn the usage on the problem of all the apparatus Management Lab technician & Students The above fishbone diagram illustrates the causes and effects of improper handling, maintenance and usage of apparatus in the laboratory. The diagram shows the method in which the management should follow so as to achieve a good system of maintenance of apparatus. The management, lab technicians and students are also supposed to follow a certain path so as to be able to meet proper apparatus in place in place (General Safety Committee, 1998). 1. Identification of the problem Apparatus which are used in the lab are very critical and need to be handled with a lot of care. The storage, usage and maintenance should therefore be the first priority for the technicians and students. More often, lab technicians, students or the management misuses the use of apparatus. This problem stems from lack of following the appropriate rules in the laboratory procedure. This causes inefficient and ineffective use of these apparatus. 2. Remedial Action It’s highly recommended that when there is laxity in handling of the apparatus in the laboratory, the management needs to find a quick solution like putting in place personnel who will be able to man the usage of these apparatus. A quick management team can be formed so be able to control the misuse of these apparatus before a new technician or management is put in place. 3. Root Cause Analysis The laboratory is considered whole when all the apparatus are used in the right manner and when all the apparatus are present. The misuse of apparatus can lead to losses and constant spending in the institution. Several apparatus need special handling and usage in the institution and therefore all the departments which are concerned with handling these apparatus need to put in place special rules which will guide these processes. 4. Corrective Actions Although the misuse of apparatus can be considered a bog problem, a minor issue could have caused it. Its important therefore to put in place several procedures like having spare parts and other apparatus so that they can be used when an emergency arises. The lab technicians and the relevant authorities need to be taught also how to handle these apparatus so that they cannot misuses them. The corrective actions which need to be followed therefore include; . training of the technicians and other relevant authorities Having the presence of spare parts of all the apparatus so as to serve during an emergency Creating a good and safe place for keeping the apparatus. 5. Preventive actions It’s very appropriate for the institution to have a good system of governance so that the keeping of the apparatus can be made safe and reliable. The handling of these apparatus should also b done by qualified personnel so that there is no misuse. Even the students need to be trained on the use of these apparatus so that they can handle them with a lot of care. 5. Monitor and control When techniques have been found out as to how to manage the use of the apparatus, the management needs to follow up these procedures and techniques so that the entire process is kept up to date. When a new system of rule has been put in place so as to maintain the use of these apparatus, the management team needs to follow up the team so that they will find out whether they have delivered or not. Non conformance process is the process in which the institution puts in place a special body so as to look at the progress of its activities. A good none conformance process is one which gives the direction with which the institution is operating and it aids in minimizing risks and misuse of the machines in the institution. There are two sides which normally benefit from a good management of the non conformance procedures and this is the institution and the student or the organization and the customer in case where they are applicable (http://www.rootcause.com). The institution or the company benefits from the non conformance investigation process since they will get to know the flow of the assets and their usage in the organization. When a good record is kept it indicates the amount which has been spent every year and the possible losses which might have occurred. Its also defines the main causes of these losses and therefore it can really give the weak point of the company. Apart form knowing the flow of the resources within the company the manager or the organization will also know which materials to purchase when the year starts and which ones to dispose since their lifespan is reducing. The institution can also be in a position to understand the flow of technology in the organization by simply looking at the results of the non conformance investigation process. The flow of technology in the company is very crucial because without it, the organization may not run some of the activities. This will also enable the organization to improve their technology so as to suit the dynamic world. A good non conformance investigation process is also very essential because it gives the company a chance to obtain more information about the company which it did not have before. This is very important because it will aid the organization in knowing the stand point of its activities (http://www.rootcause.com). Students will be able to benefit from a system which meets the non conformation process since they are able to trust the company through knowing more about it. By simply knowing about a non conformation report of the organization or institution, students or workers can weigh the reputation level of the organization and therefore benefit both in their assignments. The International Organization of Standardization is a federation (ISO) is a body which sets the standards which companies and organizations follow when doing their operations so that they cannot infringe the rights of others. When combined with other government arms, ISO is in the front line in deciding what the organizations need to do so as to keep the goal of the company and maintain standards in health and environmental conscious dimensions. The ISO15189 standards require that the non conformance investigation process is fair enough so that it can benefit all parties in an organization. These standards have been designed in such a manner that they provide quality, health and environment friendly services. This system is integrated in such a manner that it creates a harmonious environment where several procedures can be carried out like general audits and adherence to the common principles. References: General Safety Committee (1998) Safety guide in the chemical laboratory Chemists' Manufacturing Association, Van Nostrand Plc ‘Non-Conformance Reporting, Corrective, Complaint and Preventive Actions’ retrieved on 5th Oct, 2009 from Read More