Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory and Its Risks

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The mission of the Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory is to provide evidence to governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure the protection of the wildlife in the country. The company provides such services as species identification, individual identification, population identification, expert testimony and consultation (Trent University Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory Services, n.d.).

As regards the services provided, it is possible to identify a number of threats. Equipment and software failures can prevent the company from providing high-quality services in a timely manner. Power failure can be a common threat during various risk events (natural disasters, fire, terroristic attack and so on). The samples cannot be examined as equipment needs power. Moreover, some data can be lost. Sabotage can pose a significant threat as the services provided may often result in considerable fines for people or organizations (Appendix C: Internal and external threats, n.d.). The cyber attack can also be a possible threat (Risk assessment, n.d.).

The organization is located in Peterborough, Ontario. This geographic location can be associated with a number of threats. Some of the most probable threats are natural disasters or severe weather conditions. During the past decade, the area was affected significantly by floods, heavy snow, ice storm (Mortillaro, 2013). These weather conditions can disrupt the organizations operations.

It is necessary to note that many organizations have faced the threats mentioned above irrespective of the services and products provided. When it comes to laboratories and similar facilities, it is necessary to consider the risk of contamination. Trevan (2015) notes that biosafety is one of the most important concerns for laboratories, and the recent events associated with laboratories operations with anthrax can be a good illustration. Clearly, the company in question does not have the hazardous specimen. However, the samples examined can be contaminated, which brings biosafety cautions to the fore.

As for general threats that any company can face, it is possible to name the following: natural disasters, severe weather conditions, pandemic disease, fire, mechanical breakdown, software failure, power failure, workplace violence, sabotage, terrorism. These threats are placed in terms of their likelihood where natural disasters are highly likely to occur, and terroristic attacks are characterized by low likelihood.

When it comes to company-specific threats, it is possible to point out the following. Since the company is located in Ontario, severe weather conditions are likely to happen. These can be ice storms, heavy snow, rain, floods.

Equipment and software failures can disrupt the work of the company and cause the loss of data. Contamination is another probable risk event that can occur and affect the companys functions as well as its reputation. Sabotage is the threat specific to the organization in question as the results of the research are often use in the court, and significant fines can be imposed. Cyber attack is also a possible threat associated with the companys operations. Again, it can lead to the loss of data, disruption of work, and inappropriate analysis.

The relative likelihood of each threat is provided in the table below (see Table 1). The analysis is implemented on the basis of the historical perspective. The data on geographic location and services provided were primary for this investigation. Notably, although some risks are not characterized by high likelihood, they should be considered to avoid any disruption in the companys operations.

Table 1: Likelihood of Threats Identified.

Threat	Likelihood	Explanation
Severe weather conditions	High	This threat has quite high likelihood as according to the available data severe weather conditions happen once in 2-3 years. This is quite frequent for such a large-scale event.
Equipment and software failures	Medium	There are no particular data on malfunctions of the companys equipment. However, these are frequent cases. The company has a certain reputation that shows the use of high-quality equipment. Nonetheless, this threat is still possible.
Contamination	Low	The contamination can occur as samples are provided from various locations. However, the likelihood of this threat is low as there was no significant contamination associated with similar facilities.
Sabotage	Low	Sabotage can occur in any company providing similar services. The fact that no information on such incidents is available shows that this case is characterized by low likelihood.
Cyberattack	Low	This threat can also occur if the company investigates some very serious cases (involving fines or well-known organizations or individuals).

The process of risk assessment is implemented quite properly. Of course, more details and data are necessary to assess risks and prioritize them. However, I tried to use a variety of sources, which increases the validity of my analysis. I still feel I could improve the risk assessment process by improving my research skills. I think I could have collected more data. This may be important for my skills in BCM. I would also like to practice assessing risks in numerical (and graphical) terms. This will help me prioritize risks more effectively and provide the rationale to the stakeholders involved.

Reference List

Appendix C: Internal and external threats. (n.d.). Web.

Mortillaro, N. (2013). Worst natural disasters in Torontos history: How they compare. Global News. Web.

Risk assessment. (n.d.). Web.

Trent University Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory Services. (n.d.). Web.

Trevan, T. (2015). Biological research: Rethink biosafety. Nature. Web.

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Wildlife Forensic DNA Laboratory and Its Risks

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