protecting your employees and securing your mail center

Protecting your Employees

and Securing your Mail Center

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Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center

What constitutes a suspicious letter or package?

If you receive a suspicious letter or package:

Stop - Don’t handle it

Isolate it immediately

Don’t open, smell, or taste

Activate your emergency plan

Notify a supervisor

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How do you prepare?

Identify threats

Conduct a risk assessment

Develop policies

Draft procedures/best practices

Prepare contingency and continuity plans

Communicate and train

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Identify threats.

International terrorist

Domestic hate group

Disgruntled employee/workplace violence

Acts of nature (flood, fire, earthquake, etc.)

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Conduct a risk assessment.

Your posture should reflect your company’s mission

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Develop policies.

Policy – a plan or guiding principle

Address areas identified as priorities in risk assessment

Get support from upper management and key officials

Examples:– Access to mail center– X-ray of packages– Opening of mail

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Sample policies. (Private Sector)

Deliveries for senior executives

Packages

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Sample policies. (Government Agency)

Personal mail

General policy for mail

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Draft procedures.

Procedure:– Series of steps taken to implement a

policy

Be as specific as possible

Update as needed

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Mail handling and processing operations.

Centralizing the mail handling/processing operation at a separate location

Centralization:– Minimizes risk

– Reduces costs

– Increases effectiveness

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Mail handling and processing operations.

Initial sort – by hand

Individuals who normally sort the mail should perform the initial screening

These individuals are most likely to notice packages that are out of the ordinary

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Best practices.

1. Employ professional security personnel

2. All visitors should be greeted

3. Restrict access to facility

4. Keep dated visitor logs

5. Install an intrusion detection system

6. Use surveillance equipment

7. Adequate lighting

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Best practices.

8. Badges

9. Lock and key accountability

10. Secure off limit areas

11. Develop an emergency plan

12. Train employees

13. Restrict drivers

14. Establish communication channel

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Best practices.

15. Screen incoming mail

16. Open mail in authorized areas only

17. Develop screening procedures

18. Develop procedures for:– packages identified as suspicious

– confirming suspicious packages

– isolating suspicious packages

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Best practices.

19. Conduct unannounced tests for mail center personnel

20. Make available protective wear

21. HAZMAT team information

22. Conduct After Action Review (AAR)

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Enhanced steps.

1. Bomb detection/K-9

2. X-ray all incoming mail

3. Detection devices

4. Hold mail 24 hours or until testing concludes

5. Store mail in containment containers

6. Down draft tables

7. Separate air filtration unit

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Enhanced steps.

8. Monitored mail operations

9. Safe air room for mail processing

10.Monthly swab testing for mail room

11.Showers and decontamination system

12.Wear protective clothing

13.Duress alarm

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Be prepared.

“The government processes billions of pieces of mail each year without

incident; however, local, state, and federal agencies alike must prepare

for the worst case scenario.”

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Sample procedure.(Private Sector)

Mail and packages for senior executives:

“Second Screen” bin sorting

Visually inspect packages

X-ray

Quality control

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Procedures for handling mail:

Wear latex surgical gloves

Encourage respiratory protective masks

X-ray incoming mail

Visually screen mail

Sample procedure(Government Agency)

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Necessary plans.

Occupant emergency plans

Contingency plans

Continuity plans

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Training.

Education and awareness are essential

Employee awareness

Design and vigorously monitor security program

Reduces risk for all

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Continuity of operations plan.

Implement anticipatory measures

Back up site

Continuity of Operation Plan (COOP)

Enables mail processes to continue

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Continuity of operations plan.

Fundamental needs:

To send and receive mail if primary mail operation shuts down

Advanced planning is important for security protection

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Recommendations.(Low and Moderate Risk Facilities)

1. Appoint a mail security coordinator

2. Standard Operating Plans (SOPs)

3. Train personnel on policies

4. Limit access of personnel

5. Identify and escort personnel

6. Establish HAZMAT response plans

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Recommendations.(Low and Moderate Risk Facilities)

7. HAZMAT emergency service

8. Post SOP for suspicious packages

9. Phone numbers for emergencies

10.Best practices

11.Intrusion detection system

12.Senior management buy in

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These are in addition to Low risk recommendations.

1. Alternate mail security coordinator

2. Mail security response team

3. Offsite copy of plans

4. Staff specialized employees

5. Equipment for team

Recommendations.(High Risk Facilities)

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6. Publish & distribute information, personnel updates & procedures

7. Cameras at entrances and exterior

8. Require employee attendance at mail security briefings

9. Publish AAR reports

Recommendations.(High Risk Facilities)

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Training.

What do people need to know to carry out policies and procedures

Keep yourself informed

Don’t just react

Stay alert

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Training.

Complete training program will include:

1. Basic security procedures

2. Recognizing and reporting suspicious packages

3. Proper use of personal protective equipment

4. Responding to a biological threat

5. Responding to a bomb threat

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Training.

Maintain employee training logs– Include date completed

Follow up with refresher training– On a regular basis

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Training.

Educate all other employees too

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Plan review.

1. Be wary of unexpected packages

2. Notify the supervisor

3. Do not shake or bump the item

4. Do not open, smell, touch or taste

5. Isolate the damaged item immediately

6. Cordon off the immediate area

7. Have employees wash hands

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Plan review.

8. Prepare list of affected employees

9. Isolate clothing

10.Shower

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Conclusion.

Mail Center must evaluate situation:

Objectively weigh threat circumstances in order to render a prudent decision

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Additional resources.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov

Federal Bureau of Investigation

http://www.fbi.gov

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

http://www.osha.gov

FEMA’s Rapid Response Information System

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hazmat/index.shtm

U. S. Postal Service

http://www.usps.com

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US Postal Inspection Service

About the US Postal Inspection Service

Find us on the World Wide Web:– http://www.usps.com/postalsinspectors

protecting your employees and securing your mail center

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