Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center

2 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

3 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center How do you prepare? Identify threats Conduct a risk assessment Develop policies Draft procedures/best practices Prepare contingency and continuity plans Communicate and train

4 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Identify threats. International terrorist Domestic hate group Disgruntled employee/workplace violence Acts of nature (flood, fire, earthquake, etc.)

5 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Conduct a risk assessment. Your posture should reflect your company’s mission

6 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

7 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Sample policies. (Private Sector) Deliveries for senior executives Packages

8 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Sample policies. (Government Agency) Personal mail General policy for mail

9 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Draft procedures. Procedure: –Series of steps taken to implement a policy Be as specific as possible Update as needed

10 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Mail handling and processing operations. Centralizing the mail handling/processing operation at a separate location Centralization: –Minimizes risk –Reduces costs –Increases effectiveness

11 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

12 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

13 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

14 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

15 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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)

16 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

17 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

18 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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.”

19 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Sample procedure. (Private Sector) Mail and packages for senior executives: “Second Screen” bin sorting Visually inspect packages X-ray Quality control

20 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Procedures for handling mail: Wear latex surgical gloves Encourage respiratory protective masks X-ray incoming mail Visually screen mail Sample procedure (Government Agency)

21 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Necessary plans. Occupant emergency plans Contingency plans Continuity plans

22 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Training. Education and awareness are essential Employee awareness Design and vigorously monitor security program Reduces risk for all

23 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Continuity of operations plan. Implement anticipatory measures Back up site Continuity of Operation Plan (COOP) Enables mail processes to continue

24 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Continuity of operations plan. Fundamental needs: To send and receive mail if primary mail operation shuts down Advanced planning is important for security protection

25 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

26 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

27 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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)

28 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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)

29 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Training. What do people need to know to carry out policies and procedures Keep yourself informed Don’t just react Stay alert

30 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

31 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Training. Maintain employee training logs –Include date completed Follow up with refresher training –On a regular basis

32 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Training. Educate all other employees too

33 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center 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

34 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Plan review. 8.Prepare list of affected employees 9.Isolate clothing 10.Shower

35 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Conclusion. Mail Center must evaluate situation: Objectively weigh threat circumstances in order to render a prudent decision

36 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Additional resources. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Federal Bureau of Investigation Occupational Safety and Health Administration FEMA’s Rapid Response Information System U. S. Postal Service

37 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center

38 Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center US Postal Inspection Service About the US Postal Inspection Service Find us on the World Wide Web: –