Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center

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 2

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 3

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. ) 4

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

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

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

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

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 9

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 10

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 11

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Best practices. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 12 Employ professional security personnel All visitors should be greeted Restrict access to facility Keep dated visitor logs Install an intrusion detection system Use surveillance equipment Adequate lighting

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Best practices. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 13 Badges Lock and key accountability Secure off limit areas Develop an emergency plan Train employees Restrict drivers Establish communication channel

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Best practices. 15. 16. 17. 18. Screen incoming mail Open mail in authorized areas only Develop screening procedures Develop procedures for: – packages identified as suspicious – confirming suspicious packages – isolating suspicious packages 14

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) 15

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Enhanced steps. 1. 2. 3. 4. 16 Bomb detection/K-9 X-ray all incoming mail Detection devices Hold mail 24 hours or until testing concludes 5. Store mail in containment containers 6. Down draft tables 7. Separate air filtration unit

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 17

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. ” 18

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 19

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

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

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 22

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 23

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 24

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Recommendations. (Low and Moderate Risk Facilities) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 25 Appoint a mail security coordinator Standard Operating Plans (SOPs) Train personnel on policies Limit access of personnel Identify and escort personnel Establish HAZMAT response plans

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 26

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Recommendations. (High Risk Facilities) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 27 These are in addition to Low risk recommendations. Alternate mail security coordinator Mail security response team Offsite copy of plans Staff specialized employees Equipment for team

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Recommendations. (High Risk Facilities) 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 28

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 29

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Training. 30 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

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 31

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

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Plan review. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 33 Be wary of unexpected packages Notify the supervisor Do not shake or bump the item Do not open, smell, touch or taste Isolate the damaged item immediately Cordon off the immediate area Have employees wash hands

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

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 35

Protecting your Employees and Securing your Mail Center Additional resources. 36 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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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: – http: //www. usps. com/postalsinspectors 38