| Recently,
the Office of Inspector General was alerted that a Document
Management Center employee opened an envelope which contained
a suspicious white powder. We assisted the Corporation in
addressing the situation, however, it brought to our attention
the immediate need for instructions on handling suspicious
mail. Therefore, we are providing the following information
to help protect you both at home and work, your coworkers,
and your work area:
Characteristics
of Suspicious Packages and Envelopes:
- Oily
stains, discolorations, or crystallization on wrapper.
- Powdery
substance felt through or appearing on the package or envelope.
- Strange
odor, sealed with excessive tape, contents are rigid or
bulky, lopsided or uneven envelope.
- No
return address, restrictive markings such as “personal,”
“Confidential,”
or “Do not x-ray,” misspelled words in address
or addressed to an individuals
title – not by name.
- Excessive
weight, ticking sound, protruding wires or aluminum foil.
How
can I protect myself?
- Be
alert to how a package or envelope appears.
- For
those responsible for receiving and opening mail, consider
wearing disposable medical gloves.
How
do I handle packages or envelopes that appear suspicious,
or I have cause for concern after I open a package or envelope?
- Do
not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious package
or envelope.
- Do
not carry the package or envelope, show it to others or
allow others to examine it.
- Put
the package or envelope down on a stable surface; do not
sniff, touch, taste, or look closely at it or at any contents
which may have spilled.
- Alert
others in the area about the suspicious package or envelope.
Leave the area, close any doors, and take actions to prevent
others from entering the area. If possible, shut off the
ventilation system.
- WASH
hands with soap and water to prevent spreading potentially
infectious material to face or skin. Seek additional instructions
for exposed or potentially exposed persons.
- If
in the office, notify a supervisor, a security officer,
or a law enforcement official. If at home, contact local
law enforcement.
- Create
a list of persons who were in the room or area when this
suspicious letter or package was recognized and a list of
persons who also may have handled the package or letter.
Give the list to both the local public health authorities
and law enforcement officials.
In each
situation, after taking the above steps, contact the
Facilities and Services Department and the Office of Inspector
General immediately. Next, call Police, the
Local Fire Department/HAZMAT Unit, and the Postal Inspectors
if it was delivered through the U.S. mail.
If you suspect the mail may contain:
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For
more information you may contact the Department of Health
and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
1-800-CDC-INFO, United States Post Office in your area, or
the Office of Inspector General (OIG). If contacting the OIG,
you may call Cornelia Green, Senior Special Agent, at x3315
or Tom Zigan, Assistant Inspector General for Investigation,
at x3104. (TTY/TDD Users: 202-326-4115).
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