Stay Vigilant About Suspicious Mail and Packages

As election mail season comes to an end, the Postal Service has now begun processing “peak season” mail. This is not the time to let your guard down to suspicious mail pieces and powdery substances in the mail stream. We still live in a politically-charged atmosphere, and the threats, no matter the season, are real. First and foremost, postal workers must be on the lookout to protect ourselves in the workplace from these types of mail pieces and the public we move the mail for each day. Per USPS Poster 84, remember to look out for:

• No Return Address
• Misspelled Words
• Excessive Postage
• Possibly Sent from Foreign Country
• Excessive Tape
• Oily Stains, Discolorations, Strange Odors, or Protruding Wires
• Powdery or Suspicious Substances Coming from the Mail Piece

If you come across a suspicious mail piece, according to USPS Publication 167-B, you should leave the mail item or suspicious substance where it was found and notify your manager(s). According to this USPS Publication, management is obligated to:

• Clear people from the immediate area and keep others away.
• Instruct anyone who may have had contact with the item or substance to wash hands and other exposed skin with soap and water. Direct them to wait in a designated area for further instructions.
• Cordon off the immediate area.
• Shut down all equipment in the immediate area.
• Shut down HVAC systems.

In addition, without disturbing the mail item or substance, employees should document all they can about the mail piece, like where it was found, addresses, markings, colors, smells, or substances coming from the mail piece. Pub 167-B allows you to write down what needs to be documented. Use PS-Form 1767 Report of Hazard, Unsafe Condition or Practice to document the incident and get management’s response to the incident. Management must follow the processes found in Pub 167-B, Poster 205-A, and Poster 84 for these incidents. If you find yourself in a situation where your supervisors and managers are not following the correct protocol, please contact your local stewards or union officers to file a grievance for possible escalation to your regional coordinators and regional safety and health representatives.

Remember–the life you save could be your own! Let’s all Stand Up for Safe Jobs! ■