OIG Awareness Alert - Suspicious Mail or Packages (2005-1)

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:

• 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.

• Be alert to how a package or envelope appears.
• For those responsible for receiving and opening mail, consider wearing disposable medical gloves.

• 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:

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).

We also invite you to visit our website at http://oig.pbgc.gov