Inbound Mail Screening for Federal Facilities — Post-Anthrax Era and Beyond

What are the standard biohazard indicators?

U.S. Postal Inspection Service guidance flags multiple indicators of potentially hazardous mail: powdery substance felt through or appearing on the package, oily stains or discoloration, strange odors, excessive postage, handwritten or poorly typed addresses, misspellings of common words, addressed to title only or incorrect title, no return address, lopsided or uneven envelope, protruding wires or aluminum foil, and excessive securing material such as masking tape.

• Powdery substance on or leaking from the package
• Oily stains, discolorations, or strange odor
• Excessive postage relative to package size
• Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
• Misspellings of common words or names
• Addressed to title only or incorrect title
• No return address (with delivery notification or unusual addressing)
• Lopsided or uneven envelope; protruding wires or foil
• Excessive tape or other securing material

When is x-ray scanning required?

X-ray scanning of inbound mail is typically required at federal facilities at higher risk tiers (FPS facility security level III, IV, or V), at any facility designated by agency-specific policy, and where the facility's threat assessment indicates physical-threat potential beyond standard mail-borne risk. Lower-tier facilities (level I-II) typically rely on visual triage alone unless threat profile changes.

What is the response if a flagged item is identified?

Response on flagged item identification follows a standard sequence: do not open the item, isolate it physically from the active mail flow, evacuate the immediate area if biohazard indicators present, notify the Facility Security Officer, document the discovery in the mailroom incident log, and turn the item over to external response (Federal Protective Service, local hazmat, FBI if criminal indicators) per the host facility's emergency response plan.

What documentation is required for every screening event?

Every screening event — both routine triage and flagged-item incidents — is documented in the mailroom log. Routine triage is summarized (volume processed, count of items flagged for closer review). Flagged-item incidents are documented in detail: package description, indicators observed, time of discovery, personnel involved, response authority notified, disposition. Documentation is retained per agency records-retention schedule and is reviewable by the COR during contract administration.