Agencies step up mail handling security, safety procedures

With new reports Monday of anthrax-tainted letters delivered to government buildings, federal workers remained on constant alert for suspicious-looking envelopes or packages. To date at least one person has died and another seven have been infected by anthrax delivered through the mail during the past three weeks. On Capitol Hill, 28 people tested positive for anthrax exposure last week, causing House and Senate offices to close for security sweeps.

Meanwhile, health officials in Washington announced Monday that anthrax is suspected in the recent deaths of two postal workers, and several others at the Brentwood mail facility in Washington have symptoms that may be anthrax-related. Federal facilities are taking the threat seriously. "We've involved the FBI, [the Department of Health and Human Services], federal agencies and state agencies in the education process of what to look for, especially folks in the mailroom," said LeAnne Jenkins, executive director of the Oklahoma Federal Executive Board, which helps coordinate federal activities and programs in the state. "We've done as much as we can." Employees in mailrooms of federal buildings in the Oklahoma area are now wearing gloves and masks when they sort and deliver mail, and most have recieved training on what to do if they encounter a suspicious package or envelope, Jenkins said. At least one agency in Oklahoma has moved part of its mail operations to another building as an added safety measure. Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma moved its mail facility for UPS and FedEx deliveries away from its main offices as a precautionary measure. At the time, the agency did not fear anthrax, but rather that terrorists might try to put bombs on airplanes via the mail. A retired FBI agent is now training FAA employees on how to deal with terrorist threats. In Washington, Pentagon officials have distributed a bulletin to all Defense installations worldwide, instructing employees on how to recognize and deal with anthrax and other bioterrorism threats. At the Pentagon itself, "all mail before it comes into the building goes to a remote delivery facility," said Defense spokesman Glen Flood. "Still, as far as mailrooms in the building, the workers are told to wear gloves and masks and try to minimize exposure to incoming mail." Army officials scheduled training at the Pentagon Monday and Tuesday on handling suspicious mail. The General Services Administration, which has tightened its own mailroom security measures, issued an advisory for federal mail handlers on Oct. 18 that describes what to do if mailroom workers at federal offices think a package is suspicious. The Office of Personnel Management held a meeting for all of the agency's employees who handle mail last Thursday, providing information on recognizing suspicious packages and letters. "That was well received and we're holding another session Wednesday … for all of our OPM employees nationwide," said OPM Facilities Services Division Chief James Conners. At Thursday's meeting, surgical gloves were made available to OPM employees who handle mail. These employees were told to set aside mail that seemed at all questionable and immediately notify a supervisor. "We all have read the newspapers and seen the TV clips about anthrax. Certainly people are aware of it and concerned about it," Conners said. OPM is also working closely with GSA, the Centers for Disease Control and the Postal Service, monitoring those agencies' recommendations for dealing with anthrax threats and sharing them with OPM employees. OPM held an emergency meeting with 27 federal human resources directors across government last week to answer questions about anthrax and to provide numbers and sources for information and assistance, according to Sandra Payne, director of strategic planning at the agency.