Us Postal Service Guidance On Suspicious Mail Needs Further Refinement Report To The Ranking Minority Member Committee On Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs Us Senate

In Oct. 2003, an envelope marked Caution: Ricin PoisonÓ was discovered at a postal facility. Ricin is a poison that, in certain forms, can cause death. The USPS has told its employees to be on the alert for suspicious mailÓ that may pose a threat & has developed guidance for them on how to identify & respond to such mail, in order to protect them. This report describes: (1) actions taken by various agencies, in responding to the incident, to protect the health of postal employees & the public; (2) USPS guidance related to suspicious mail in place in Oct. 2003 & the extent to which it was followed during the incident; & (3) subsequent changes made in this guidance & the extent to which current guidance addresses issues raised by the incident. Illus.