Tip of the week: Offer bomb recognition training in the mail room

Your hospital's mail room can be a gateway for suspicious devices, so employees there may benefit from specialized education.

Packages that a hospital receives with lots of tape, no return addresses, grease marks, leaks, or excessive postage should raise suspicions, Investigator Jeff Lindberg of the San Francisco Police Department told Briefings on Hospital Safety earlier this year.

Mail workers who regularly handle packages will probably be able to spot the suspicious ones on their own. But to help them further, many local law enforcement authorities publish brochures or offer other training, Lindberg added. Make that training part of your emergency plan.