An employee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) came into contact with "an unknown substance" in the mailroom of a U.S. penitentiary in California. The employee was taken to the hospital after he started to feel sick following his contact with the substance, and he died.

A second employee exposed to the substance was observed at the hospital and released.

Sources said the Bureau of Prisons is investigating if the "unknown substance" was fentanyl.

The BOP's largest union, the Council of Prison Locals, has been advocating for more safety measures to protect mailroom workers, according to the council's president. In addition, a bill introduced to Congress in December 2023 would require the BOP to electronically scan all incoming mail. However, the bill has not progressed past the Judiciary Committee. "Bureau of Prisons employee dies after coming into contact with 'unknown substance'" www.msn.com (Aug. 11, 2024).

Commentary and Checklist

Unfortunately, the above tragedy is not the first time a deadly substance was released in a mailroom. In 2001, the "anthrax mailings" led to the death of five people - two of whom were U.S. Postal Service employees - and the illness of 17 more. "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Looks Back at the 20th Anniversary of the Anthrax Mailings" www.uspis.gov (Nov. 03, 2021).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggestions on topics when training those in your organization who retrieve and/or open the mail or packages.

Here are mail and package inspection tips to help prevent injuries:

• Begin by inspecting the handwriting, return address, postage, and packaging materials.
  • Is the address handwritten in all caps or made with cut-out letters?
  • Does the item lack a return address?
  • Does the postmarked city match the return address?
  • Does the item have more postage than necessary?
  • Is the item wrapped unprofessionally with excessive packing material?
  • Are there labels like "do not x-ray" or "personal"?
  • Never sniff, taste, touch, open, or shake a suspicious item.
    • Leave the room and close the door.
    • Stay in the area in case you are contaminated so you don't spread a contaminant.
  • Use 911 to report the package and follow the instructions you are given.

"Beware of Snail Mail: 10 Signs of a Suspicious Package" blogs.cdc.gov (Dec. 14, 2017).