Mail handling

[twhfan]

I agree that it seems awful and creepy to have to tell mail personnel to use gloves for a precaution.  I did a double-take yesterday when I saw our receptionist wearing gloves as she sorted the mail.



Yesterday our receiving clerk received a box covered in packing tape that she didn't like the look of, addressed to the Receiving Dept, so what did she do?  Put it outside or in a sealed plastic bag or something?  Nooooo, she put it on MY DESK!!!  She "thought it was something I had probably ordered" !!  Grrrrrr!  Anyway, I admit, I spent some time looking it over and trying to convince myself to open it.  Turned out to be a manual ordered by another department.  But I felt so angry and frustrated that something that is such an integral part of our life as the mail is now a source of worry and concern.



All the media coverage is also bringing the nuts out of the woodwork - people mailing cornstarch and baking soda in envelopes causing businesses to evacuate.  Think of all the money this is costing, not to mention all the anxiety it is causing the people involved!!

[radaro]

I don't think this will ever end but likely someone will invent some solution to make this a whole lot easier and less stressful.  



Remember many years ago when some nutcase poisoned Tylenol capsules?  That completely altered the way medicines are packaged to this day.



I personally have no idea what the solution to "poisoned" mail will be but you can bet that whoever figures it out will be loved by letter carrying and opening personnel world-wide.

[ozbound]

What annoys me is, now they don't even need actual anthrax to disrupt people's lives--they have succeeded in making everyone afraid, and  entire businesses are shut down for at least a day if any "white powdery substance" is found anywhere, because of course you can't be too careful. Great! Hopefully someone will come up with a solution soon, as Radar suggested, so we can get on with our lives and not let them win in this way!