Safety & Security

The following sessions will be presented at MAILCOM 2023 Fall:


SESSION SS109

Mail & Parcel Screening: How Safe Are You?

Contrary to popular belief, the USPS does not screen every piece of mail or parcel they deliver. This course addresses the importance to justify implementing a screening program at your company. Come and hear about current trends, local partnerships, and reasons why screening is a must to protect your company and employees. Instructor: James Patterson, State of Colorado

Monday, October 2, 2023 – Round Three, 4:30-5:30pm


SESSION SS201

Advancements in Mail Screening

Recent disruptive technologies may change the face of mail screening, providing safe and reliable screening of letters and packages for CBRNeD threats with minimal workflow disruption. Letters and flats can now be screened for CBRNeD threats in mail sorting machines at feed rates up to 2 meters/second, eliminating multiple mail room operations while viably meeting CBRNeD mail screening standards. Other advancements provide automatic screening of mixed mail at the speed of the X-ray machine with little or no additional labor and reduced consumables. Technological advances promise significant reductions in future mail screening costs. Instructor: Elric Saaski, CEO, Research International, Inc.

Monday, October 2, 2023 – Round One, 2:00-3:00pm


SESSION SS203

The Achilles Heel: Mail as a Security Threat with Easy Access to Your Facility

Hear from two individuals who have a long history in Mail Security helping keep staff and facilities safe from dangerous mail. Dan Prather from DualDraw has been providing mail screening equipment to customers concerned about the contents of their mail since shortly after 9/11. Jim Patterson has been on the front line in the security industry for many years and currently, as part of his overall leadership of logistics for the State of Colorado, has been directing the mail screening activities for the legislature and governor’s office for the state. They will dive into the essence of what makes for a good mail screening plan and what really works on the ground. Derived from information from various Federal and State agencies, Dan will highlight some of the best practices while Jim will provide some color commentary on a more practical level on how he approaches mail screening for his organization. Come join for what will provide a solid understanding of how to safely approach mail screening at a time when keeping people safe from substances such as Fentanyl is at an all-time high.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 – Round Six, 4:00-5:00pm


SESSION SS209

Who Protects Our Mail?

In this session you learn about security issues and how to respond. These include risks associated with your mailing operation such as internal theft, protecting sensitive data, and identifying dangerous mail. Join US Postal Inspectors as they share proven response plans for mail bombs, hazardous materials, and biological attacks. Instructor: U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 – Round Eight, 1:15-2:15pm


SESSION SS303

Understanding the Need for Mail/Parcel Screening

This interactive workshop will address the need for government and business mail centers to incorporate formal mail screening processes and protocols into their everyday routines. Facilitated by the nation’s leading expert in mail security process and facility design, attendees will gain a fundamental understanding of mail screening requirements as recommended by the Department of Homeland Security, USPS, and Federal law enforcement agencies. We will also discuss the evolution of mail screening over the past 20 years and how technology and changes in the threat matrix directly impact the way we process and screen mail from USPS and commercial courier. Instructor: Instructor: James Patterson, State of Colorado

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 – Round Seven, 10:15-11:15am


SESSION SS305

Data Security in the Workplace

This interactive session will discuss current hacking trends, hacking as a service, history of hackers, current costs for ransomware attacks and how to best protect yourself from being hacked. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when… are you prepared? Instructor: Kevin Goss, Vice President of Enterprise Solutions and Postal Affairs, Postal Source

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 – Round Five, 2:45-3:45pm