Powdersafe can save you money, stress and time in the event of receiving an envelope filled with an unknown substance.

In September 2001 a series of envelopes containing weaponized anthrax were dispatched to a number of victims with lethal effect, five people were killed and twenty two suffered serious health affects. This action set the benchmark for a new wave of mail borne threats that has continued to this day.

Now six years on this threat has to be taken as a serious threat by all security managers, risk managers, continuity managers, health and safety managers and anyone else connected with the protection of the operation of a business and protection of the staff.

In Australia over 16,000 incidents involving substance filled envelopes have been recorded some of these have contained dangerous substances resulting in injury.

First responders now treat every ‘white powder’ incident as a worse case scenario and the onsite responders wear enclosed hazmat suits with self contained breathing apparatus.

To understand why the responders exercise extreme caution and work on a worst case scenario is extremely important.

Weaponized anthrax is a lethal biological weapon and maximum precautions must be taken to ensure the contaminant stays contained and controlled. Envelopes containing Ricin and Cyanide have also been used both of these substances can be fatal and no known antidote is available

The guiding authority for dealing with biological and other toxic entities is the World Health Orgainsation (WHO) and the 2004 publication titled ‘Laboratory Bio Safety Manual’ sets out the requirements that many countries have adopted into their local protocols or standards for dealing with biological and toxic entities in a laboratory environment.