What is this PAS about?
It aims to help organizations identify and implement appropriate mail screening and postal security measures.
Who is this PAS for?
- Anyone who is planning, delivering or procuring mail handling and screening services
- Commercial providers of mail handling and screening services such as mail screening equipment manufacturers and security services providers
Why should you use this PAS?
It specifies measures that will help businesses and others to identify and minimize the impact of items of mail that represent a threat or could otherwise cause concern or disruption.
It also deals with broader postal security measures aimed at ensuring all incoming, outgoing and internal mail streams are managed to minimize the risk of loss or theft of valuable or sensitive items or information.
This PAS doesn’t propose a single standard of postal security and screening. Instead, it sets out to help organizations assess their particular level(s) of risk and select and implement commensurate security measures whether onsite or offsite, delivered in-house or outsourced.
A series of screening levels (1 to 5) is defined in terms of progressively more complex screening measures. This is complemented by a series of physical protection classes (A to D) that describe incremental physical protective measures for mail rooms and personnel.
The PAS concentrates on letters and small parcels entering the organization from any external source, including public/commercial postal services, by hand or by courier delivery.
While many of the principles detailed can also be applied to improving the security of other, larger-scale deliveries, these are not explicitly covered. Also note that the security of electronic mail and associated IT systems is outside the scope of this PAS.
What’s changed since the last update?
The PAS was revised to make sure the content remains relevant and up-to-date. Core differences from the 2012 edition include:
- Review and update of the case studies in the introduction
- Minor updates to Table 1, Screening levels
- Minor updates to Table 2, Physical protection measures
- Minor modifications to 8.4, Operating procedures and 8.5 Mail room/screening facility
- Modifications to Annex C, Mail facility layout and construction to minimize the effects of an explosive device or “white powder”, including text on structural requirements and changes to layout design figures
- Revision of Annex D, Additional information on X-ray machines for mail screening
- Review and update of bibliography
