Safe to Open?: Mailroom Security Training, by Marlowe Productions, P.O. Box 20273, Baltimore, MD 21284-0263, 2003, set of 3 CDs and 3 manuals (spiral-bound), $119.

REVIEWED BY: Mayer Nudell, CSC, is an independent consultant on crisis management, contingency planning, and related issues.

In the years since Homeland Security has become an overriding consideration, periodic problems with mail and packages have reminded us how critical it is to have properly trained personnel implementing proper procedures in mail centers and mail rooms. Equally important is training of other personnel who might also come in contact with mail or delivered items.

Safe to Open? is a means to achieve this. The 3-CD and accompanying manuals is a self-paced training package that can be used individually or in groups and provides the type of information needed by receptionists, mail room personnel, and other office staff. The training is modular and organized logically into easy-to-use sections on the CDs. Each CD deals with a specific area: general background information on the nasty things that can turn up in mail and packages; using X-rays in a mail center; and mail-screening techniques and technologies. Each CD is accompanied by a manual that provides easy reference.

This training package is well worth its cost and should be considered by all organizations having mail centers-and many that don't. The creator of the training, Marlowe Productions, also offers a free weekly newsletter that can be subscribed to via its website (www.mailroomsafety.us) that focuses on news events and other material relating to mail center safety and security. Together, the training and the newsletter may make the difference in keeping your company safe.