Posts Tagged ‘Mail’

2 Men (52 and 21) have been arrested and questioned over explosives offences in North Wales. The operation was mounted after a suspect package was found inside Vauxhall Cross, the home of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)  otherwise known as MI6 and a second was discovered in a South London sorting office.

This event has extremely serious security implications for the SIS. How did the package get inside the building? and why wasnt ALL mail scanned off site before being allowed into the building? Serious question have  be asked about the security culture at Vauxhall Cross. Mistakes do happen but something as foreseeable as this should never happen. As with all security if there is a reliance on technology alone things will go wrong and if there is a reliance on people alone then things will go wrong. Given the nature of the building and the work they are involved in then complacency should be guarded against at all costs and the balance should be between well trained motivated staff and good effective technology.

The following are Business security tips published by the CPNI (Centre for the Protection of  National Infrastructure)

Top ten security guidelines

• assess the risks to your business
• consider security first when planning building works
• establish a security culture in your business
• keep premises clear and tidy
• control access points and use staff and visitor passes
• install physical measures e.g. locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting etc
• establish good mail handling procedures
• recruit carefully, checking identities and following up references
• take proper IT security precautions
• test your business continuity plans regularly

We have had questions and heard horror stories about small and medium businesses receiving mail suggesting they need to act NOW to replace their current HSE (1999) Law poster.

The fact is don’t be bullied into paying money for something you don’t need. Your current HSE (1999) Law poster is legal until 05 April 2014 as long as it is legible and all the contact detail on it are correct.

You don’t have to display the poster and if you choose not to then you must issue all employees with (2009) pocket cards which contain the same info as the wall poster.

The new 2009 poster is much more simplistic than its 1999 predecessor. It provides employees with listed information about what an employer should provide. You no longer have to provide information of your enforcing authority as the HSE info line holds all such information.

The reporting of accidents is also a lot easier with one number for the Incident Contact Centre.

The new (2009) poster is also uniquely serial numbered with a security style hologram to ensure you have a genuine copy.

If you have been hounded or bombarded with letters or calls scare mongering then give us a call for advice. Or indeed if you would like more information on the posters and personal cards than feel free to call.

Sent via BlackBerry® from BT

Assess the risks to your business



Consider security first when planning building work

Establish a security culture in your business

Keep premises clear and tidy

Control access points and use staff and visitor passes

Install physical measures e.g. locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting etc

Establish good mail handling procedures

Recruit carefully, checking identities and following up references

Take proper IT security precautions

Test your business continuity plans regularly

If you would like help or advice with the implementation of anything mentioned above