Mailing Systems Technology - July/August 2008 - (Page 21)

Training requirements unique to the individual program need to be as ﬂexible as possible. Although the technical part of training will be crucial, the most critical element is around process and procedure training. Technical training includes equipment familiarization and general operation requirements such as start-up, shut down and functional checks. Process training goes deeper — covering baseline processes common across the entire spectrum of work for that equipment or protocol, as well as task-speciﬁc training that includes unique processes associated with a speciﬁc item type or event (for example: the handling of leaking or wet packages). Because today’s threats are constantly changing, and most often discovered at the operator level, it is imperative that team members feel empowered to report items of interest (no matter how slight) and incorporate the event in the standing procedures, if signiﬁcant enough. It is equally important that recommendations are fully reﬂected in training. To this end, it is best to involve the operators in the development of new processes and responsibilities around the training of other team members. Beyond Development: Putting a Continual Program into Place The ﬁnal and most critical step in the CBRNE training process is validation and reinforcement. The relatively high risk associated with screening potentially dangerous materials mandates the development of a comprehensive validation method and continuous training. This consists of: • A post-training “demonstration of understanding” for each team member • On-the-job monitoring by supervisors and other team members to immediately correct procedural misunderstandings and general bad habits • Unannounced quality control checks by staﬀ and customer inspectors verify that SOPs are being followed. The validation inspection process should be viewed as process reinforcement, and not simply as a punitive measure. Ongoing training programs not only sustain operations, but they become an integral part of both quality control and process improvement. To ease the development process, it is recommended to consider the use of a company who specializes in CBRNE processes and is speciﬁcally experienced in mail screening, facility design and process development. Such companies have already overcome and can continue to provide immediate solutions for generic issues common to most businesses. This will allow operations and training staﬀs to concentrate on those issues unique to the program. Developing a clearly deﬁned and sustained training program is paramount to the longterm success of any mail screening operation. With adequate planning, training will become an integral and welcomed part of day-to-day operations, enhance mission ef- fectiveness and safeguard the facility and program personnel. Marshall Keith James is Director, CBRNE Services Division of SoBran Incorporated. He heads the company’s CBRNE Team and provides operational support, program analysis, engineering oversight, training and management to numerous federal, international and private agencies and corporations. For more info, contact him at 703-352-9511, ext 114 or send an email to kjames@sobran-inc.com. WWW.MAILINGSYSTEMSTECHNOLOGY.COM | JULY-AUGUST 2008 21 http://www.satorisoftware.com http://www.satorisoftware.com http://www.mailingsystemstechnology.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Mailing Systems Technology - July/August 2008

Mailing Systems Technology - July/August 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Peer to Peer The Economics of Inkjet Addressing Virtual Mailstream Management Guarding Your Internal Documents Top It Off With Training Implementing Digital Mail Saving You Money Kate’s Slate Products & Services Advertiser Index Sho Time Who’s Who Company Profiles BCC Software BÖWE BELL + HOWELL Collins Ink Corporation Datatech SmartSoft Endicia Hasler, Inc. Kern, Inc. Kirk-Rudy Mail Quip, Inc. MCS, Inc. Melissa Data MidSouth Technologies, a NPI Company Neopost NPI Parascript Pitney Bowes Inc. Rena Systems Satori Software, Inc.

Mailing Systems Technology - July/August 2008

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