Security seals are designed to provide an indication of and act as a deterrent against tampering, pilferage and unauthorised entry. The use of a seal in itself will not stop an individual gaining access to the sealed item, but if used correctly it can highlight when and where the unauthorised access took place. A seal can be used to trace items from location to location enabling the construction of an audit trail.
The use of a seal merely forms part of an overall security sealing system, it does not on its own ensure that the integrity of an item is not compromised. To secure an item with a numbered seal yet never check that the number at the end of its journey matches the number at the start serves no purpose. The seal will only be effective if tight control is placed on the whole security sealing system.
Putting a sealing system in place shows that you are aware of loss and it will immediately act as a deterrent. However to ensure that your sealing system operates in an effective manner you must implement the following procedure:
Keep a record of the seal numbers upon receipt of stocks and record the usage of each batch
Seal stocks should be secured in a dedicated environment with access available to authorised personnel only
Ensure that seal stocks are checked and accounted for on a regular basis
Ensure that staff are fully instructed as to how to apply the seal
A seal should be applied to the consignment immediately after loading
Record the number from each seal as soon as the seal is applied
Any unused seals from each consignment should be discarded
The seal number should be checked against documentation and the seal checked for evidence of tampering at each destination point
Ensure that all staff are fully briefed as to what to do in the event that a breach in security has occurred
If unauthorised entry has occurred then the audit trail can be used to establish where the breach took place
Recorded seal information should be kept to provide evidence as the exact whereabouts of the consignment during its destination.