Home Shredding Security: A Small Business Solution

Published On January 29, 2018

Despite the increase in technology, many organizations still maintain a multitude of paper documents. This includes companies of all sizes, even small home-based businesses.

Federal and state regulations require all organizations to properly dispose of documents after a certain period of time. This serves as protection for the organization as well as the person (or people) the data within the documents affect. With identity theft on the rise, business owners are growing more concerned with securing sensitive information — making home shredding security a high priority.

The extent of the shredding services needed typically depends on the size of the company. For instance, a small business owner trying to save a buck may attempt to shred the documents in-house. He or she may purchase a few shredding machines and have employees manually feed documents into the shredder. Of course, this will take the employees away from their daily tasks and ultimately decrease productivity. Additionally, the owner may not have a secure place to dispose of the shredded materials.

Many larger organizations rely on records management vendors to dispose of expired documents. These companies not only store and manage records, but also dispose of them. They generally offer both onsite and offsite secure shredding services, in which expired documents are collected and placed in secure containers before being transported to the shredding location. In some cases, the vendor will recycle the shredded documents in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Due to the additional security and discretion associated with using a third party, smaller businesses should consider how beneficial this option could be. Remember, paper documents are not the only source of records that may need to be securely disposed of. Other items containing sensitive information include backup tapes, X-rays and DVDs. If your company uses any of these items, it would be wise to partner with a vendor that offers secure media destruction.

If you decide to work with a records management vendor, make sure they are NAID AAA Certified form i-SIGMA. This certification verifies the qualifications of records management vendors who offer secure shredding services. It also means that the staff handling the shredding process is fully trained on all federal and state regulations.

While organizations can go it alone when it comes to disposing of documents, it may be more beneficial to partner with a shredding vendor for home shredding security. Not only could you gain more peace of mind, but a more productive workforce, as well.