3 Problems with DIY Shredding
To reduce identity theft and business fraud risks, every business should shred confidential documents. But is a store-bought shredder the best solution?
In this blog, we highlight three problems with do-it-yourself (DIY) shredding.
1. Paper Shredders Are Slow
Shredding documents with an office paper shredder in not the most efficient method of document destruction. Shredding a single file involves several steps:
- Removing paperclips, staples, sticky notes, cardstock, and file folder or binder
- Separating the document into easily-shredded portions
- Feeding the paper into the shredder
- Emptying the shredding receptacle
- Cleaning up spilled bits of shredded paper
- Tossing the bag of shredded paper in the dumpster
Employee time is too valuable to spend it on time-intensive shredding tasks.
A secure shredding service streamlines your document shredding needs. Your shredding provider brings secure collection containers to your office. Entire files with staples, paperclips, sticky notes, etc., can be dropped into a collection container. Depending on the volume of information your business needs to shred, your shredding provider collects them on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. As a result, you save time and money.
2. Do-It-Yourself Shredding Is Risky
DIY shredding initiatives increase identity theft and business fraud risks. Document destruction is left to each employee’s individual discretion, and time and workload determine whether they shred a document or not. Often, personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) is tossed in a recycling bin instead of being shredded. Several federal regulations impose stiff penalties against companies that do not protect consumer information, so your company risks severe fines if private information is not shredded.
3. Your Business Is Not NAID AAA Certified
The National Association of Information Destruction (NAID) provides oversight for the shredding and destruction industry. To achieve NAID AAA Certification, a shredding company must pass audits by third-party security professionals to confirm their compliance with the following requirements:
- Personnel screening practices
- Equipment and facility safety
- Liability Insurance
Partnering with a NAID AAA Certified shredding company is your only assurance that your information will be destroyed according to the highest standards in the shredding and destruction industry.
Security-screened professionals collect and destroy your documents within a strict chain of custody protocol, and your shredding provider records the shredding process to video and stores the recording for 90 days. They can also provide you with a Certificate of Destruction that documents your compliance with state and federal privacy laws.
Richards & Richards offers shredding and destruction solutions and electronics recycling for businesses throughout Nashville. If you need a reliable and trusted document shredding solution, please call us at 615-242-9600 or complete the form on this page.
