Paper shredder is a great tool that is used to cut paper/documents into chad, typically either strips or fine particles. It is mainly used to destroy private, confidential, or otherwise sensitive documents. These kinds of shredders are widely used in every small business, health and research organizations, large corporations, military organizations, embassies, and some of the most sensitive government sites in the world.
The Importance of Shredding DocumentsPaper shredding is required by many industries, including medical, legal and government agencies. These companies are required to keep client information secure and maintain a paper trail of how sensitive documents have been stored and, ultimately, destroyed. These companies are often subjected to audits to ensure compliance to both federal and state regulations. While comparing paper shredding companies, it is important to choose one that is National Association for Information Destruction, or NAID, compliant. This means the company has been certified to follow all required safety procedures, and will provide you with a certificate of destruction that serves as proof of compliance should your company ever be audited.
Paper Shredding Services: What to Look ForWhen choosing a paper shredding company, note that most charge by the box rather than by the pound. Boxes are generally classified as file boxes, or bank boxes, that aren’t very deep. It is also good to note the amount of paper your company will need to shred. Several companies have both one-time shredding services and regular, ongoing pickup and shredding services available. While frequency varies by the paper shredding service, and your company's individual needs, typical service ranges from weekly to monthly pick-up cycles. Here are some additional points to consider while comparing shredding services.
SecurityWhen you are looking for a shredding service, the most important security factor to consider is that no one should ever see the documents you are shredding. Each box should be locked, and no one should handle the documents before shredding. Do not accept anything less when finding the best paper shredding service.
Another factor to consider is National Association for Information Destruction, or NAID, certification. NAID is a non-profit group that certifies document and other private information-destruction companies. It will ensure that the company is following all governmental regulations and keeping all shredding and destruction services secure. Additionally, look for a company that provides the security line, or the trail of when your documents leave your facility, when they arrive at the shredding point and which employees have handled the paper. Cross-shredding is more secure than strip cutting since your documents will be shredded so small and in inconsistent shapes that it would be impossible for an identity theft to piece them together in order to snatch sensitive information.
Other ServicesThe best paper shredding companies offer services beyond destroying documents. Media and hard drive destruction are important services to look for if your company stores a lot of sensitive material in digital formats. Also, some companies are equipped to handle destruction of prototypes and product samples and other sensitive material that you don't want landing into the hands of your competitors.
Other services to consider are document imaging, which is the transferring of physical documents into a digital format, and records archiving. This service allows you to store important documents for an extended period of time without running out of your own office space.
Shred OptionsMost of the paper shredding companies we compared have both onsite and offsite paper shredding options. The frequency of when your material is picked up varies, though most work on a weekly or monthly basis. Some companies have drop-off services available, so you can bring your sensitive material directly to them and bypass the pickup service. All of the services we reviewed send the shredded paper to a recycling center to be made into new paper products.
Customer SupportWhen selecting a paper shredding service, you'll want to find a company that is simple to work with and easy to use. The customer support team should be able to give you a free price quote and help you set up the service in a matter of minutes. Whatever questions you have about convenience or safety with the paper shredding service should be answered via phone calls or emails in a timely fashion.
When legal compliance is on the line, it’s important to find a service you can trust with your sensitive documents. Use our comparison of the best paper shredding services to choose a secure, NAID-compliant company that meets your needs.
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