Top Documents Your Employees Should be Shredding
When it comes to protecting your business and your employees, shredding sensitive documents is a critical step. But what exactly should you be shredding? And how can you ensure that your document shredding process is secure?
At Augusta Data Storage, we specialize in mobile shredding services that come right to your door. Keep reading to learn more about the top documents your employees should be shredding and the benefits of secure shredding.
What is Secure Document Shredding?
Secure document shredding is the process of destroying sensitive documents in a way that makes them unreadable and impossible to put back together. This process is important for protecting your business information and keeping it out of the wrong hands.
There are several ways to shred documents, but the most secure method is to use a professional, certified shredding service. This type of service uses industrial-strength shredders to destroy your documents, ensuring that they are completely unreadable.
What are the Benefits of Secure Shredding?
There are many benefits to shredding sensitive documents, including:
Preventing identity theft: Shredding personal information like social security numbers and credit card numbers can help prevent identity theft.
Protecting your business: Secure shredding can help protect your business from fraud and espionage.
Complying with laws and regulations: In many cases, shredding documents is required by law. For example, the HIPAA Privacy Rule requires that healthcare providers destroy patient information that is no longer needed.
What Type of Information is Typically Recommended for Secure Document Shredding?
Even in a digital-first world, there are many businesses that still generate a large volume of paper documents and sensitive information. It’s important for your business to define which types of information require secure storage, and ultimately, secure destruction. Some of the most common items include:
Financial documents:
Bank statements, tax documents, and records of financial transactions all contain sensitive information that could be used to commit fraud or identity theft. Whether your records contain this information about your business, your employees, or your clients, it’s important to handle it with caution and securely shred it when you no longer need it.
Customer information:
If your business keeps records of customer names, addresses, and contact information, these should be securely shredded when they are no longer needed. The same goes for any customer correspondence, such as emails and complaint letters.
Employee information:
Employee files often contain sensitive information, including social security numbers, performance reviews, and salary information. This type of information should be kept secure and shredded when it is no longer needed.
Legal documents:
If your business is involved in any legal proceedings, the resulting documents may contain confidential information. Once the case is resolved, these documents should be archived in a secure location or shredded to protect the privacy of those involved.
Business Information:
Your business likely has many types of documents containing proprietary information, such as product plans, marketing strategies, and sales reports. This type of information could give your competitors an advantage if it fell into the wrong hands, so it’s important to keep it secure and shred it when it is no longer needed.
Healthcare Records:
If your business is in the healthcare industry, you are likely handling a large volume of patient information. This type of information is protected by federal laws, such as the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which requires that it be shredded when it is no longer needed. In many cases HIPAA requires specific destruction methods, such as cross-cut or micro-cut shredding, to ensure patient privacy, and often a certificate of destruction is required.
No matter what type of information your business is handling, it’s important to have a plan in place for secure storage and destruction. A professional document shredding service can help you develop a customized plan to ensure that your sensitive documents are properly protected and destroyed.
How Often Should I shred Documents?
The frequency of your shredding will depend on the volume of documents you generate and your company’s specific needs. In general, it’s a good idea to shred documents on a regular basis, such as monthly or quarterly. This will help you keep up with the volume of paper and prevent sensitive information from accumulating over time. A professional shredding service can help you develop a customized schedule that meets your needs.
Secure Mobile Shredding with Augusta Data Storage
A mobile shredding service offers a convenient and secure solution for businesses that need to shred large quantities of documents on a regular basis. A mobile shredder is a large truck with an industrial-strength shredder that comes to your location to destroy your documents. This type of service is often used by businesses that generate a large volume of paper, such as healthcare offices, financial institutions, and law firms.
The Benefits of Using a Mobile Shredding Service
Convenience:
You don’t have to transport your documents to a shredding facility, which saves time and effort.
Security:
The shredding process is completed on-site, so your documents never leave your sight. This reduces the risk of theft or loss.
Environmentally friendly:
Mobile shredding trucks can often shred more documents at once than a small office shredder, which saves energy and resources.
Securely shredding sensitive documents is an important part of protecting your business information and complying with laws and regulations. A professional, certified shredding service can help you safely and securely destroy your documents. Augusta Data Storage offers mobile shredding services to businesses in the CSRA. Our state-of-the-art shredding truck can destroy up to 6,000 pounds of paper per hour, and we offer on-site or off-site shredding services to fit your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our secure shredding solutions