Paper shredding companies offer a variety of services to individuals and businesses. One of the highly utilized services available is on-site paper shredding. On-site paper shredding is done at your business location. On-site shredding is an efficient way for your business to dispose of old files and outdated documents in a safe, secure, and cost-effective manner. Quickpapershredding.com outlines the process employed by on-site paper shredding services.
Routine, scheduled paper shredding works well for companies who regularly have vast amounts of documents to shred. These companies acquire documents on such a regular basis that safely storing the paperwork would be extremely cost and space prohibitive. With scheduled on-site shredding, the paper shredding service provides boxes or bins for document storage in between routine shredding visits. The bins are secured with a lock and contain a slit at the top where documents are inserted. All documents that are not required to be retained for a specific time period are put in the secured box or bin.
Scheduled shredding visits are usually tailored to the needs of your business. Some companies find that weekly shredding is just right, while others prefer shredding on a monthly basis. Your business may not know how often shredding services will be needed at first and that is okay. The on-site shredding schedule can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of your company.
One-time paper shredding, sometimes referred to as purge shredding or bulk shredding, is best for businesses who do not accumulate a large amount of sensitive documentation in a short amount of time. Bulk shredding is done on an as-needed basis. Some companies utilize this service quarterly, while others find that annual shredding is sufficient. With this form of shredding, the documents are typically those stored in your own record boxes.
Documents subject to federal, state, or association minimum retention periods must be kept on-site for a certain period of time. The type of document regulated by a retention period is usually one of a legal nature, one that contains customer financial information, or one that contains patient information. Tax documentation may also be subject to a retention period. Consult with a knowledge attorney before forming any type of retention and shredding policy within your company.
Some documents that could be subject to mandatory retention minimums include:
On-site paper shredding is a safe and secure way to eliminate outdated documents. Paper shredding companies depend on the ability to ensure the security of your business. Employees of a shredding service undergo rigorous background checks and thorough training in company policies as well as regulatory laws. And although employees are trained to maintain the highest security standards, most paper shredding services now use a touch-free system. Touch free paper shredding means that the service's employees will never physically handle your documents, further reducing the risk of a data breach.
During on-site shredding, the paper shredding service representative will transport your boxes or bins to the shredding truck parked on your property. The box or bin containing your records is loaded into an enclosed tunnel and the documents within the container are tipped into the shredder by way of hydraulics. The papers are shredded in such a way that salvaging the document would be impossible. You are able to personally watch the entire process to guarantee the safety of your information. This method of paper-shredding ensures legal compliance. Additionally, while the shredding is actually complete in mere seconds, the entire process only takes minutes per box—from start to finish.
Certain industries must be able to show that documents were destroyed in compliance with the law. Paper shredding services use a technique that meets compliance standards governed by HIPAA, FACTA, the Federal Privacy Act, and other regulatory agencies. If your business operates within an industry subject to regulation, you must use proper procedure to destroy documents, or you could be subject to fines, lawsuits and even criminal penalties.
Paper shredding services use methods that conform to the NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) guidelines for destruction and disposal of sensitive documents. After the shred is complete your company is issued a certificate of destruction. This certificate ensures you have disposed of the documentation in question using a manner which meets federal, state, or association guidelines.
One thing that many businesses are beginning to utilize is a "shred all" policy. This type of policy is common in companies where private information is regularly documented—such as in a doctor's office, a legal firm, or a tax and accounting business. Other businesses that should think about implementing a shredding policy are those that have trade secrets or are concerned about the possibility of employee theft.
By having a shred all policy in place, every document, every phone message, every single piece of paper that would normally hit the trash goes into a secured shred bin. If the paperwork is not being kept to store or file, it should go into a locked bin in preparation for shredding. While this may seem like overkill for some businesses, it only takes one mistake for a security breach to happen. A shred all policy ensures that no financial records, contract documentation, customer information, or other private paperwork is ever mistakenly leaked.
Shredding prices for on-site service will vary according to your business location, the amount of shredding you need done, and the frequency of service you choose. When looking at prices, keep in mind that:
Compared to in-office shredding, utilizing a shredding company is often less expensive. Take a look at the industry average paper shredding charges below, and compare those to the amount of labor hours you would have to pay to shred the same amount of documents in-office:
| Type of Service | 1 - 3 boxes/bins | 4 - 8 boxes/bins | 9 + boxes/bins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Service – Boxes Located on Main Level of Building | $38/provided bin | $34/provided bin | $29/provided bin |
| Monthly Service – Boxes Located on Lower or Upper Level of Building (Stairs) | $41/provided bin | $37/provided bin | $32/provided bin |
| Purge Service – Main Level | $8/box, $55 min. | $7/box, $55 min. | $6/box, $55 min. |
| Purge Service – Different Level (Stairs) | $11/box, $55 min | $10/box, $55 min. | $9/box, $55 min. |
*Provided bin is a 32-65 gallon tote; box refers to a standard size banker's box
Some services charge additional fees such as fuel surcharges or mileage fees. Ask the shredding service if their pricing policy is transparent so you can avoid unexpected charges on your invoice.
Choose an on-site paper shredding service if you have any concerns over the safety and security of your business records, client information, and financial documentation. On-site paper shredding can successfully dispose of your documents in a manner that is fast, affordable, secure. Quickpapershredding.com brings you all of the information you need to make the best shredding decision for your business.
