All documents should be shredded before disposing of them to prevent any personal data from being stolen by identity thieves or your competition. Private and confidential information is on more documents than people realize, so it is recommended that all documents should be shredded instead of just throwing them away.
What Is Document Shredding?
Document shredding is the destruction of paper documents by using a piece of equipment called a shredder that will cut the paper into very small pieces so the information can’t be read anymore. Document shredders come in many sizes from small home shredders, shredding trucks, and very large plant-based shredders.
How Shredders Cut The Paper
There are two ways shredders cut paper, Strip –Cut Shredders and Cross-Cut Shredders.
Strip-Cut Shredders – These shredders are exactly what their name says they are. They cut the paper into strips. This s is not recommended because although it is very difficult the documents could be reconstructed.
Cross-Cut Shredders – These shredders have a series of blades that cut the paper both vertically and horizontally, making it nearly impossible to put the documents back together. Cross-cut shredding offers more security than strip-cut shredding.
Types of Shredders
Personal Shredder – These are small units that can be purchased from retail locations. They can only shred a few sheets of paper at a time. They may also require the removal of staples, paper clips, and other fasteners. The drawback with using personal shredders is the time it takes to shred documents, they get jammed frequently and they get very hot with prolonged use.
Shredding Trucks – These are box trucks that have been outfitted with commercial shredders. They can destroy thousands of pounds of paper per hour and can tear through staples, paper clips, and other paper fasteners. The benefit of these trucks is the convenience of having your papers destroyed where they are so it is a very secure option.
Plant–Based Shredders – These are large pieces of equipment that can destroy many thousands of pounds of paper per hour. The negative with this equipment is your papers have to be transported to an off-site location to be destroyed. You don’t have an opportunity to see your documents being destroyed and expose your information to more risks. With some companies, you can bring your documents to them but the inconvenience of taking your heavy papers to them is cumbersome.
Shredding for Industry
It’s not just paper-intensive industries like Banks, healthcare providers, accounting firms, and insurance companies that need document destruction services. All businesses and all organizations across all industries need to shred documents. The only questions are when and how often. Privacy laws require all entities to dispose of paper records in a secure manner. A documented shredding process is necessary for the operation of every business.
Shredding for Individuals
The shredding of personal documents is a tremendous aid in the protection against identity theft. Personal information is on more documents than just tax papers, medical records, and financial documents. Monthly household bills and even junk mail have enough information for identity thieves. Shredding all documents when you no longer need them is essential.
Document shredding is becoming more important every day regardless if you are a business or an individual. For more information about how you can have your documents professionally destroyed give FileShred a call.
