How to Shred Confidential Documents

All businesses, no matter the industry, have a responsibility to protect consumers by destroying confidential documents prior to discarding them. Laws ensure that businesses comply, and guidelines help employers create retention and destruction schedules. There are two ways in which a company can shred confidential documents. One way is an in-house plan where all employees are responsible for ensuring the destruction of information. The second option is to outsource to a trusted and secure provider of confidential document shredding services.

Laws That Protect Confidential Information

When it comes to confidential paper shredding, businesses should be aware of laws regarding these practices. There are over 40 laws, but the most important ones are FACTA for general businesses, HIPAA for the healthcare industry and GLB for the financial sector. In order to comply with these laws, it is a good idea to set up a retention schedule for all different types of documents. Familiarity with the lifecycles of specific documents, such as contracts, budgets, performance records and invoices, will help you develop a viable schedule for destruction.

Cons of In-Office Paper Shredding

Implementing an in-house confidential paper shredding program may be more complex than it seems. Your office will need a shredding machine, which requires routine maintenance and occasional repairs. Employees need training on best practices for information destruction, how to operate the machinery and which documents to shred. In addition to the time spent training, your employees will also have to take time out of their days to shred those materials. This practice does not always protect against internal fraud, so the company may still be liable for stolen information. To fully ensure that your business is compliant with all laws, it may be better to outsource your document destruction.

On-Site Confidential Paper Shredding Services

Proshred Tampa is a trusted company that will handle all of your confidential paper shredding needs. An initial security audit is conducted at your business to help you determine your situation. It is easy to set up regularly scheduled confidential document shredding services on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Proshred Tampa provides the secured containers and picks up the documents at a preset time for destruction. No one outside of your company handles the physical documents, and you receive a certificate of destruction when it is complete.

You also can take advantage of Proshred Tampa’s other services to meet your business demands. For example, our one-time cleanout service is handy when your office is moving to another location or wrapping up required tasks at the end of the year. Proshred Tampa recycles 100 percent of documents, so your company can maintain any eco-friendly goals. Contact us and ask about our security audits to find out how outsourcing your document shredding can help protect your customers, employees and business.