Office Shredders - Why Does My Office Need A Shredding Machine? By Jeff McRitchie At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

We all know that in a given day at work, there are usually more tasks to be done than there is time to complete them. No one wants to add yet another task to the daily routine unless the task is going to improve business and enhance productivity. While paper shredding does not seem like a business builder, it sure can save time and money for businesses who do not want to end up in court or on the news.

In June 2005, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act went into effect requiring all businesses (even the tiny ones) to destroy customer data and records when they are no longer needed. This law is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and was enacted to help protect people against identity theft. The law indicates that any individual or business who "possesses consumer information for a business purpose must properly dispose of such information by taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information in connection with its disposal." Companies who do not properly destroy sensitive customer information are subject to up to $2500 in fines per violation, up to $1000 in statutory damages per employee, actual damages if employee records are compromised, and class action lawsuits brought against them by customers or employees. In accordance with the law, customer records may be destroyed by burning or shredding. Burning is not a practical solution for most business owners, so shredding is by far the more logical and convenient choice.

Paper shredders come in two basic styles, cross-cut and strip-cut. Cross-cut shredders (also known as confetti-cut, diamond-cut or micro-cut) offer a more secure shred and a lower volume of waste although they tend to require more maintenance and may be more expensive. Strip-cut shredders (also known as straight-cut or spaghetti-cut) generate more waste and are less secure although they may be less costly to purchase and maintain.

In addition to these compelling legal reasons for equipping your office with a shredder, paper shredders also enhance productivity. Instead of employees having to worry about how to protect sensitive information that is no longer needed and wasting time seeking direction from their supervisors, employees can simply shred the documents and be done with it. Paper shredding also helps to maximize storage space around the office. When employees are through with documents, they can be shredded and disposed of instead of stacked up in dusty storage rooms.

Paper shredders protect more than your clients and employees; they also protect you. You can use your paper shredder to destroy records and communications you do not want others to see. Seeing your sensitive materials in the wrong hands can be embarrassing and costly. Given the alternative, a paper shredder is a meaningful investment. While you may be concerned about the price of a paper shredder, the knowledge that your employee records and customer information are protected is worth every penny. No one wants to end up in court trying to explain how or why confidential data were compromised.

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