Why an In-House Paper Shredder Is Not the Answer

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Security in Shredding

Shredding your own documents is all well and good however there are many negatives to this which may make you reconsider. Bulky paper shredders with fed up employees shredding for hours, wasting time and money and possibly raising their stress levels to the point where their loyalty may be tested to the extreme. Then the paper gets stuck or some other maintenance issue arises. The shredder is left to the side until someone can get around to having it repaired and the paper begins to pile up and up.

Cost

Personal paper shredding costs your company more money. You will have to fork out for upkeep and repair, which doesn’t even take account of the employee you will have to pay to operate it. This employee will have to be someone you trust completely. There is no need to even consider procurement fee, equipment upgrades, electricity consumption, labour etc with a contracted shredding company.

Certification for Compliance.

To make in-house paper shredding a policy within your business, you will need to have a safe and accurate document destruction strategy. Additionally, you must record the removal and destruction of records in question, otherwise you and your operator become liable. A contracted shredding company takes on all of these associated risks so you and your team don’t have to.

Reduce risk of employment fraud.

A business seldom hires a specific team or employee to feed the shredder and ensure the destruction of the documents. The operator is typically an employee who works unaccompanied and there is no supervision in place. An untrustworthy employee can be a risk when they see the possibility of a lucrative way of making money in selling personal and confidential information. In-house shredding increases the risk of employment fraud unless you put safety measures in place. With outsourced shredding, destruction of documentation is always observed and documented from the moment the documents are lugged from the location to the time they are securely destroyed.

Correct Disposal of Data.

In-house shredding usually translates to materials ending up in normal waste. When the shredder bag gets full or if the shredder breaks down, sometimes the temptation to throw things in the normal rubbish can be too high. With outsourced shredding services there will be secure procedures put in place in order to ensure something like this will never happen. The paper is securely destroyed and disposed of, eradicating any possibility of data being salvaged from the waste.

It is clear that contracting outside of your company is safer than in-house shredding. When a corporation does this, they are eliminating the risks of data being released into the wrong hands.

Security in Shredding

Specialising in secure confidential document shredding services with a reputation for exceptional security, customer service. Delivering value for money and the utilisation of leading technology compliant to the highest security standards within the industry.

Successful Free Shred Event

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Security in Shredding

We here at Security in Shredding were absolutely delighted with the turn out for our free shred event which took place on Saturday the 1st February. Our team shredded in excess of 5000 Kgs of sensitive data and 60 Hard drives.

It was a very positive experience over all, regardless of the weather. It gave us the opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of complying with GDPR and what it is to have piece of mind that your data is securely disposed of.

We want to thank everyone for their support in particular Limerick City and County Council for facilitating such an event, Live 95 FM for their interview and the Limerick Leader for their article.

We look forward to next year to our next free shred event.

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Free Confidential Shredding Event

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Security in Shredding

On the first of February 2020 there will be a free confidential paper shredding event taking place at Mungret Recycling Centre, Bunlicky, Co. Limerick to celebrate Data Protection Day. The one-day event takes place from 11am until 3.30pm.

Security in Shredding in conjunction with Limerick City and County council are facilitating the ‘Free Shred Event’ to celebrate European Data Protection Day 2020. We wish to promote awareness of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and encourage good waste management practices.

Security in Shredding staff will be onsite to destroy up to four hard-drives per individual attendee free of charge in addition to up to four bags of confidential documents free of charge. We are the first Irish Data Processor to design and introduce a mobile hard-drive shredding technology.

Householders and Small to Medium Enterprises are encouraged to bring a maximum of four bin bags of confidential paper material. Confidential material can include personal information, bills, customer records, insurance records and income statements, to be shredded on site on the day.

Albert Kelly, General Manager of Security in Shredding said: “It is an event we have been running in conjunction with Limerick County & City Council for the past five years to celebrate European Data Protection Day and we are delighted to provide such a great facility to businesses in the region. Not only are we creating awareness of The GDPR Legislation, providing a facility to securely destroy both paper and Hard-Drives for business, but we are also protecting the environment. We are thrilled to have built such a great relationship with Limerick County & City Council for the event and we will continue with the event into the future”.

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Gaining the Confidence of Your Clients

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Security in Shredding

Consumer confidence is lacking in recent years mainly due to scandals that have exposed that some of the most popular brands are actually failing their clients in keeping their word. Therefore, it is more significant than ever before to portray a trustworthy and reliable stance in relation to all aspects of your company. A good start to this is to ensure you have a regular document shredding service.

Security is the basis for confidence

Data security is a vital for all businesses, irrespective of industry or customer base. Consumers need to trust those who they share their information with, without the basis of trust, there can be no transaction. This is evident when we look at cases of data breach in the past, large brands have come tumbling down due to various scandals over the years. Therefore, industries need to be able to demonstrate that they can handle, store and dispose of their consumers’ information in a secure manner. Secure document shredding services are a perfect way to do this. It is paramount to display to your customer base that there is a standard in place to achieve this level of security. This will build confidence in your service/brand.

Environmental Respect

There is an exceptional number of waste paper passing through our offices every day. Allowing this to end up in general waste is just irresponsible. Not only can it cause serious issues with data breach it also is not environmentally friendly. Your shredding service can provide you with the peace of mind that all your documentation is securely destroyed and recycled. You are not only protecting the security of your company you are also protecting the world we all live in. The greener your company can be while protecting the clients you value the more trust you will build.

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What needs to be Securely Shredded?

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Security in Shredding

No one questions the necessity of secure paper shredding for documents such as a person’s financial, medical or legal details. However, they are not the only papers that require elimination in order to protect sensitive data. If you are having a company come to shred on site or off site, for your own sake and to get the most out of your document destruction service, it is important to know what documents specifically require shredding.

Receipts

Sometimes they will include part of your account numbers or card numbers and even part of this information being leaked can give those out to do your business harm a leg up.

Job Submissions & CVs

Countless businesses retain applications and CVs of individuals they did not employ at the time they applied, but would consider down the line should the need arise. When this document is eventually no longer needed, it should not be merely thrown in the bin. It requires shredding as it contains personal information.

Old Bank Statements & Credit Card Bills

It is important to treat your company’s financial information as delicately as you would anyone’s personal financial information. When records are no longer required, it is time to shred.

Sensitive Information for Marketing & Research on the Competition

This is information that you do not want to fall into the wrong hands. It could easily be misused should an employee’s loyalties drift from the company.

Old Utility Bills

These bills have your account information on them therefore they can be misused by those wishing to do your company harm.

Old Personnel Files

You are entrusted with very classified personal information about your workers. It makes sense to keep certain accounts of past employees as you may be requested for a reference however only keep the necessities.

Out of Date Service Contracts

Those that scam have discovered numerous methods of impersonating legitimate service providers. Allowing your old contracts to be disposed of incorrectly will give them another advantage.Always make use of your document destruction service.

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Reducing the Risk of Human Error

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Security in Shredding

Author: Videoplasty.com
Corporate Woman Being Stressed at Work.svg from Wikimedia Commons
License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0

Human error is a huge threat to any industry. It exists in all walks of life from the medical to the legal and service professions. Avoiding this one hundred percent of the time is unavoidable because at the end of the day we are all human, but there are strategies that we can put in place to limit it at all costs including the vital step of confidential shredding.

1. Have centralised control

Don’t allow everyone and anyone easy access to your documents within the company. Have a specific information security officer who will be responsible for giving access to employees who request it.

2. Train your Employees

There should be a standardised practice in place in which your employees are fully trained in. It is important that they understand the necessity for the secure disposal of documentation. Your policy should specifically address what needs to be disposed of and when it needs to be disposed.

3. Locking Documents away

Anything that is to be kept needs to be kept in a secure filing cabinet or drawer. If the Employee has work to do the following day, documents need to be locked up and secured sufficiently. A general rule for your employees should be to never leave documents in plain sight.

4. Email Correspondence

Accidentally emailing confidential information to recipients in error is such an easy mistake to make. It is important that your employees are fully alert and double check everything before they send. Always encourage your employees to recheck their recipients and ask themselves before they send ‘is this going to the right person/people?’ This should be included in their training and emphasised.

Taking all these steps and shredding any data devices or documentation that is no longer required will ensure that human error is minimised as much as possible.

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6 Habits that put your Data in Jeopardy

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Security in Shredding

1. Leaving documents on your desk

You may be leaving these out so that you remember to work on them in the morning however this is not recommended. It can leave you vulnerable to theft and at risk of information being misused. The best thing to do is to have a secure locker or drawer to put any documents you are currently using. When they are no longer needed don’t forget to use your secure shredding services.

2. Using passwords that are too easy to guess.

It can be difficult to remember all these passwords however using the same password for everything or using very basic passwords can be detrimental to the security of you and your business. Try to use a password which consists of at least 9 characters and combines upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols. Avoid writing passwords down anywhere as these can easily be misplaced and fall into the wrong hands. I use a password manager because I just can’t remember them all off the top of my head.

3. Throwing out old mobile devices or laptops.

Even if you format your device the information can still be recoverable. These must not be disposed of incorrectly. You may need to use a hard drive destruction service or a digital data destruction service.

4. Delaying updates

I find I am always asked to do updates at the wrong time. It is always when I’m busy or engaged in something on my computer or phone that I am asked to do them. Regularly I am guilty of postponing these updates for any length of time. This is risky in both a personal and professional setting. When your device needs an update it is most often an update that deals with any security issues or threats. It is important to keep things up to date so you are protected to the utmost degree on your digital devices.

5. Opening Email attachments from unrecognised sources

Sometimes these look like emails from legitimate sources and they may be attempting to trick you with a phishing scam. Recently I received one to my personal email about my Netflix payment not going through and could I please resubmit my payment information. My Netflix was due at that time and had I not been aware of what to watch out for I may have fallen victim to it. Usually the email address will give them away and won’t have the expected domain name of the business. They will often have spelling mistakes somewhere in the email or in the link if you happen to click on it before realising what it is. Only open attachments you are expecting and from sources you recognise.

6. Throwing documents into the recycling bin or rubbish bin

If you do not dispose of your paper documents correctly, you are creating a massive breach in the security of your company. Recycling waste and rubbish are easily accessible to anyone. Information can be pieced together that can be dangerous for your business. It is also against the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to dispose of this data incorrectly.

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Benefits of Hard Drive Destruction

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Security in Shredding

Small and large businesses, medical offices, government agencies, and many other organisations have one thing in common, they all use computers on an everyday basis sharing, creating, storing, and emailing sensitive information. As technology expands, electronic data keeping is drastically increasing. There is so much information being passed around online and saved on hard drives, you need to be confident that your data is safe and there is no chance for exposure. If you have been in business for a long time, the key to success is keeping up with the technology. If equipment comes into damage then you may need to replace it, therefore you are going to have hard drives lying around which is never a good thing. Secure hard drive disposal should be your priority. While it may seem more cost-effective to get rid of the hard drive yourself by throwing it away, you can then at risk of confidential data been retrieved and used, therefore it is crucial it is destructed of the right way. Throwing it does not provide protection to your employees, your clients, and your company. The most secure method of hard drive destruction is hiring a professional company who specialises in the right destruction of electronic data storage media.

Read on to find out the many benefits of Hard Drive Destruction:

Peace of Mind

The appropriate destruction of your sensitive information can give you peace of mind that it is disposed of the right way. You will not have to worry about been high risk for costly data breaches. For the ultimate peace of mind Hire the best, reliable, trusted, and quality company to destroy your hard drives efficiently. There is no way a breach can occur so protect your business at all times.

Follows the compliance legislation

It is imperative that you dispose of sensitive data the right way due to the privacy legislation like FACTA and HIPAA. Hard drive destruction is under these legislations. By following these legislations your company will remain in compliance with privacy laws.

It frees up office space

Keeping and storing old hard drives in your office can take up a lot of valuable space. Free up office space quickly and save a lot of time by hiring a professional hard drive destruction company to do the job for you quickly and safely.

All data is fully removed

Data is easily retrievable from erased hard drives, somewhat damaged hard drives, and even thrown away ones. Physical destruction of a hard drive is the only way to securely destroy and make data never to be recovered. It is highly vital that this procedure is completed correctly by a professional company.

Why choose Security in Shredding for your Hard Drive Destruction?

We can dispose and destroy your old hard drive in a professional and compliant manner.
Our hard drive destruction methods will ensure complete peace of mind that your data and privacy information is completely destroyed and not retrievable.
We record all items that are destructed and all clients will receive a detailed report for full traceability of their hard drive.
We can take the pressure off your shoulders and do the job hassle free for you.
Our destruction services are carried out by trained and fully qualified specialists that you can rely on.
Our professionalism and expertise are second to none.
All our services are in compliance with the hazardous and the WEEE directive waste regulations.
Security and safety of your belongings is our number one priority.

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Electronic Waste Recycling Information

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Security in Shredding

Electronic Waste Recycling is also known as E-Waste and it is growing in popularity. Many people are looking for ways to recycle their electronics and unwanted equipment in a responsible way. A lot of consumer items today all contain an electrical part such as Mobile phones, computers, televisions, and much more. WEEE is electronic and electrical equipment that is unwanted or broken. WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world. Any appliance that is not recycled properly can cause damage to the environment. Nearly all electronic waste can be recycled of but some still find their way to the landfills.

In this blog, I am discussing why Electronic Waste Recycling is important

What is Electronic Waste Recycling

E-Waste is any electrical item that can be recycled or refurbished. Some of which include Televisions, Mobile Phones, Hairdryers, Washing Machines, etc. A lot of e-waste contains toxic substances and are harmful to the environment but some also contain materials that could be useful. Learn more about the benefits of electronic waste recycling.

Why is Electronic Waste Recycling so important?

Rich source of Raw Materials

Internationally, only 10-15% of the gold that is found in materials is recovered while the rest is lost and thrown away. The metal deposits contained in electronic waste is known to be 40-50 times richer than the metal that is mined from the earth.

Electronic waste contains Toxic Materials

Electronic devices contain toxic materials such as cadmium, mercury, lead, and chromium. If these substances are released into the environment they can become harmful. It is important that they are recycled the right way. A lot of the waste also contains toxic chemical flame retardants and some heavy metals.

It saves Landfill Space

If you dispose of your e-waste at a landfill site, millions of materials are wasted that could be recovered and reused. Space at landfills is becoming scarce and it is not appropriate to dispose of e-waste. It should be recycled the right way. E-waste can be seriously harmful to the environment if put into landfills.

It can help create jobs and employment

Proper E-waste management can generate employment and job creation. There is a demand for workers to carry out this type of work. Recycling management companies dealing with recycling and e-waste will seek workers for this type of job, in turn, generating employment.

It is Energy Efficient

E-waste recycling contributes to energy efficiency. The energy cost of e recycling is lower than the actual cost of the processing of new materials from mining and soil. E.G. The recycling of aluminum compared to the fresh aluminum from raw materials takes up to 95% less energy. The recycling of glass can save up to 40%, steel saves up to 60%, and plastics up to 70% energy. It can also contribute to the reduced air pollution, dependence on oil, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Disposing of E-Waste properly by recycling will not only reduce the harmful effects to the environment but it is the eco-friendly way.

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Recycle IT Information

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Security in Shredding

Recycle IT is a secure and simple process that takes away the problems that you may face with old IT equipment. When it comes to the disposal and recycling of IT is has never been easier to do so. All IT equipment and electrical products include Desktops computers, Laptops, Hard Drives, mobile phones, scanners, fax machines, shredders, and so much more. All these items can be recycled no matter what make or how old they are. It is important that all IT equipment doesn’t end up in the landfill. By recycling properly, it prevents your information from falling into the wrong hands and will ensure that you are operating the right way in the eyes of the law. A lot of IT devices such as monitors, mobile phones, computers, etc contain materials and these can be harmful to the environment if not recycled properly. If you dispose of hard drives or computers incorrectly it will leave an organisation open to data breaches. It is important to use a reputable recycling firm that are specialists in IT recycling.

Why choose Security in Shredding for their Recycle IT Services?

• Excellent Service

They can ensure that all our client’s requirements are met by providing an efficient and professional service every time.

• They Provide WEEE Recycling Services

Any WEEE materials are recycled through WEELABEX approved vendors in line with legislation. Through these approved vendors all remaining IT equipment is broken down to their base and sent for recycling.

• Their staff are experts

All their staff are friendly, trained, and security screening with a 10-year history. They can offer you any advice and answer any questions that you may have for them.

• They save you money and Time

They provide IT Recycling services across the nation. They will always do their best to offer the best deals where possible. Recycling with a professional company will save you a lot of time and hassle.

• They offer a Hassle-Free Service

You can contact the company without any hassle and arrange a collection appointment for your Recycling to be disposed of. They will ensure a hassle-free service every time.

• You are guaranteed peace of mind

Security in Shredding offers innovative and modern solutions in IT Recycling to the public and private sector organisations. The company provides reliable, flexible, and value for money to all customers in an ethical and sustainable manner. With Security in Shredding you never have to worry about your old IT Equipment as it is in the safest hands. Their main goal is in the best interests of the customers so that they know they will always benefit from their knowledge and experience.

• We Recycle our waste

They have a motto where there is limited use of landfill sites. They continuously strive for 100% of any IT equipment to be recycled properly and the right way. It is so important to them that all customers data and information is destroyed the right way to ensure any data isn’t known to anybody else. Security in Shredding is the number one company in Ireland for Recycle IT.

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