Reasons to shred your paperwork

Sensitive information of both a personal and business nature, such as financial information or stratigic details, should be disposed of securely. Even now, large organisations throw out confidential documents without thinking of the potential consequences should the files end up in the wrong hands. What's more, since the Data Protection Act was passed in 1998, companies are obliged to destroy hard copies of information on individuals that could put that person at risk should the information become public knowledge.

For this reason alone, it is advisable to invest in a small office shredder to ensure that confidential information is securely destroyed.

Business documents that should be shredded include:

Personnel - Salary details, personal data, restructuring plans, pension records, banking details.
Sales and Marketing - Sales forecasts, customer data, competitor information, new product development.
Production - New tooling, drawings, costing, work schedules.
Reception - Visitor information, staff movements.
Photocopier/Printer/Fax - surplus or simply forgotten sensitive documents should be shredded to decrease a security risk.

Personal documents that should be shredded include:

Financial - Bank statements, phone bills, utility bills.
Personal - Letters, any correspondance that may contain personal information.

It is also a good idea to ensure that old CDs which may contain sensitive information, or credit cards are shredded too. Many shredders offer this functionality. Take a look at our range of credit card shredders and CD shredders.

Remember to oil your shredder regularly

Any metal blade operates far better if it's well oiled. It will cut smoother, faster, quieter and for much longer.

Failure to oil regularly will cause the blades to become blunt and far less effective. Essentially, oil is critical for any shredder!

For a quick oil, simply zig-zag some oil evenly over a sheet of paper and shred that sheet. Manufacturer's will advise on other ways to oil their shredders.

Protect yourself from identity theft

Criminals steal your personal details and use them to open bank accounts, get credit cards, take out loans, claim state benefits, even to get a mortgage and obtain documents such as passports and driving licences in your name. You may be liable for whatever actions they take; this can ruin your credit rating and seriously damage your reputation.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing types of fraud in Europe. "Bin Raiding", fraudsters rummaging through your rubbish, is the main source of information for identity fraudsters. Many victims of identity fraud do not discover their identity has been stolen until over a year later.

Identity fraudsters are able to obtain your information in a number of different ways. Being aware of how thieves gather your personal information can help you to protect yourself.

"Bin Raiding" - Rummaging through your rubbish.
Stealing personal items from your home e.g. passports.
Stealing your personal mail, i.e. bank statements and credit card information.
Computer hacking.
Completing a change or address form to redirect your post to a different address.
To help prevent this happening to you, it is a good idea to start shredding your documents. Take a look at our vast range of paper shredders.

Security levels explained

There is now a new European Security Standard for the Shredding or Destruction of all types of Data Media, the DIN 66399 which, as of the 1st September 2012, supersedes the previous DIN 32757 and DIN EN 15713 standards.

This new DIN Standard, developed by the Deutsche Industrial Norm (DIN) sets out new responsibilities regarding the Protective Security required for Commercial Organisations, Government Departments, and Individuals to help make an informed choice of the correct equipment to guarantee all levels of Secure Destruction. The new DIN 66399 Standard has now been expanded from just 5 security levels to now include advice on the level of protection required for all types of media.

P-1 - 12mm Strips or maximum Particle surface area of 2,000 mm²
P-2 - 6mm Strips or maximum Particle surface area of 800 mm²
P-3 - 2mm Strips or maximum Particle surface area of 320 mm²
P-4 - Maximum Cross Cut Particle surface area 160mm² with a maximum strip width of 6mm = 6x25mm
P-5 - Maximum Cross Cut Particle surface area 30mm² with a maximum strip width of 2mm = 2x15mm
P-6 - Maximum Cross Cut Particle surface area 10mm² with a maximum strip width of 1mm = 1x10mm
P-7 - Maximum Cross Cut Particle surface area 5mm² with a maximum strip width of 1mm = 1x5mm

P = Paper Media Requirements

Please contact us for further details.