How to Find a Good Office Paper Shredder?

With thee onset of identity theft in offices, businesses have been forced to protect the personal information of their staff and clients. Paper shredders are the best way to ensure that all confidential documents are destroyed safely and that potential thieves cannot obtain any information. There is a wide variety of shredders on the market which are suitable for all sizes of offices. This article will look at how important shredders have become and some of the different models available. 

A law was brought out in 2005 to ensure that all businesses destroyed confidential documents carefully so that the identity of people would be protected. The ‘Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act’ (FACTA) states that companies must destroy items securely otherwise they will face heavy fines and other legal consequences.

If your business is looking to invest in a paper shredder, you must take into consideration how much security is required. The security level of each shredder is judged on a scale of 1 to 6 with 6, with the higher numbers denoting higher levels of security. You should always work out what security levels you will be requiring and buy a shredder with that in mind. However it is important to note that the price of shredders increase as the security level increases. 

The type of cut that the shredder produces is interlinked with the security rating as strip cutters, which are the most common, offer an end result of pieces 1/4" wide. The cross cut shredders are recommended when a higher level of security is required. Other factors which need to be taken into consideration are how the shredder will be used; how much shredding will need to be done on a regular basis and will there be a continuous amount to be shredded on a daily basis.

It may be important that your shredding is as convenient and not encroach on too much work time. There are many additional features which the higher end shredders boast designed to make shredding simple. These include a start/stop sensor which actually checks for paper in the machine and activates the motor; a reverse feed for paper jams; bigger capacity and a much larger motor.

It is important to make sure that you have a large enough feed opening as a smaller one will limit the amount of paper you can enter at any one time. The size of this opening varies from model to model so always make sure that you check. On most shredders, this ranges in size of about 8 to 18 inches. Twelve inches is sufficient for most documents, but the larger the opening, the less frequent paper jams are.

By investing in a good quality paper shredder, you are securing the personal information of your staff and clients. You are also protecting yourself from business espionage, which can be extremely damaging. By researching and planning what shredder will suit your business needs, you are already half way there.