Five Important Things To Look For In A Shredding Company
Does your shredding company offer on-site and off-site shredding? When it comes to document destruction, you'll need options. Maybe you have documents containing data so sensitive you don't want them leaving the building - in which case you'll want to shred them on-site. Does your shredding company offer this option? Perhaps there's so much material to be shredded that you have no choice but to have it hauled away, in which case you'll need a shredding company that will haul it away for you. Or perhaps there's a ton of material, but you'd like to watch the process firsthand - you'll need a shredding company that has a mobile document shredding unit.
Can your shredding company bring you into compliance with FACTA? FACTA is the Fair and Accurate Credit Act, signed into law in 2003. The act requires several types of companies to regularly destroy any documents with clients' credit information. To come into compliance with FACTA, businesses must perform due-diligence searches for a shredding company that will certify that the relevant documents have indeed been destroyed. A good company will understand the details of laws like FACTA.
Can your shredding company bring you into compliance with other federal document destruction laws? Aside from FACTA, there are several federal laws addressing document destruction. Each of these laws addresses a separate discipline. For medical insurance companies, doctors and other health care professionals with access to individuals' medical history, there is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. For accountants and some attorneys having access to their clients' financial records, there is the Gramm-Leach Bliley Financial Modernization Act, or GLB. All of these laws demand a due-diligence search for a professional. Even if these laws don't apply to you, check to see if your shredding company could bring you into compliance if they did. If they don't offer full compliance, they may not be as thorough in their work as they should be.
Is your shredding company a member of NAID? The National Association for Information Destruction is the non-profit trade association for the document destruction industry. NAID gives every member regular updates on the current state of the industry, including technological advances, new document destruction laws (like HIPAA and GLB). NAID also offers members the opportunity to take part in certification programs and other forms of professional development. If your shredding company is a member of NAID, it's a good sign that they're serious about the work they do.
Will your shredding company let you watch the document shredding process firsthand? If not, it may mean they have something to hide. Make sure you can see the process from start to finish, whether it's at your site or theirs.
