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Companies hold different documents in different departments, these can vary from high to low security levels, and so need to be treated differently.
- High Security Documents – These are payroll, human resources, executive suite, research, development. These need to be disposed of using shredders with the highest security level, usually particle cut shredders, granulators, hammermills, pierce and tear, and grinders.
- Medium Security Documents - Sales, Marketing, Accounting. These are not as sensitive as the high security documents but they do often contain confidential financial information, these should also be shredded using cross cut shredders in most cases.
- Low Security documents - These would be any other department. Often strip cut shredders are sufficient for all other documentation.
Once you have identified the different types of documents that are disposed of in different departments, Shredding solutions can be placed for each department according to need. This is by far the most time effective and cost efficient way of keeping unwanted documentation secure.
Consider the number of employees in each department and allocate the appropriate number of shredders and type of shredder to each department, Shred boxes are sufficient for small numbers of people and shred bins for 5 or more. Be generous regarding the number for each department. They are in-expensive to purchase and it is important that sensitive documentation is not lying around for hours or even days on end waiting to be shredded.
Once the equipment is in place, allocate an employee to empty all of the shredder boxes and bins on a regular basis in each department. Remember high security departments should have the boxes emptied daily whereas low and medium zones can be as volume allows, around once a week. Also by regularly emptying the shredding equipment they can run much more efficiently.
How many shred boxes, bins and shredders will I need?
This really depends upon the number of employees, departments and access. Here is a rough guide but it is ultimately depending upon your individual situation.
- One Office Shredder: Shreds 8 to 12 sheets at 15' to 30' per minute. Serves up to 10 employees
- One Departmental Shredder Shreds 12 to 50 heets at 20' to 50' per minute. Serves up to 40 employees
- One Industrial Shredder Shreds 750 to 2,250 pounds per hour. Serves up to 1,000 employees but possibly more depending on logistics of facility and frequency of shredding.
- One 27" Shred Box Holds up to 45lbs and serves up to six employees.
- One 36" Shred Box Holds up to 65lbs and serves up to 13 employees.
- One 65 Gallon Shred Bin Holds up to 250lbs and serves up to 50 employees.
- One 92 Gallon Shred Bin Holds up to 350lbs and serves up to 70 employees.