Shredding for Data Protection

In the UK, the Data Protection Act gives legal rights to those who have personal information stored about them. Therefore, companies who hold documents and information have a legal responsibility to ensure that confidentiality is upheld at all times, including computer and paper records.

This means that no unauthorised personnel may obtain access to personal records, including for marketing or in any way that may cause distress. After you have kept hold of a document for a statutory amount of time, it will then be your responsibility to destroy the comments in a safe and effective manner.

Why Paper Shredding is Important

Paper shredding is crucial for data protection for several reasons. First and foremost, in our information-driven society, even seemingly innocuous pieces of information can be pieced together to create a comprehensive profile of an individual or a company. Discarded documents that are not properly destroyed can fall into the wrong hands, leading to identity theft, corporate espionage, or financial fraud. These scenarios will be in breach of data protection, and they can easily happen if a business is not on top of record management.

Many businesses deal with sensitive data, such as customer details, financial transactions, medical records, and legal documents. The inadvertent disclosure of such information can lead to significant financial and reputational harm. Properly shredding these documents ensures that the information they contain remains confidential and out of reach of those with malicious intent.

In addition, many countries have privacy and data protection laws that mandate the secure disposal of personal and sensitive data. Businesses are often legally obliged to protect such information even after it's no longer needed. Failing to comply with these laws can result in hefty fines and legal consequences. Shredding paper documents provides a tangible and auditable way for businesses to demonstrate compliance with these regulations.

Moreover, paper shredding also signals a company's commitment to protecting its stakeholders. By taking the necessary precautions to destroy sensitive information properly, businesses can assure their customers, employees, and partners that they prioritize and respect their privacy and confidentiality.

What This Means For You

As part of the Data Protection Act, you are responsible for ensuring that all your customers’ information is kept safe and secure. Measures that must be taken include keeping information backed up and ensuring that unauthorised access is not possible. The documents also must not be kept for longer than necessary, not indefinitely. Failure to comply can result in criminal charges and an unlimited fine.

When it comes to disposing or shredding of documents, you are responsible for ensuring that all of the information is accounted for and properly destroyed. This includes personal documents, invoices, photocopies and even letterheads. Failure to dispose of documents effectively could result in ID fraud, unwarranted marketing and even unauthorised access to your premises.

Protect your business

At Secure Storage Services, all of our document shredding is done to BS8470 level 4. This ensures that all confidential documents are protected until the point of destruction and that all materials are destroyed within 24 hours of collection. All of our staff are vetted and we use highly secure vehicles to ensure that your documents are in safe hands.

For more information on our document shredding service, call Secure Storage Services on 0151 293 4000 or fill in an enquiry form.