Spring Cleaning Your Sensitive Office Documents

After the new year, many offices tend to reorganize and begin their “Spring Cleaning”. This should include paper records or documents with sensitive information. This can become a daunting task if it’s been put off for too long. Thankfully, once you determine what needs to stay and what should go, there are professional data and document destruction companies like us at BWS with extensive experience to assist with secure shredding so that confidential information remains protected. The safest and most secure way to dispose of documents containing confidential information is to have them shredded by a reliable, professional company that specializes in data destruction.

Depending on the type of documents and information they contain, determines what to keep and how long to keep it before having it shredded. Holding on to some documents for too long can create a greater risk for potential fraud. It is important to understand all local, state and federal laws for protecting patient, customer, or client personal information so you remain legally compliant. If you are unsure of what to keep or what to shred, consult a tax or legal adviser. Policies and retention requirements may vary by industry.

Examples of Documents to Shred During Your Spring Cleaning

Here are a few examples of documents and records generated by businesses or medical practices that may contain personal information: 

• Internal Financial Records
• Bank or Credit Card Statements
• Patient Records
• Property Purchase Documents
• Tax Records and W2 forms
• Human Resources/Employee Files and I9 forms
• Customer/Client Documents
• Business Corporation and LLC Documents
• Branded Products or Materials
• Legal Contracts

Besides paper documents and records, you may be storing confidential and personal or client information on digital media. Simply deleting files from computers or USB’s is not sufficient. The files or data on these devices may still be stored on that device or memory chip. Shredding hard drives, flash drives, and other media will give you peace of mind knowing they have been physically grinded into a granular unrecognizable state as opposed to the method of wiping/sanitization or degaussing.

Types of Media That Can be Shredded

Most types of media containing data or personal information can be shredded. Here are some examples:

• Internal Hard Drives
• Micro Hard Drives
• External Hard Drives
• CD’s & DVD’s
• SIM Cards
• USB/Flash Drives
• Floppy Disks
• X-ray Film
• Microfiche & Microfilm
• Credit & Debit Cards

Once you have taken the steps to organize your records and papers while Spring Cleaning, it’s time to get rid of old files you’ve identified as past their retention time.  Whether you are a small office with a few boxes of files, you’ve decided you need on-going service to stay organized, or you have a large storage facility full of boxed up documents, hiring the right professional shredding company will help you save time and money, rather than trying to take this task on in-house.

Watch Your Documents Being Shredded

If you require witnessed destruction, mobile shredding services is the best option to be able to watch the shredding happen in real time. Mobile shredding trucks can shred materials anywhere at any time and are ideal for large shredding jobs, record purges, and clean-out services. At BWS, our state-of-the-art mobile shred trucks are equipped with cameras and monitors on board to watch the contents securely flow through the entire process.

Partnering with BWS for Spring Cleaning Sensitive Documents

Maintaining privacy and your company’s reputation is important. That’s why partnering with a professional who understands regulations and how to properly manage sensitive documents will help keep you legally compliant. It will also give you peace of mind knowing your patients’ or clients’ personal information is handled securely.

Biomedical Waste Services, Inc. (BWS) has over 45 years experience safely collecting, transporting, and disposing of sensitive waste such as patient records, documents, hard drives, and other media for a variety of industries in the mid-Atlantic area, including Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.  We are committed to providing our customers with secure, reliable records shredding management services they can count on to keep them compliant and protect their patient’s confidential information. Call or contact us today for a free Spring Cleaning quote or to schedule your document shredding appointment.

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