Paper shredders will render sensitive documents unintelligible, thus preventing the loss of the secrets of yourself, your company/organisation and your clients.

There are three types of shredders: strip-cut shredders, which cut the paper into strips, cross-cut shredders, which cut the paper into particles and provide more security than strip-cut machines; and top-security-cut shredders, which meet the standards of the US Department of Defense and provide the highest level of security. A company or individual should purchase the type of shredder that meets their security needs.

Preparing to Purchase

Before you purchase a paper shredder, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.

• Items to be shredded?
• Size of paper?
• Number of sheets per time?
• Number of sheets per day?
• Level of security required? (please see table overleaf)
• How many people will use?
• Location of shredder?
• Are you able to recycle the shredded paper?
• Budget?

The shredder you select depends on whether you will be shredding papers, printouts, ribbons, photos, diskettes/CDs, boards, whole files or even corrugated material. Choosing a shredder that accepts paper clips, staples, or fasteners eliminates the need for removing them before shredding and saves you time. Which departments are most concerned with document security? Can individuals or departments share a shredder? Is that safe? The answers to these questions will determine whether your company works well with a centralised or a decentralised system, or even a combination of the two.

A centralised system

Usually one large shredder is conveniently located for use by multiple people or departments. For example, the shredder might be placed next to the copier, in a mailroom, or a similar common area. Some companies have a large industrial type shredder which destroy materials collected from across the building/organisation.

A decentralised system

Shredders are located in the immediate area where documents are generated and used, this can be safest. Multiple shredders are placed throughout the office next to desks, computers, printers, fax machines, blueprint machines, and filing areas for prompt shredding. Documents and data are disposed of immediately and not left waiting to be collected or taken to the shredder. This eliminates sensitive information falling into the wrong hands or being seen by the wrong eyes.

Top security shredders meet US DOD (Department of Defense) standards and offer the highest level of security. The level 6 shredder produces 15,000 particles from one A4 sheet of paper. Like crosscut shredders, these units reduce bulk, allowing the maximum amounts of material to be shredded without frequent
bag changes. Remember, when choosing between strip-cut, cross-cut, or top security cut, you need to determine the level of security required for destruction of your documents and the volume of material you will be shredding regularly. Please see the table overleaf for details.

Match the Shredder to Your Needs

There are many models and sizes available. If you are short on office space, there are small office and compact units that will fit into an individual office or next to a desk. Models ranging from medium to heavy volume through to industrial shredders can be purchased. Most industrial models feature a conveyor belt that accepts all types of paper from flat or crumpled paper to whole lever arch files. Some large plant models include a baler to dramatically reduce the volume for disposal and further increase the security level.

The shredder you select should last for a five-year growth span. A smaller unit may have a low purchase price, however, if a lot of material requires shredding, a low volume/low cost shredder will quickly wear and become expensive with service, repair costs and eventually replacement.

Factors/features to consider

Capacity: How many sheets can be fed into the shredder at one time without a paper jam. 
Blades: Hardened steel blades provide long cutting life and are much more resistant to damage.
Automatic stop: An important feature, shuts the shredder off should paper jam in the feeder. In some cases the motor will reverse pushing the papers back from the cutting heads so that they can be easily re-fed. Indicator light: Shows when the bag is full or the container needs to be emptied.
Conveyors: On industrial units carry the waste into the shredder and can handle all types of paper, flat or crumpled. Even binders are easily destroyed in an industrial shredder.
Printout racks or shredder stands: Allow you to stream feed continuous form printouts without constant operator attention. Insert the first sheet and the shredder automatically advances until the entire report is destroyed.

Any new shredder will work well in the beginning. The true test comes when heavy loads and stacks of documents, reports or printouts are shredded regularly. If your shredder is not built to withstand this stress, you will incur costly repairs and service fees. Find out what materials were used to make the components used in the shredder. Is it made of mostly plastic or steel? Do the electronics include solid-state circuitry and what type of bearings were used? Asking questions like these will help you find out how much your supplier knows about shredders.

Ask your dealer to bring a shredder to your premises on a trial basis. Alternatively ask to see a demo or a machine at their showroom or in operation at another company. Check the shredder's warranty. Shredder guarantees differ, so don't assume they all are alike. Don’t forget to regularly maintain, clean and oil your shredder. With proper usage and preventive maintenance, your shredder will last for many years.

Other Benefits

In addition to document security, effective use of a shredder will reduce the amount of files and record keeping. Studies indicate that less than 30% of information in a company's files should be stored: 70% are either duplicates or obsolete. Shredding drafts and worksheets helps eliminate confusion and possible mistakes. You can't erroneously refer to an earlier draft if it no longer exists. Shredding can save money by reducing the bulk of paper to be disposed of and removed from the premises. Recycling, an important issue, is another reason for shredding. Companies can sell used, shredded paper to recycling houses or reuse themselves as packing material for shipping and mailing.