What is the best way to destroy documents which are no longer required?

The 1998 Data Protection Act states that companies must not keep certain types of information for longer than it is needed and that it must be destroyed securely, particularly if it relates to employees or clients.

It is advisable to have a records management strategy in place and a document retention schedule to ensure that all documents are regularly reviewed and disposed of at the appropriate time.

Paperwork can also be destroyed after it has been captured electronically as there is very rarely a reason to keep both the paper and electronic version. It is of utmost importance, however, that sensitive information is securely disposed of to minimise the risk of identity fraud. The best way to do this is to use a document shredding company which will securely shred the information and issue a destruction certificate after the work has been completed.

There are mobile shredding services which will come on site to carry out the destruction and take away the paper to be safely recycled. Alternatively, lockable bins can be provided for the paper which are collected periodically by a secure document shredding service.

The IPC Group can advise on any document shredding requirements and can be contacted on 08081 45 46 47.