Off-site vs On-site Shredding
There are multiple options for secure paper shredding, meaning that it can take place off-site and on-site. When all documents are collected from a business and transported to a secure facility to be shredded, this is called off-site shredding. On-site (or mobile) shredding involves a truck driving to a business and uses an industrial-sized shredder to shred their documents whilst remaining at the facility. Staff members are also able to watch the shredding process during on-site shredding.
Off-site shredding has many advantages such as the fact that a specially-designed mobile truck is not required to shred the documents. Security can be increase with one element of using off-site shredding instead of on-site shredding in that documents from different companies are being shredded at the same time. Therefore these are being mixed together, reducing the likelihood of the documents being able to be recreated. Off-site shredding can save some expenses as an alternative to on-site shredding, where clients may not wish to waste the working time of staff who may wish to observe the shredding taking place.
On-site shredding also has its advantages. The most significant is that of increased security. Since the shredding takes place on location, and there are fewer personnel involved in the process, on-site shredding provides a level of security which off-site shredding cannot offer to the same extent. Documents are transported only after destruction, reducing security risks on route to disposal, and the possibility of observing the shredding process creates a further sense of confidence for clients. After the process of on-site shredding, a certificate is presented as a receipt for the destruction of documents, instead of the delay which would be necessary with the alternative of off-site shredding.
The greater security offered by on-site shredding is by far the most essential factor to consider. This cannot be rivalled by off-site shredding where clients cannot know that their documents are being destroyed effectively, or even destroyed at all. On –site shredding can also be an overall more cost-effective option for clients, eliminating all risks of issues with secure documents being shared.
