Tag Archives: Onsite paper shredding Dublin

Addressing Incorrect Data Destruction Habits

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Data Protection, Paper Shredding, limeirck paper shredding

Shredding confidential paper in a business must be done and there are legislations in place to protect against data breaches. Failure to enforce these laws or inadequate data protection in place by a business will result in a hefty fine of up €100,000.

Human error is is arguably the biggest cause of data breaches are caused by employees and contractors. Human error is not solely to blame. Even high profile hacking cases involve employees inappropriately clicking on links and allowing the bad guys in. It is quite easy with a little bit of know how you can be easily tricked and baited into clicking a malicious link that will cause a data breach.

When it comes to proper data destruction, or avoiding data breaches due to improper destruction of data and confidential information. It comes down to employees knowing the dangers and pitfalls of potential data breaches within the office. Despite any amount of training, however, there is one lesson too many data controllers have learned the hard way. In order to maximize compliance, proper disposal of information has to be easy for the employee.

Some organisations might require employees to use a shredder in the copy room which is not easy. So much so that it is not even reasonable to think they will consistently do it. Whether because of carelessness, workload issues, pressures outside work, or laziness, compliance failure is inevitable. Nor is it reasonable to give employees the discretion on what is destroyed or options on where information-bearing media should go. Whenever a recycling bin is next to a shred bin, it is easy to find confidential information in the recycling bin. Making this process as easy as possible for our customers is recommended. We clearly have each console labelled so our customers know exactly what we can and can’t take in our locked consoles. We provide staff awareness days to help businesses improve their data security.

Data Protection, Secure Paper Shredding

The same goes for IT asset disposal. Since employees are less likely to toss out computers, it can be less of an issue. However, leaving the decision to the IT department instead of dictating the procedure through security and compliance can cause a problem. With electronic storage devices there is no true way to destroy the data using software. A physical destruction of the device must be done to ensure data destruction.

Educate and Awareness for you and your employees benefits with proper data destruction. Contacting a Secure Confidential document destruction service to incorporate into the business practice will improve your data security and destruction.

For more information on a secure document destruction service in Ireland, then please visit: https://www.securityinshredding.com/ or

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Reasons why having a “Clear Desk” Policy is beneficial for businesses today

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confidential shredding, clean desk policy

A clear space, a clear mind. Paper shredding is a good habit to help clean up and also protect your data. Confidential document shredding service will help you clear out unwanted paper and documents that may have built up over the years.

(Shred your waste paper data)

It is the time of year for new beginnings, new healthy practices and in the business arena new accounting years. Even though we advocate best healthy practice we will now take a look at kick-starting some best practices for housekeeping within your place of work.

When looking around in your offices; are you looking at paper documents stacked in areas to be “Got to at some stage”, as we have begun new healthy habits in our personal lives it is also a great decision to look at implementing a clean desk policy also known as “waste paper procedure” within your offices.

Similar to a clean eating policy where you maintain clean and healthy macronutrients entering your body, a clean desk policy will direct your employees in maintaining a clean desk at all times during their working day.

We are all aware of the benefits of having a clean working area, “a tidy space equates to a tidy mind” however, a clean desk policy will also empower your Organisation to protect data in line with Data Protection Legislation.

Simple guidelines to protect your working data, whether the data is sensitive commercial data and/or personal sensitive data is to;

  1. Passwords and encryption upon electronic data carrier
  2. Have lockable cabinets within your office areas
  • Other suitable secure storage if/when required
  1. Once any of the data has been used and is no longer required you should insert it into secure consoles (Cabinets) awaiting destruction.

A well detailed and structured “Waste paper Procedure/Clean Desk Policy” really is of serious benefit to any Organisation and protects you in many ways such as;

  1. Saved money and resources
    Using a clean desk policy and having a certified vendor saves money upon downtime for staff in destroying old data
  2. Protect your Organisations Data and improve upon internal data flows

Detailing to staff that data digitalisation is the new company policy you will save money upon printing costs, increase efficiencies in data transfers and maintain business competitive with new data storage technologies.

  1. Data Protection law compliance
    It is essential for business to comply with the relevant Data Protection Laws in their jurisdictions, this includes not leaving it resting upon desks for casual bystanders to see the details; the Organisation in turn is protected from receiving for non-compliance fines and penalties
  2. Reduced data breach risk
    When private and sensitive information is protected from unauthorised view, there is less likelihood of information theft, fraud or a security breach, the costs of which can run into the £millions – in fines, reputation damage, and lost business
  3. Create a stronger reliability within your firm
    Ensuring that sensitive information is not left on desks will provide management with peace of mind that possible insider fraud is reduced to a minimum risk.
  4. Create a positive working environment
    As previously covered, a clean and tidy work space results in a clean and tidy mind enabling employees to be happy and consistent with their work duties and create an overall positive atmosphere within your workplace.

For more information, handy tips and beneficial help; Join the conversation on information security with Security in Shredding on Twitter @SecurityInShred.

Data Protection A Human Right

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Amnesty International Data Protection a Human Right

Confidential document destruction services are vital part of business data protection. paper shredders / shredding services in Ireland have governing bodies in place to enforce and ensure people are complying with Data Protections laws.

“Encryption is a basic prerequisite for privacy and free speech in the digital age. Banning encryption is like banning envelopes and curtains. It takes away a basic tool for keeping your private life private,” said Sherif Elsayed-Ali, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Global Issues.

It can be hard to comprehend the benefit of encryption when using a device. What happens in the background on devices and applications can even confuse even the most informed individual. The above statement from Elsayed does put it into perspective. With a major organisation such a Amnesty international in support for data protection, ensuring your business protects its data needs to be paramount.

The Data Protection Act is an EU standard that ensures that the access and movement of personal data is protected accordingly. These standards are in place to protect your personal information. Online usage has grown and is still growing. Access to online services and devices to use it are widely available in particular mobile devices are now becoming the no.1 method of transactions for e-commerce sites.

Using these sites or services requires and stores personal data and this data is sensitive and businesses must ensure that this data is protected. If a business does not secure its data it can be ruin a companies reputation and not to mention the penalties for a data breach from unsecured data.

There are many ways to store and display data. Weather it is electronically or paper, if it contains sensitive data it needs to be stored and destroyed securely. A document destruction service should be sought when destroying documents. A simple office shredder will not securely destroy your documents.

Media devices such as hard drives if being replaced or recycled should be destroyed if they contain sensitive data. Wiping the drive or formatting the drive does not remove the data entirely and can be retrieved.

A Din 66399 Standard is a standard set for paper shredding. This standard ensures the highest security when shredding documents and devices. When hiring a reputable shredding service this standard should be sought after.

For more information on a confidential shredding service please visit:  https://www.securityinshredding.com/

Read Amnesty International full report here:

https://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/encryption-a-matter-of-human-rights

Paper Shredding Dublin (Data Processing Service)

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Data Destruction (Dublin Area)

Shredding documents In Dublin as part of industrial paper shredding method for your business is now must be implemented under the data protection act.

All businesses are and if not they should be aware of their responsibility to segregate and dispose of their general waste and recycling. These rules have been established under the Irish Waste Management Act 2001 which can be viewed at; https://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/WasteMgmtActs/.

Within this Act it is essential for all Organisations to use a waste processing firm that is reputable and has the required certifications from their relevant County Council and in turn the client has full traceability of their waste materials.

When dealing with sensitive paper data that has reached its end of life hiring any Dublin paper shredding service may not be sufficient and may not achieve full compliance. Cost should never be the determining factor when hiring a Dublin document shredding service, the cheapest may not achieve compliance and it is compliance that is required by Organisations to achieve in order to protect their data and their public image.

As detailed above waste recyclers are also known as material processors, similarly companies that offer data destruction services are not only waste processors but they are Data Processors. It is this title of “Data Processor” that drastically differentiates a recycling firm from a Data Processing Firm. It is The Data Protection Acts that recognise Data Processors and Data Controllers and if a data breach occurred and it was found that for example the Dublin paper shredding firm was not a data processing firm they may argue that the Data Protection Acts do not apply to them as they were simply processing material not data. It is important for all Organisation to be aware of this point as they may be receiving a Dublin materials shredding service at a more attractive cost however, they are not receiving a fully compliance and data protecting service. The following applies to many industries and services; “The cheapest is not always the best”.

 

Questions to ensure that your Dublin Paper shredding vendor is a Data Processor;

  • Is your Organisation a member of an Industry Representation Body in Ireland?

Required Ans;  Yes

 

  • Does your Dublin Document Shredding Company process various recyclable material on the same site as the paper shredding?

Required Ans;  No

 

  • Does your Dublin Paper Shredding Company ship various material to the recycling market other than data carrying materials (e.g. Cardboard, plastics)?

Required Ans;  No

 

  • Is your Company Certified from an Independent Body in Ireland for European Security Standard EN 15713 and not “Self-Certified”?

Required Ans;  Yes, we are certified by an independent body in Ireland.

 

  • Is your Dublin Paper Shredding Company listed on The Data Protection Commissioner’s Public Register of Data Processors? Can you give me your reference No.?

Required Ans;  Yes, we are and you can see us on the list if you visit www.dataprotection.ie  

 

  • Do you use Data Processing Agreements?

Required Ans;  Yes

Dublin Paper Shredding – What to Keep and What to Shred

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confidential shredding, Confidential Shredding Dublin

A secure document shredding services are available in the Dublin area. On site paper destruction is available to meet to your shredding needs.

Irish Businesses are required to comply with many levels of legal procedures in order to operate. From protecting personal data such as confidential client and employee details right through to safeguarding sensitive company information in addition to abiding by individual sector regulations. Failure to comply at any level can incur severe criminal and damage a companies reputation.

It may be the end of the annual year or the end of an accounting Year but all Organisation need to go through their archives, office files and offsite storage files to decide upon what is legally required to be kept and what can be passed to go through their paper shredding Dublin service.

The best and most appropriate method for any Organisation to differentiate their material from that that can be shredded vs that that should not be shredded is to separate the material into its respective generation timelines.

When we mention respective generation timelines for sensitive paper we are talking about material that is generated in the following;

  • Daily generation
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • After seven years

Daily generation;

Most Organisations will have some form of paper that is generated on a daily basis. This is one of the highest risk sources of a data breach occurring within an Organisation as staff throughout your Organisation may leave waste paper into general recycling or any other place where fraudulent people may get access to it.

The daily generated material is not required for Organisations to satisfy tax requirements and it is normally not relevant for audit purposes and it is for this reason that daily generated paper should enter your Dublin paper shredding service immediately. Examples of this material would be memos, internal emails and CV’s.

Monthly generation;

On a monthly basis it is advisable for Organisations to reconcile all transactions and clear out any paper that may be building up within temporary storage solutions. One it has been confirmed that all of the documentation is no longer required for tax purposes it is advised that Companies should shred the material through a Dublin document shredding service. Examples of these documents would be Route plans, meeting agendas, performance targets, credit card details and bank transaction documents.

Yearly/Annual generation;

This is the material that is required to be kept for a minimum of one year. Materials such as unsuccessful CV candidates (unless there may be legal action). It is important to at all times be vigilant of what Revenue requires to be kept for tax purposes in addition to what your own business may need in terms of long term expenses and business activities.

Discard after seven years;

In Ireland Companies have a legal requirement to retain certain documents for up to seven years. Once these sensitive documents have reached their seven-year period a Company can choose to have the material destroyed. It is advisable that this task should be an annual task as you will be capable of maximising your accuracy in the destruction process, maximise your success within an audit situation, maximise your storage space, minimise your storage costs and eliminates the detrimental build-up of old documents.

Examples of these documents would be; Invoices, Accounting records, company transactions, tax payments, VAT records.

For further information, relating to document retentions please visit; https://www.revenue.ie/en/business/running/keeping-records-revenue-audit.html and/or visit www.securityinshredding.com/ and our compliance team will help you with your query.

Alternatively Email us at: info@securityinshredding.com

Business Environment – What can be Recycled?

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recycling for business & paper shredding service

A secure document shredding service in the Limerick, Galway and Cork areas will provide you with the data security needed for document shredding. While also providing a recycling service for your business thus helping the environment.

Firstly, within a business it makes definite sense to recycle as reducing waste makes business sense. As all businesses run under the simple formula that is to maximise income and reduce costs, is necessity for business survival a clear achievable waste reduction and recycling plan performs as an aid to businesses in reaching their goals
and objectives effectively.

An organisation can save up to and above 25% on waste management costs with an effective waste reduction and recycling plans in operation. It is estimated that waste production can cost your business up to 4% of turnover and in some companies it can reach as high as 10%.


How Waste Reduction & Recycling Plans Benefit Businesses:

  1. Recycling services reduce net operating costs as recycling is a less expensive process than that of waste disposal.
  1. Waste reduction and recycling is a straight forward and simple task for an organisation to conduct once they have the right information and expertise helping them through. It takes a short period of time for an organisation to implement a waste reduction and recycling plan while the beneficial monetary savings will continue long into the future.
  1. Both customer and communities are aware when Organisations are environmentally friendly which in turn has a knock on effect relating to the company image and potential client perception of the organisation.
  1. The purchasing of re-manufactured goods and those manufactured with recycled content can save money and improve overall efficiency within an organisation.
  1. Through compliance schemes and compliant documentation companies can achieve awards in relation to their environmentally friendly practices which is an additional positive aspect to recycling for an organisation
  1. An organisation that is recycling ethically has the opportunity to benefit from making new business partners within various industries that have the common stance that recycling is an imperative aspect of their daily business.

 

Within the waste material produced by an organisation there are certain items that should be segregated from the main General Waste, Mixed Recycling Waste and Green Waste.
Segregated items would include Bulky Items and Hazardous Items.

Bulky Items Hazardous Items
Furniture Hazardous Chemicals
Mattresses Paint
Rock, Dirt, Concrete Used Oil
Appliances Propane Tanks
Tires Batteries

tyre-recycling
Once the items above are segregated the remaining waste is suitable for mixed recycling collections and general waste collections.
The list of materials an Organisation can recycle, re-use and/or purchase as re manufactured is vast and I have noted clearly below a list comprising of material that would be of benefit to an organisation when implementing efficient and effective recycling plans.

  • Aluminium foil and cans
  • Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
  • Class Containers, Bottles and Jars
  • Metal cans
  • Mixed paper, including magazines and junk mail
  • Newspapers
  • Paperboard Both White and Coloured
  • Hard plastics and Plastic Containers
  • Autos
  • Fluorescent Tubes
  • Metals
  • Plastic Bags
  • Tires

Organisations and businesses requiring information about the recycling can find out more by visiting https://www.repak.ie.

For more information on a paper shredding service in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Dublin areas please our site for more information.

Site: https://www.securityinshredding.com/