F.A.Q

How to Manage Confidential Documents

Personal and sensitive business data is often classified as private or confidential, and should be securely processed to make sure it stays that way – but is this always the case?

A global study* recently found that 95% of managers and employees are concerned about security risks when it comes to confidential documents, and yet only 41% have effective security solutions in place.

What measures can your organisation take to ensure confidential data stays confidential? We’ve compiled some tips and considerations to help you manage and dispose of private and personal documents.

FAQ - To Print or Not to Print?


As the majority of data is now processed electronically, many businesses are tackling the security issues associated with confidential paper documents by implementing a ‘No Print’ rule.

Do I need a hard copy?

By establishing a ‘No Print’ rule across the organisation, access to a shared printer or copier should be limited. You should also ensure your employees are trained to ask themselves questions before sending a document to print:

  • Is this a confidential document?
  • Does it contain any personal or sensitive information?
  • For what purpose do I require a hard copy?
  • What will I do with the paper document once I have actioned the associated task?

Introducing this kind of technical measure may take time to embed into the day-to-day office culture, but it will greatly improve your data security. Combatting the risks of paper documents can also help to reduce the costs associated with paper and printing - and it will benefit the environment too.

For added security measures, we would also recommend making sure your employees lock their screens when not in use and keep their desks free from paper documents wherever possible.

FAQ - When the 'No Print' Rule Fails, How Should I Store Confidential Documents?


Occasionally, printing confidential documents may be unavoidable. Some legal or industry-specific policies and practices may require hard copies containing sensitive or personal data.

When this is the case, physical documents should be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data.

You should consider:

Confidential Paper Waste
  • The quality of doors and locks, security alarms, lighting and video surveillance
  • How you control access to your premises, and how visitors are supervised
  • Where the documents are kept during the day
  • How you dispose of any paper waste once finished with

You should only keep personal data as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes required.

FAQ - How Should I Manage Confidential Waste?


Conduct a waste audit to enable you to find the best waste management solutions for your building or premises. Your waste audit should cover:

  • Areas on site where confidential waste is generated
  • The quantity of this waste in each given area
  • The people required to oversee the collection and disposal of your confidential documents

Once your waste audit is complete, you can then proceed and select the right confidential waste bin for your organisation.

Key qualities you should consider for secure paper containers:

Nexus 8G Confidential Waste Bin - Thin Paper Aperture
  • Security:

Strong lockable shredding containers with solid enclosed lids and thin paper apertures are recommended.

In high-risk areas, you should consider fixing the bins to the ground or wall to prevent removal by unauthorised personnel.

For areas where this is not suitable, store your containers out of sight inside desks or storage units.

  • Capacity:

The volume of confidential waste generated may vary from one department to the next and the frequency of collections will also affect the capacity that’s required.

Floor space is another factor to consider, as a higher capacity bin will generally have a larger footprint.

Therefore, you may require a mix of co-ordinating confidential waste bins with different capacities depending on volume of waste, collection schedules and available space.

Glasdon Range of Confidential Waste Bins
  • Style:

Having a professional and smart container to store documents prior to shredding is vital when portraying how seriously you consider data protection within your organisation.

This will reflect upon employees, customers and visitors and so should be a key consideration.

With the addition of recognisable graphics and labelling too, employees are more likely to use a purposely designed container such as the Nexus® 30, Nexus® 50 or Nexus® 100 Confidential Waste Bins pictured.

  • Location:

It is recommended to place your confidential document containers away from other paper recycling bins to minimise the risk of incorrect disposal.

Place the containers in areas highlighted by your waste management audit for maximum success. You could even create a confidentiality zone complete with posters and tips to remind your employees about the importance of data security.

FAQ - How Can I Securely Dispose of Confidential Waste?


All confidential waste should be collected and destroyed separately from any non-confidential waste before it can be recycled.

Shredded Confidential Documents

Empty your confidential shredding bins into security bags which you can securely seal prior to shredding or collection by a waste contractor.

To ensure your data is handled with optimum security, you should select between on-site and off-site waste destruction. These documents must be shredded sufficiently to ensure that your documents cannot be accessed or viewed by anyone outside your organisation.

Once shredded, your confidential documents can successfully be recycled.

For more information about our range of secure confidential waste bins, please browse our website or talk to one of our specialist advisors via LiveChat today.

Source:
*http://www.bpinetwork.org/getting-control-of-document-flow-infographic
Friday, June 29, 2018

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