Considering an Office Document Shredder ?

Every office should have a document shredder.  The Disposal Rule set forth by the FTC in June of 2005, makes it clear that individuals or businesses that fail to properly discard consumer information will be held accountable, through not only litigation, but state and federal fines. 

If you purchasing the unit for just yourself, the choice is somewhat easier, but if you have employees, you need to take extra precautions.  A good office document shredder will have all metal parts in the gear and cutting assembly.  You will have to pay a little more for this, but these units normally come with better warranties, and they can take a little more wear and tear in case one of your employees decides to shred to many sheets, or operate the machine for too long.

In an office environment, you should also consider noise level.  When comparing the decibel level of the units, note that decibels are rated on a logarithmic scale.  This means that for every 3 dbA, the sound level is double.  So an 82 dBa document shredder will be 16 times louder than a 70 dBA model. (Double from 70 to 73, double again from 73 to 76, again from 76 to 79, and once more from 79 to 82) 

The size of the shredding bin is also important.  A larger bin will allow less change outs, and will also provide added security, as the more pieces of paper you have, the harder it is to reassemble them. 

Other considerations when buying an office document shredder are casters to enable you to roll the unit close to your work area.  The ability to shred CDs and DVD disks, whether you need it, or you are concerned that an employee might try it.  Additionally the shredder should be able to handle staples.  Some units can handle paperclips.  Buy a little more than you think you need, and consider it as added insurance against employee misuse.