All In Shreds

Companies, associations depend on shredding for day-to-day security

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Dec 01, 2008

When you think of the NFL, shredding papers and documents is the last thing that comes to mind, unless your former quarterback is moving to a new team. You’re more likely to think of an oversized lineman sacking the quarterback or a fullback rushing for 3 yards in a cloud of dust.

But last year, the Labor Department showed that the NFL Players Association paid $12,461 for document shredding to Office Shredders in Elkridge, Md. Why?

A Necessary Step
NFLPA moved last year, and it’s not uncommon for a company to shred documents during a move. But the NFLPA is under scrutiny for its treatment of retired players. The association and its forprofit subsidiary, Players Inc., are involved in a legal battle with a group of retired players, who are seeking extensive document discovery from the union. The lawsuit is filed by Bernie Parrish, formerly of the Cleveland Browns.

No one disagrees that paper needs to be shredded, but in this case, it’s a question of how much needs to be shredded. NFLPA shredded documents because it moved to new offices, but its new location is only four-tenths of a mile from the previous location. So how much paper was destroyed? Pricing methods vary, but the most commonly used rate is 10 cents per pound. Office Shredders was paid $59,897 for relocation services. Figuring the amount of paper on the most common rate, Office Shredders would have tackled up to 124,610 pounds, or more than 62 tons.

Shredding is a big business, but it also is at the forefront of security when it comes to taking care of private and exclusive documents relating to people’s lives.

“By now, almost everyone in America is familiar with identity theft,” said David Withers, marketing director at MBM Corp. “The vast majority of businesses and many individuals are taking steps to make sure they’re protected.”

Staying In-House
Withers and MBM Corp. understand the level to which identity protection must be maintained. In citing the need for shredding, Withers pointed out the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act legislation that was passed to minimize the risk of identity theft and consumer fraud. FACTA also was meant to cut down on identity theft by restricting the ability of thieves to “dumpster dive” for valuable consumer information in discarded business records.

“This is the exact reason why we (MBM Corp.) believe that a company or people in an office setting should have high-quality and high-volume shredders at their disposal,” Withers said. “Companies must safeguard sensitive information of employees and customers. The best way to do this is by shredding in-house.”

Withers said in-house shredding maintains security by not allowing anyone outside the office to have access to sensitive information. He said once the information goes out the door to a mobile shredding service, a customer never knows for certain that the papers are disposed of properly. Plus, he said, mobile shredding is an ongoing expense.

“Today, shredding is viewed as a necessary business activity,” Withers said. “A large volume of shredding takes place in hospitals, banks and government agencies, which all have untold amounts of personal information that must be protected.”

It's a Facta
Employers are required to properly and effectively destroy all documents and materials that contain sensitive employee or consumer information. But FACTA is not limited to companies or small businesses. Homeowners with employees, such as a nanny or maid, also are responsible for the handling and disposal of any type of employment information.

“If a person doesn’t shred and information leaks out, that person could be subject to lawsuits, as well as state and federal fines,” Withers said.

The issue of shredding documents doesn’t have to be as tough as a defensive lineman, nor as savvy as a quarterback on the run. A quality shredder is, however, the first line of defense that will not only protect companies and individuals from dumpster diving but also provide security from identity theft.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .