With all the snow lately, there has been some extra quiet time for offices to go through old files and do some new year cleaning out.
Here is some basic guidance:
Whether it is a client’s financial information or your own, you need to shred all documents. This includes paperwork that has credit card information or bank and routing numbers. It can be voided checks or bank statements. Any pages that have sensitive financial information need to be shredded.
Any paperwork that has employee, client, or your personal social security numbers should be shredded. This can also include customer ID numbers that are used to get into accounts.
If your forms require someone to write down pin numbers or login information for their accounts, these documents need to be destroyed. Should they fall in the wrong hands, it can put someone at severe risk of information breach.
When you are ready to clear out old clients or personnel, be sure you get rid of any documents that have contact information. This is to include email addresses, physical addresses, and phone numbers that will tie the individual to the contact information.
If you are getting rid of receipts, be sure to send them through the shredder. This can include original receipts as well as copies of receipts. It is best to keep yourself safe from people who can find this information and use it against you.
Still unclear what needs to be shredded? Go ahead and shred everything. This might not be the best idea if you are paying for the services, since it will cost you more. However, paper shredding should be taken seriously. If you are in doubt about what has to be shredded, go ahead and put it in the stack. It is better safe than sorry when it comes to HIPPA compliance.
It is a good idea to keep a running list of all documents that need to be destroyed. This will help you avoid throwing away information that should have gone through the shredder.
If you have any questions about this article, or need assistance with your shredding program, contact us today!
The more sensitive the information, the more important it is to have it destroyed securely.
Let us help keep you compliant and lessen the burden when handling sensitive information. Contact HV Shred, Inc today www.hvshred.com