Most businesses today have one, if not several,
shredders on site, so that they can destroy sensitive documents
whenever they have the need. If you have found yourself in the market, you
may have discovered that shopping for a document shredder for your
business or home office can be a bit daunting.In this article, we will discuss a few of the
higher quality general use office shredders out there and some of the
special safety features that you should be looking for when you are
searching for a shredder.
There is nothing more important for the
health of your business than protecting you confidential information,
as well as that of your customers and employees. Most businesses today
have one, if not several, shredders on site, so that they can destroy
sensitive documents whenever they have the need.
If you have found yourself in the market, you may have discovered that
shopping for a document shredder for your business or home office can
be a bit daunting. You know that you and your business want the
security that in house shredding offers, but there are so many machines
on the market, with so many specifications, capabilities and features,
that trying to sort it all out can make your head spin. In this
article, we will discuss a few of the higher quality general use office
shredders out there and some of the special safety features that you
should be looking for when you are searching for a shredder.
Sensors/Guards. Most of the better shredders on the
market offer some sort of safety feature that stops the shredder if
stray objects-such as ties, shirt tails, and even fingers and hands,
get too close to the shredding mechanism. Some machines, such as some
of those offered by MBM Corporation, have an electronically controlled,
transparent safety shield. GBC corporation offer machines with a
similar mechanism they call the "Interlock System." Another of the top
manufacturers of shredders, Fellowes, offers on some of its machines
what they call "SafeSense" which is a special kind of sensor that can
detect if any body part gets too close to the shredder opening. Most of
the better machines also are equipped with mechanisms to shut off the
cutting shafts if the door to the bin is opened.
Shields.
These days, sensitive information comes in may forms, and one of the
great features of the more modern shredders is that they are able to
shred CDs and DVDs. Unfortunately this enhanced capability brings with
it a danger of flying shards of plastic. If you are getting a shredder
that is capable of shredding CDs and DVDs (as most of the better ones
on the market are) you should make sure that it comes equipped with a
safety shield that prevents stray shards of plastic from flying from
the feed opening.
Jam Proof System. Paper jams can be
a potential problem with some of the lower-end document shredders on
the market. Sometimes, users don't know a particular machine's
capabilities, or fees the paper in at an odd angle. Often, if such jams
occur, the user will attempt to fix it themselves, and that is a
dangerous situation. What you should be looking for, then is a machine
that either shuts off in the event of a paper jam, and features a
safety reverse or release system, or a high end machine that simply
won't jam. Fellowes has some shredders that advertise a system that
electronically measures paper thickness and that will power through the
occasional misfed paper. GBC, another top shredder manufacturer, offers
a similar "Jam Free" system.
If you are looking for a Paper Shredder you might want to check out MyBinding.com. They have great prices and offer free shipping on a huge selection of paper shredders. In fact they carry the entire line of Fellowes Paper Shredders
along with Paper Shredding Machines from GBC Shredmaster, MBM
Destroyit, Martin Yale, Intimus, HSM and Dahle. Check out their
selection and compare the security features that each brand of shredder
offers.
