Business Shredder Safety Tips

Seeing bizarre headlines about paper shredder incidents is mostly a thing of the past. This is due to new technology and regulations that make a business shredder—beginning with every model after 2007—much safer to operate.

However, it’s never a bad idea to go over the safety guidelines for the a business shredder in your office building. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

At Central Business Equipment our select options for deskside shredders, centralized office shredders, and high capacity shredders all feature a Safety Protection System (SPS). This system includes a safety shield, an electronic power switch that cuts power to the motor when the shred bin is full or the door securing the shred bin has been opened, and more.

Learn more about Destroyit® shredders: https://centralbe.com/shredders/

1. Secure personal items before using a paper shredder.

Getting stuck in a paper shredder sounds like something out of a comically un-horrific horror movie. Paper shredders today are equipped with safety features  working to prevent anything other than paper from entering the shredder.

However, there are often other things putting employees at risk that you may not consider. Here are a few tips to make sure your shredding job is 100% boring and not an humiliating office story that will circulate for the next few years.

  • Tie back long hair,
  • Secure loose clothing,
  • Take off long jewelry,
  • Remove badges and ID tags, and
  • Take care to consider anything else on your person that needs to be secured.

2. Make sure you know how to turn the shredder off.

Should anything get stuck in the shredder that shouldn’t be shredded, you’ll want to cut power to the shredder as quickly as possible. Consider your best options. Is the power button easy to access? Would it be faster or safer to pull the power cord out of the outlet?

3. Don’t forget to let the shredder cool down.

Business paper shredders heat-up as they shred. The manufacturer will indicate how long a shredder can safely perform its task before it needs to cool down. It will also include the amount of time needed for the shredder to cool. Usually a shredder takes 10 to 15 minutes to cool down.

Destroyit shredders feature a double protection feature to prevent overheating.