Shred on Site was founded in Melbourne in 2014. What inspired the owners to start an on-site paper destruction company? One major motivation was the fact that the Federal Government enacted the Privacy Amendment (Enhancement Privacy Protection) Act, 2012, which went into effect in early 2014.
We know your life is busy, especially if you have your own business to run. It is important to pay attention to the changes in national laws, however. They can have a major impact on your local business. In part because of the new law and in part because of the ever increasing danger of identity theft, the owners of Shred On Site recognised a need for improved confidential document destruction methods in Victoria. To meet this need, they founded the first business to focus exclusively on on-site paper destruction in the state.
How The Law Affects You
If you are running a small business, you may not think that the new federal privacy laws affect you. However, companies that are required because of their size to comply with the new law are beginning to insist that all companies they do business with follow the same rules and regulations. In addition, much of the new law’s requirements just make good business sense. It is important to keep your confidential documents out of the wrong hands and following this law can help you do that.
Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
The new law has 13 Australian Privacy Principles, or APPs, that agencies and organisations must comply with. These APPs all concern personal information and they focus on collection, use and disclosure, quality, security, accession, correction and, perhaps most importantly, disposal. APP number 11 requires organisations to take ‘reasonable steps’ to destroy personal information if it is no longer needed.
There are several ways for a business to prove it has taken reasonable steps, including documenting a company policy, organising a regular pick up of locked shredding bins for on-site shredding and proving the documents were destroyed with a Certificate of Destruction. If companies fail to comply, they face substantial financial penalties. Businesses that are not required to comply with these laws may not receive fines, but they may lose business if APP Entities—businesses that make over $3 million per year or are in the health or credit industries—decide not to continue doing business with them because of privacy concerns.
Shredding all of your businesses’ confidential documents on site is the safest way to comply with this part of the Act.
Establish A Compliant Document Destruction Process
Shred On Site offers its customers advice on how to manage confidential documents and how to set up a compliant document destruction process. This process includes developing a privacy policy and document procedures, training your employees and having a regular on-site document destruction service. Keeping each Certificate of Destruction will prove that your business is taking steps to correctly dispose of all confidential documents, in accordance with national law.
Because you could be held liable for any data breach at your company, professional document destruction is rapidly become a must-have service for many businesses in Victoria. Shred On Site will give you security and peace of mind; you’ll know that your documents are being properly destroyed. Not a single document will leave your business in readable form.
Want advice on how to set up a Compliant Document Destruction program, or more information on how federal laws impact your business? Call now or request a quote online. We can help.
