Security

We take great care to make sure your confidential documents are secure, both as they are transported to our facilities, and while they are at our facilities awaiting shredding.

Secure transport

We only use our own vehicles to transport documents for shredding. To enhance reliability all our vehicles are purchased from new, and serviced and maintained per the manufacturer's specifications. They are sign written with our branding, and are registered to carry waste.  Currently, we have 25 vehicles in operation.

All of our vehicles have the following security measures fitted as standard:

• Central locking, alarm and immobiliser
• Trackers
• RoadHawk front facing dash cameras
• Fire extinguishers

We monitor all of our vehicles via Abax software, which allows us to see live GPS web tracks of the vehicles. This means we can carry out effective route planning and use of our vehicles and is a further commitment to our environmental creditability. In addition to this, all of our drivers have a hands-free mobile phone kit which allows them to notify us of any delays or concerns. We then proactively contact our customers should we expect a delay. All drivers are The Hill Company employees and wear corporate uniforms and display ID badges. All drivers are DBS checked before they start driving for us.

Secure facilities

All of The Shredding Companies facilities are modern buildings constructed to the highest specification.

To ensure that your items are safe at all times, all The Shredding Company sites have the following security measures in place as standard:

• Perimeter fencing – around the entirety of all sites. All sites are standalone buildings with sole occupancy.
• Single gated entrance locked at all times – monitors the access of authorized staff and visitors.
• Visitors signed in and escorted at all times – prior to site visits, visitors and contractors are requested to complete visitor entry forms.
• Access control – all doors leading to the records centres and admin areas.
• Security lighting – lighting external areas to enable CCTV to record.
• Internal and external colour CCTV cameras for 24-hour surveillance recorded to a digital video recorder – digital recorder is located in a secure area and holds recordings for 30 days.
• NACOSS approved and maintained intruder alarms with GSM Redcare – intruder alarms are monitored 24/7 by a monitoring station. The monitoring station has written procedures in place in the event of any type of activation, for both security and fire alarms.
• Overnight patrols – random time inspections of the exterior of the building. These are outside normal working hours.
• Police and key holder response – intruder activations are alerted to the police and key holders by the monitoring station.
• Staff vetted – comprehensive vetting and reference procedures in place. This includes full documented inductions covering security and confidentiality procedures.
• Visitors policy - includes visitors surrendering phones and cameras at entry.

A BS EN 15713 Compliant Service

BS15713 is a British Standard that provides guidelines for secure management and destruction of confidential material, primarily paper documents and digital storage devices. It outlines best practices for collection, transportation, storage, and destruction to ensure the protection of sensitive information and compliance with relevant data protection regulations.

Secure Destruction Facilities

EN15713 mandates that facilities for confidential information destruction should:

• Have an administrative office for maintaining essential records and documents.
• Be separate from other businesses or activities at the same location.
• Be equipped with an intruder alarm system (EN50131-1) and monitored by an alarm receiving centre.
• Install a CCTV system that covers unloading, storage, and processing areas, with recordings stored for a minimum of 31 days, unless agreed otherwise with the client.

Contracts

• The standard necessitates the following legal agreements concerning responsibilities:
• A written contract between the client and the organisation for all transactions.
• Sub-contracted work should only be assigned to companies adhering to EN15713:2009 recommendations.
• Clients must be informed if sub-contractors are employed.
• The client, as a data controller, should select a data processor with guaranteed technical and organisational security measures and ensure their compliance.

Personnel

EN15713 requires that all personnel involved in confidential data destruction should:

• Undergo security vetting as per BS7858, including a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) or Disclosure or Barring Service (DBS) check.
• Sign a confidentiality agreement before starting employment.

Collection and Retention of Confidential Material

The standard mandates the following measures for collecting confidential data:

• Confidential materials should be protected from unauthorised access during collection and destruction.
• Collection should be done by uniformed, trained staff with photographic identification.
• Off-site shredding should occur within one working day of arrival at the destruction centre.