Document Shredding is becoming more and more essential in the workplace with the rise of identity theft and other crimes committed by the release of sensitive information. Therefore, electronic document shredding machines are becoming more common. These machines rip papers and documents into shreds so they become unreadable to criminals who want to steal them and use the information on them illegally. This is the best method of decreasing these crimes.
Even if you’re not a part of a business, you may possess sensitive documents without even knowing it. Bank statements, letters from friends, bills, and credit card applications can all contain information best kept safe or better, destroyed.
With the rise of document shredding machines and its new technological advances, come problems that occur. You’re a business owner or employee, not an expert on how to fix a machine once it’s broken. While some extreme problems require the help of a professional or entire new machine, there are some minor common problems that may occur that require little worry, stress, and time on your part. Here are easy solutions to problems document shredders bring up.
Know the Limits – The most common mistake in any machine dealing with paper is a paper jam. To use a document shredder, you have to educate yourself on its capacity and stay as far under it as you can. Even if the capacity is 50 papers at once, shredding 45 at a time is still harmful. Excessive paper jams also does damage to the motor of the shredder.
When a jam happens, unplug the machine and make sure it’s completely off. Then pull out the papers from the teeth of the document shredder carefully. For excess bits of paper too small to remove by hand, use tweezers. Don’t force any paper out or roughly pull on them. Ensure when you turn the machine back on, the stuck papers still get shredded again, just at a lower capacity.
The best way to tell its capacity and other important information you may need to know, make sure you read the manual through before your first trial.
Dull Blades – Sometimes a document shredder will function except without using as much power as you’d like. When this happens, the problem is probably dull blades or teeth. In this event, you can purchase a lubrication made to help blades. Generally on the lubrication bottles, you will find clear and detailed instructions. Another solution is to take sheets of aluminum foil and sliding it across the dull blades to sharpen.
Working without You – When your machine starts to shred without papers going through or human interaction at all, turn off the shredder immediately. There is something probably blocking the entryway causing the document shredder to think something is going through, therefore starting to shred. First let the shredder cool down, then check the sensor. If it is blocked, complete a thorough check of the shredder and try to remove any items jammed in there.
Before you use your shredder, make sure you are properly educated and that the shredder has had a thorough check. If the shredder is under warranty and the problems above persist even after you’ve completed the solutions, call the manufacturer to have another one shipped to you. Document shredding is important, have the best tool to do it in perfect running condition.
