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    It’s Easy Being Green with HSM

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    The German manufacturer HSM has just released a new line of green, environmentally-friendly products that are easy to use and great for the home and office. The ProfiPack 400 and 425 are high-tech cardboard shredders that can transform scrap cardboard boxes into high quality packing material in a matter of seconds. If that isn’t a big enough selling point, it also keeps the environment clean and protected. Here are some benefits of the HSM green machines:

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    • The ProfiPacks are easy to operate with a simple On/Off/Reverse switch.
    • The new HSM machines are able to roll from room to room, making them mobile.
    • Each machine has a practical built-in ruler for measuring the required packing-material width.
    • The machines comply with all national and international safety regulations.
    • After cardboard is fed into the machines, the cardboard is perforated by the special cutting shafts and simultaneously cut to the regulated width.
    • They are prepared for connection to dust-extraction systems.

     

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    HSM has created two powerful machines that are sure to inspire other companies to make similar green machines. If you are interested into consolidating your waste, HSM has designed the HSMV-Press 60, a hand-lever press that is able to reduce the volume of waste at least five-fold. By using this machine, you can reduce the cost of transportation and labor on the average of 50%. With these new HSM machines, you can kill two birds with one stone: get rid of waste in your space and help protect the environment (and maybe a third bird using the cardboard for packing material!).

    Keeping Your Resume Out of the Shredder (Part Two!)

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    paper-shredder-2A couple weeks ago I gave some advice about crafting a good resume from my perspective as an employer (read the first post here). Today, I want to take my advice one step further to help you get that extra edge.

    Okay, so let’s say you’ve taken the time to really work out your resume. It’s been proofed, well-organized, and tailored to fit the job to which you’re applying. You can bet that this will definitely separate you from the majority of resumes coming in. Still, with the sheer volume of people looking for jobs these days, you’re probably not the only one who has taken the time to put together a stellar resume. So, how do move your resume to the top of that short stack? Presentation.

    Think about it. After you just spent all this time perfecting your resume on the computer, what’s the very last thing you did? Hit print. And if you’re thinking like everyone else, that’s it. You’re done. The thing is, you can’t afford to think like everyone else.

    Paper
    The first thing you need to do is get some thicker paper. Don’t use the cheap copier paper everyone has in their printer. You want to stand out, remember? You want your potential employer to hold your resume and physically feel a difference between the others he or she has sorted through. Believe it or not, a sturdy resume communicates that you’re confident, serious about the position, and take pride in who you are. This automatically makes you a strong candidate.

    Color
    You don’t want to go overboard with color. In fact, less is more. White paper is going to do the trick, but if you wanted to use a very subtle colored paper, it would be okay. Just use caution–anything too extravagant can hurt you by distracting from the content of your resume. The same can be said about colored ink. Straight-up black ink will get the job done. Colored ink should be used sparingly, if at all. At most, I’d consider only using colors for titles, headings, and possibly any minimal border or decoration. Again, less is more here.

    Presentation Folders
    Once you’ve printed your cover letter and resume,  consider placing them in a pocket folder or presentation cover. This additional housing for your materials will not only protect them but give them a immensely professional look while, again, communicating your strength as a candidate.

    The Digital Age
    There’s just one problem with all this advice, right? In this highly technological culture, most resumes and covers letters are sent via email. So, what’s the point? Consider this: Many job postings still include a mailing address. Unless the application instructions explicitly say to use email, why not drop your resume and cover letter in the mail? Better yet, if the job you’re interested in is local, make a trip to drop off your resume in person–this might be an excellent opportunity to meet your future employer and schedule an interview! I can tell you from personal experience that I generally have a slightly stronger connection to the candidates who give me physical resumes than the ones I simply read in my inbox. Their extra effort is undeniably impressive.

    Finally, even if you can’t get your prospective employer a physical copy of your resume initially, you’ll have the chance when you’re invited to interview. As an employer, I can tell you that the first thing I’m going to ask for is a copy of your resume, so be prepared! And remember, these strategies aren’t a substitute for quality content in your materials–they can only highlight what’s already there.

    Good luck!

    New TAA Compliant Shredders from Swingline

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    Secure. Reliable. Compliant. That’s the motto of the new Swingline TAA compliant shredders. These German-engineered devices protect your information from theft while ensuring that your company stays TAA compliant. Each model is designed for a heavy-use environment, features an auto power save mode, and is backed by a two-year warranty. Heavier shredding jobs are made simple with advanced Jam-Stopper technology to prevent overfeeding. And Swingline TAA compliant shredders meet the requirements of the Trade Agreements Act (TAA), which makes them an ideal choice for government agencies and educational institutions making purchases with government funds.  The TAA compliant shredder line includes the following models:

     

     

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    CX40-59 Cross-Cut Shredder – Great for copy rooms and shared use.
    TAA Compliant cross-cut shredder with 40 sheet capacity, super-large 59-gallon bin and extra-wide paper entry. Chain drive gears to power through larger jobs. Automatic oiling ensures smooth performance. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

     

    CS50-59 Strip-Cut Shredder – Perfect for bulk shredding.
    TAA Compliant strip-cut shredder offers high 50 sheet capacity, super-large 59-gallon bin, and extra-wide paper entry. Chain drive gears to power through large jobs. Automatic oiling ensures smooth performance. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    TAA-Compliant-Shredders-bm-content-3CX30-55 Cross-Cut Shredder – Ideal for shared use.
    TAA Compliant cross-cut shredder with 30 sheet capacity, extra-large 55-gallon bin, and extra-wide paper entry. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples. Automatic Oiling ensures smooth performance.

    CS39-55 Strip-Cut Shredder – Excellent for bulk shredding.
    TAA Compliant strip-cut shredder with 39 sheet capacity, extra-large 55-gallon bin, and extra-wide paper entry. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

     

    TAA-Compliant-Shredders-bm-content-4CM11-44 Micro-Cut Shredder – Ideal for finance, HR, and legal departments.
    TAA Compliant micro-cut shredder provides greater security than cross-cut shredders. Eleven sheet capacity, large 44-gallon bin, and an extra-wide paper entry help you quickly move through large security-conscious shred jobs. Shreds credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    CX22-44 Cross-Cut Shredder – Ideal for frequent use.
    TAA Compliant cross-cut shredder works efficiently to shred 22 sheets at a time. Large 44-gallon bin for frequent use environments. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    TAA-Compliant-Shredders-bm-content-5CS25-44 Strip-Cut Shredder – Ideal for bulk shredding.
    TAA Compliant strip-cut shredder for basic security. Durable and designed for heavy use; large 44-gallon waste bin. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    CX25-36 Cross-Cut Shredder – Ideal for copy rooms and shared use.
    TAA Compliant cross-cut shredder works efficiently to shred 25 sheets at a time. Ample 36-gallon waste bin. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

     

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    CS30-36 Strip-Cut Shredder – Ideal for bulk shredding.
    TAA Compliant strip-cut shredder for basic security. Shreds up to 30 sheets at a time. Ample 36-gallon waste bin. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    CHS10-30 Level 6 High Security Shredder – Ideal for handling extremely sensitive information.
    TAA Compliant highest Level 6 security for extra protection of your sensitive information. Meets NSA/CSS Specification 02-01. Ten sheet capacity, ample 30-gallon waste bin. Automatic oiling and continuous duty run time ensure this shredder keeps up with your most secure shredding needs.

    TAA-Compliant-Shredders-bm-content-7CM15-30 Micro-Cut Shredder – Ideal for finance, HR, and legal departments.
    TAA Compliant micro-cut shredder provides security for shared environments. Fifteen sheet capacity and ample 30-gallon bin for shared space shredding. Shreds CDs, credit cards, paper clips, and staples.

    How to Throw a Shredding Party

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    destroyit-2270cc-sm1You may have seen signs around advertising a “Shred Party” and thought to yourself, what is that? Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like, a place for people to come together and shred their unwanted items. These are often organized by a bank, post office, or school. But there is no reason why a business can’t throw one as well. Here is a road map to hosting your very own shred party.

    • First, you’ll want to define your purpose. The reasoning behind organizing any event is vital; knowing your purpose helps you plan your function. If your goal is brand awareness, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of business cards on hand and maybe a few brochures for your company as well. Employees available to help and discuss your business will guide people in connecting to your brand. Maybe your goal is to get involved in your community. Then you might consider making this a monthly or quarterly event hosted to help people. Or maybe you’re just looking to sell your products. Hosting a shredding party is a great way to give people hands-on experience while helping them. Whatever road you choose, knowing why you’re hosting this function will help to guide your actions as well as tell your employees how to act.
    • Once you know your purpose, you’ll need to figure out which machines to use. If you expect a large number of people, having an industrial shredder on-hand will speed up the process tremendously. However, this will take away from the time you have to spend with potential customers. If you’re looking to sell, supply several different makes and models to encourage people to do some hands-on research. You may even offer a discount on the units used during the party or on any machines purchased that day. But overall, you’ll want to at least have one cross-cut and one strip-cut device to accommodate varying shredding needs. You may even provide a high security or micro-cut shredder, though this isn’t absolutely necessary. Another optional but nice addition to your selection would be a digital media shredder. Whatever you choose, be sure at least one shredder has a continuous duty motor to keep up with a heavy duty workload.
    • After you’ve planned the basics, get the word out. With so many media options available, there are several different ways to advertise. A newspaper ad gives people something tangible to remind them. A Facebook event on your company’s page (and maybe even on your city’s page, depending on how big of an event you wish to have) encourages customers to return to your business. An email message or snail mail postcard to your subscribers is another way to get the word out. And finally, you can always use a good old-fashioned sign on the side of the road.

    Finally, you’re ready! For a community event, consider providing a snack and a beverage to facilitate relationship building. If you’re looking to make a few sales, have product information ready as well as business cards and brochures. You may even host a drawing. Or turn it into a fundraiser for a charity by charging a small fee and donating the proceeds. The possibilities are endless. And if you need a new shredder for your event, MyBinding.com sells a wide selection of them and offers free shipping on all orders over $75.

    What do you think? Did I miss any key points? Have any suggestions for throwing a shredding party? I’d love to hear them!

    Are You HIPPA-Compliant?

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    There are many reasons to have paper shredders in the workplace. For one thing, they make disposing of unwanted documents easy and convenient. They can also prevent bank account numbers and other financial information from being stolen. Also, if you deal with any type of health-related information, a shredder can help you become compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 – otherwise known as HIPAA.

    HIPAA is a federal set of rules and regulations pertaining to health insurance and patient privacy. When someone talks about how paper shredders related to HIPAA, they’re most likely talking about the section of the act regarding the handling and disposal of patient documents. Mishandling these documents or disposing of them incorrectly can be disastrous for an organization or business that deals with health-related matters. For example, throwing a patient’s file in the trash can result in civil lawsuits or even criminal charges. Civil penalties can cost you thousands or even millions of dollars depending on the severity of the violation. In the worst case scenario, arrest and even incarceration are possible. (You’ll also be subject to a lot of bad publicity.)  Because of these stiff penalties, HIPAA compliance needs to be a top priority.

    Luckily, compliance is easy thanks to paper shredders. Any health-related documents that you no longer need should be shredded instead of thrown in the recycling bin or garage. These include but are definitely not limited to:

    • Patient charts and medical histories;
    • Test results and lab reports;
    • Psychotherapy session notes;
    • Prescription information;
    • Documents pertaining to substance abuse treatment;
    • Immunization and surgical histories; and
    • Any records or information stored on multimedia devices such as CD’s and floppy disks.

    While it’s definitely helpful to have one larger shredde in a centralized area (such as a copy room), it wouldn’t hurt to let each person have a small shredder at his/her desk so that people can shred unneeded documents immediately. The shredders used to take care of these types of documents should be cross-cut devices so that the paper can’t be reassembled.

    There are some excellent cross-cut shredders on the market including ones manufactured by such big names as Fellowes, Formax, Dahle, and Standard. For example, the Dahle 20514 can shred up to 15 sheets at once and due to its 16-gallon waste bin, several people could share it. And if your office needs to get rid of multimedia items in addition to paper, something like the GBC Shredmaster GLX2030 is a great choice because it can handle CD’s and shred 20 sheets at a time. There’s also the Martin Yale UC5550 ScriptStroyer which can pulverize pill bottles, giving you another tool with which to make yourself HIPAA-compliant.

    It’s extremely important to comply with HIPAA regulations and the best way to do that is by religiously destroying health-related documents. Shredders are what you need to use to avoid civil lawsuits, criminal charges, and a damaged reputation. Start shredding today so you can become HIPAA-compliant.