Is it safe to shred at Staples?

Staples offers you a drop-off service that while affordable, comes with its own flaws. 

Staples Employees

The staff at Staples lacks the training and the knowledge to handle HIPAA and PHI documents. Often, these employees are not vetted on the regular basis with criminal background checks and security credentials. You will have to offload your own material and help is scarce and inaccessible. 

Third-party Use 

Staples hires third-party vendors, so your material will be left until collected by a third party and this is usually a cause of concern. In case of a data breach, you won't know who is the party responsible.

Shredding Is Not Immediate

Your documents have to be fed 3-5 pages at a time in a slotted bin that is locked, so you cannot open the lid. This is a very physical task that will take time and effort. When you are done feeding your documents through the slot, your material will sit in the bin for a week or two until collected by the third party.

Chain Of Custody

Staples does not have a chain of custody that meets HIPAA and Massachusetts Privacy laws. You may get a receipt that you dropped off the material but often nothing proving that all material was handled in accordance with the law.

No Certificate Of Destruction

Staples as of Fall of 2022 does not provide you a certificate of destruction when the job is done. This vital document is key against any future HIPAA audits or clients claiming data breach

Neighborhood Parcel shredding service checks all these marks including lower shredding rates than Staples.com. The company offers HIPAA-compliant shredding service that comes with a leading industry Chain of Custody and certificate of destruction. Learn more here