Your Paper Shredder: How to Stay Safe When Using It

Paper shredders are a mixed bag. They can be reassuring because when you use one to get rid of private documents, you can safely assume that you’re protecting yourself from identity theft. However, these machines can also be incredibly dangerous thanks to their sharp blades and powerful motors. Thus, it’s important to stay safe when using a shredder. Here are some ways you can do so:

• If this is your first time using a shredder, make sure you check out the machine’s instruction manual. Not only will this help you become familiar with the proper way to operate the device, you’ll become familiar with all of its various parts. There is often safety information in the manual as well, so take a look at it.
• When you begin shredding, you don’t need to force the paper into the feed opening. Just gently insert it and the machine will begin shredding it. This will prevent an injury from occurring and it will reduce wear and tear on the device.
• Never put any foreign objects in the feed opening. Your shredder was meant to shred paper only. (Unless you purchased a device that’s capable of destroying multimedia items such as CD’s, DAT tape, floppy disks, etc.) If you have long hair, make sure it’s pulled back when shredding. Likewise, if you’re wearing a tie or dangling jewelry (i.e. a necklace), keep it away from the feed opening so your day doesn’t head south.
• There are a lot of paper shredders on the market that have safety features such as an interlock to prevent unauthorized use. A lot of the machines manufactured by Fellowes have what’s known as SafeSense, a feature that causes the shredder to shut down automatically if it detects any limbs near the feed opening. That even includes non-human body parts such as a paw or tail. It never hurts to select device with good safety features, so find out if the machine you’re interested in has any before you purchase it.
• If your machine doesn’t shut off automatically when the waste bin is full, make sure you cut the power when you’re disposing of your shreds. This prevents the cutting mechanism from going into gear which can obviously be quite dangerous.
• When you’re done destroying your documents, it’s a good idea to unplug the device. (This will prevent people from tripping over the electrical cord.) Also, you may want to think about storing your shredder in a closet or some other safe place, especially if there are kids in your home or workplace.
• Finally, be sure to exercise caution and use common sense when you shred your documents. No matter how many safety features a shredder has, the potential for accidents still exists, so be as careful as possible and don’t take any risks.

Following these tips will enable you to have the safest possible shredding experience. Try them out the next time you use your paper shredder so you can stay safe while also protecting your identity.