How to Store Sensitive Documents in Self-Storage

Documents – or at least the information they contain – hold the information ('data') that makes a business valuable. From the ´tax man´  to customers, from suppliers to buyers, from regulatory bodies to HR teams, the information they hold is invaluable.

There are practical and legal advantages to holding original documents: they are verifiable and hard to alter without trace. Some highly sensitive material is even best kept offline for security purposes.

As electronically-stored documents become obsolete with technology changes, moving ´legacy´ files to a more up to date format can be time consuming and expensive. Keeping paper copies of originals helps fight the advance of ever-changing technologies and formats which render those digital documents useless or needing (expensive) upgrades. Over time they become an invaluable ´back up´ to technology.

Digital images can also suffer ´copy degradation´, reducing legibility and writing over marks that show the integrity of the document. Permanent paper copies can facilitate an easy further scan if needed, rather than trying to convert documents or images into new formats. Moreover, digital certificates are relatively easy to backdate and forge. An original document helps solve any disputes over veracity, both in and out of court.

If you are keeping the originals of documents, it's usually for legal or operational reasons such as those discussed here. Let's face it, the amount of information being stored is only ever likely to increase in a thriving company. Yet as many as 10% of these documents may be lost according to some sources.

So how do businesses get the best out of the physical storage of documents, keep them safe and accessible, but keep the storage space used to a minimum?

Self storage provides secure storage to store important documents in a fixed, managed location, away from the risks of everyday work life.

Have a Document Management System/Strategy

Whether a document management system is manual or digitised, it's important to know what is stored, when and where.

This is as much for legal reasons as for the practicalities of finding things. It is illegal to hold some documents beyond a certain amount of time, and as laws change, holding certain types of information becomes illegal, especially personal information.

Mapping out the information flow for each ´kind´ of document can be a great start point.  For example, contracts may come from any number of sources, from buyer to supplier, from employees to landlords. Each of these, despite being contracts, takes a very different journey through the organisation (however big it may be), and will need to be kept for differing lengths of time.

The strategy/system needs to consider what needs storing, how and when to get rid of unnecessary files, creating retention plans (who files what, when and for how long), finding appropriate storage space(s), and making sure that retrieval is simple and rapid by knowing what is kept where within any storage areas.

File identification should also be a consideration: for example, what file naming strategy/protocol will be used. Whether numeric or alphabetic, or a mixture of both, make sure that this is consistent across the organisation, or that different systems have different spaces within any storage unit.

Plans for important documents also need to contain:

• details of what gets destroyed – when, where and how (for example, shredding weekly or monthly, which has the added advantage of reducing the amount of storage space needed). Involve the legal team: as discussed above, some documents may only be kept for a limited period, others must be retained for a minimum period. Review this regularly for changes in the law;
• who will manage what's stored and organise, control and check up on the unit it's stored in;
• a policy on paper usage in the company, not just to reduce paper storage, but also because some papers discolour and go brittle. Acidic paper, for example, does this relatively  quickly. Acid free paper not only avoids the paper degrading, but also helps protect other things (like photos) stored with it from the same fate. Knowing what items you´ll be keeping from the outset will help paper choice for documents that must be kept long term<
• pest management policy. Mice just love to shred paper to make nests, even eat it. Less common but just as destructive are book lice and carpet beetles. People accessing the storage unit should be advised to neither eat nor drink in it, and a periodic check for ´beasties´ should be made, with appropriate help to control called in as early as possible;when digital copies of your documents can/should be made. Disks can, of course, be kept in a storage unit, reducing space requirements and providing hardy storage. (Like paper, they should be kept cool and dry.) As technology advances mean that digital formats can become redundant,  this should be factored into plans;
• 'Location, location, location' isn't only important for house purchases. Knowing where files are is vital, and even better when older files/those less likely to need access are stored either at the back or on lower shelves;

And last, but not least, plan to review your plan/policy regularly to see what is and isn't working to improve the system.

Pack and Store Documents Carefully

Shoving documents into any old space may work for some, but is usually self-defeating, resulting in wasted time at critical moments. Think carefully about your storage solutions.

Use a filing system to organise documents, such as files, folders or accordion files. These should then be packed into filing boxes or cabinets. Each should be referenced and a system evolved for identification. Whilst many pundits suggest their own systems are best, pick one that works for you and your business needs.

Remember too that whilst plastic will keep things dry, it can also trap in moisture (mould alert!) and may degrade over time, sticking to documents.

Try to fill any boxes fully, using paper filler if needed (not newspaper as the ink comes off). However, avoid overstuffing, which renders the box more likely to split open when moved. Boxes should weigh no more than 50 pounds (23kg), ideally a lot less, to avoid any injury when moving them around.

Be sure to label each box with either a reference to help identify contents, or with the contents.

Once you have your documents organised into files/boxes, your strategy should include detail on the best way to keep them that way, for example minimising access, and ensuring that the system is well communicated and appropriately controlled/monitored.

Choose the Storage Space Carefully

There are considerations to keeping physical documents, even valuable documents, safe to keep them in good condition. Think carefully not only about about the way to store documents in self storage, but also what security measures are in place to safeguard them.

Container storage units are designed to protect things from the perils on the sea and that goods remain in good condition during transport. The average UK self storage services are very unlikely to face as tough conditions as they are designed for! They even control the humidity.

Ensure the Space is Dry

Damp encourages mould, sticking bits of paper together and/or rendering them illegible. Both humidity and excessive heat can make paper turn brittle or mouldy. A cool, dry, dark environment is best for keeping paper documents safe.

(Constructed of high-quality metal, Pink Storage containers are wind proof and watertight. The doors seal tight. Containers ensure that what´s stored stays dry.)

Check the Lighting

Light can cause documents to fade or yellow.

Apart from secure ´packaging´ (see above), ensurehat you have control over the lighting and that all users know why it's important to ´switch off´.

Moreover, ensure that the lighting system is safe, and that the electrics are in good enough condition  to avoid creating a fire.

Check the Contract/Storage Items Policies

Fires, floods and chemical damage could destroy your documents, so read your chosen storage unit´s policy on people storing liquids, chemicals, and flammable products there. If not prohibited, perhaps choose a different location.

Prepare and Pack Well

Once files are properly boxed or filed away, moving them into storage can start. When loading the unit, ensure you leave enough space between boxes or cabinets to move around freely and open any drawers/filing cabinets. The last thing anyone needs is injuries whilst trying to access files.

Try and avoid resting boxes against walls to avoid temperature changes and damp, and if there are leaks the damage will be minimised. Similarly avoid sitting document storage boxes on the ground. Plastic sheeting, wood or pallets can be used to raise them from the ground.

Storage shelves to make best use of space are often an ideal solution, as they raise the boxes off the ground and away from the wall, and can be labelled for easy reference.

Make sure that part of your policy includes ways to deal with/manage escapee/stray pieces of paper/files. Discourage people from filing anything if they are unsure. If something is the wrong place and cannot be accessed, you may as well not have kept it, unless you have a team prepared to examine every single document.

Ensure the Location is Secure

Make sure that the location for storage is safe. Although it seems like ´just paper´, documents contain invaluable information for thieves, from identity theft to identification of ways to steal, such as property details, staff schedules and more.

It is therefore important to ensure that the self-storage is secure. At Pink Storage, for example, access is via pin code, rather than easily breakable padlocks, and CCTV cameras are in place. As each unit is individual, shared spaces present no risk: other than the entrance used by other storers, there are none.

Control Access

Not all self storage units have secure access controls.

For the people who do need access to the unit, work out a tracking system of who has been in and out, what they have removed and returned, with dates etc.

If they do have electronic access codes make sure they are not shared with anyone who doesn´t need them, and that they can be changed when needed, for example on a periodical ´basics´ or when a member of staff leaves. Remember that any electronic communication, by phone, email etc, can never be totally secure, so avoid sending access codes this way.

At Pink Storage sites access is controlled and monitored  in numerous ways.

Ensure the Units are Clean

If you are going to store business documents like contracts, storing physical documents in a clean space is essential. Dirt can lead to mould or can obscure writing on documents.

Whilst at Pink Storage we are really proud of the way people regularly mention our cleanliness in reviews, to ensure your documents stay in good condition, you should have a regular review to make sure the storage units are being kept that way.

Someone's delicious lunch left overs could become really unpleasant if left too long!

Pink Storage

Pink Storage is here to meet all of your self-storage/container storage needs for document storage in locations across Wales and in the North West/ Manchester areas of England.