Frequently Asked Questions


 
We receive numerous calls about our facility and our services. Answers to these frequently asked questions will help you understand why your business will profit by using DocuSafe.


 

 

  
Who needs a professional records management company?
All businesses collect and are required by law to maintain and retain for several years personal, health and financial information on employees and clients. Large and small businesses alike can benefit from the wide range of services offered by a professional records management company.

What are the legal requirements for retaining records?
There are several governmental authorities that regulate records retention requirements. Some of these are the IRS, OSHA, Department of Labor, and various state agencies. But recent legislation has also placed additional requirements on record keeping. These include HIPPA that deals with medical information and privacy, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that addresses financial information security and identity theft prevention, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that results from the financial scandals of Enron and Arthur Andersen, the Homeland Security Act and the US Patriot Act. Failure to implement and comply with these various laws carry severe penalties for businesses and their owners, directors and officers. We recommend that each business consult with its legal counsel regarding the specific requirements, but a professional records management company is an important part of the solution

What special services does a professional records management company offer?
•Space – there is always enough, and you pay only for what you need.

•Security – information is stored in facilities that are locked, fitted with alarms and monitored 24x7x365, safe from unauthorized access.

•Low Cost –our space is less expensive than yours.

•Accessibility – you never have to hunt for records and they are always there when you need them in as little as one hour for the actual media or a facsimile or image in even less

•Environment – specific temperature and humidity controls ensure proper conditions in specialized facilities for the short or long term storage of your vital information

•Staffing – well-trained staff sufficient to meet the demands of your company

•Technology – the latest in database management and internet access. You can automate your information management using our systems or by integrating yours with ours.

•Process control – discipline in every segment of the life cycle of your vital information.

•Secure destruction – protection of the confidentiality of your information at the end of its useful life.

•Peace of mind – you know your company’s information is secure and its policies are being enforced with verifiability and accountability

We use a nearby self-storage facility. Isn’t that just as good?
Self-storage is good for a lot of things, but not document storage. Besides being more costly, it only addresses the storage component of the full range of services a professional records management company provides. You also have to add the cost of sending your staff in all kinds of weather to search for things they may not find. You expose your company to costly workman’s compensation injuries and claims as well as the risk to your staff if they are required to use their personal vehicles for the transportation. Additionally, boxes of records deteriorate quickly when exposed to the extreme variations in the ambient temperature and humidity experienced in most self-storage facilities. If it’s worth saving, it’s worth protecting.

How do I know my records won’t be lost?
All items are bar coded as they are added to our management system. Each time they are handled, they are scanned by staff using hand-held scanners recording the movement of each coded item. Our system is then able to identify whether the item is in our facility or at yours. Whether it is a box, tape or file, we know exactly where everything is at all times.

How do I access my information?
It’s easy! You request the item needed with date and time for service through our internet access system or by sending a fax, email or phone call. We implement your company’s procedures for verifying the authorization of the requestor and follow the instructions provided. Service is guaranteed to be on-time and error-free or it’s free!

Can anyone in my company request service?
We follow the security requirements of each client. A list of authorized persons and their signatures is provided to us by the client and updated as needed. Unauthorized requestors will be denied access and reported to your management.

Would we have to re-box all our records?
We have flexible container requirements. As long as your containers are in good condition and are designed for records storage (having lids and handles or hand holes), no special boxes are required. We even offer high quality containers at reasonable prices for your use for standard files, blue prints, microforms and tapes. If you have special needs, we can provide custom sizes, too.

What do you recommend for data and electronic document (e-mail) management?
We offer vaulting service for all of your electronic and micro-form data media. No more bank deposit boxes or sending media home with staff members. We will store your various media in our specially constructed vault and pick it up and deliver it back to you on demand or on a schedule in our specially outfitted and controlled environment vehicles.

How do you handle destruction of records?
Every good records management program includes their destruction at the end of their useful life. We operate a state-of-the-art shredding facility just for this purpose. We can place free containers at your office for regular destruction of your day-to-day confidential documents, and we can pick up your larger volumes of materials when you are ready to purge them. Documents held in our storage facility will be destroyed as you request the service, or when required in your retention schedule.