Removing the Mystery
What should the top priorities be for customers seeking records destruction services? A newly published guideline from ARMA International, "Contracted Destruction for Records and Information Media (2009)," answers that question and is a useful tool for customers and service providers.
The guideline fits best for organizations that have records management policies and records retention schedules that cover records in all media. The first obligation of the organization is to establish and follow a controlled process for records destruction. A controlled process is critical to establishing that records destruction actions are reasonable and conducted in a responsible manner.
With the destruction policy and retention schedule in place, an organization may begin looking for outside contractors to provide destruction services. The guideline identifies a number of records destruction issues that should be addressed. Highlights include:
•
Security and confidentiality—Records that are being destroyed have met all of the organization’s operational and legal needs. Even so, each organization should continue to safeguard the records throughout the destruction process. Not only will customers be looking for vendors with trustworthy employees and secure physical facilities, they also should be asking how records will be secured during the destruction process. Where and for how long are records held before they are destroyed? How is that area secured? What security is provided during any needed transportation? Physical control of records is a major security consideration throughout the process.•
Use of outsourcers—Customers also should ask about the chain of control for their records. Is the vendor capable of performing all destruction activities or does it outsource elements of the process? If other suppliers are used, the customer has the right to know how the third party provides security and confidentiality for the records.•
Contracts and documentation—Many misunderstandings and disputes can be avoided with a clear contract; it is essential to ensuring that the vendor and customer have the same understanding of how the records will be handled and what services the vendor will provide. The contract should outline specific requirements the customer has, clarify the use of third-party suppliers and outline a process for resolving disputes and changing the contract’s terms and conditions.Vendors can provide added value to customers by providing documentation of the chain of custody for their records, providing documentation of destruction and making their facilities available for on-site inspections.
The guideline provided in "Contracted Destruction for Records and Information Media" includes a particularly useful section on best practices for records destruction and several sample forms that can be used in developing a records destruction process.
The resources mentioned above are available through the ARMA Web site at www.arma.org/bookstore.
The author is the director of professional resources for ARMA International. She can be reached at diane.carlisle@armaintl.org.