Questions have been asked and urban legends have been created regarding the safety of paper shredders. Because there are so many paper shredders in circulation, it is good to inform yourself on how to keep pets, children and other individuals from being hurt by a paper shredder. That being said, how true are the urban legends and stories about people being hurt by shredders?
You have probably heard the stories by word of mouth or through chain e-mails about pets and children being hurt by paper shredders. Initially, many people shrug these stories off as being myths. Unfortunately many of them are indeed true. There are documented cases of children getting their hands stuck in shredders and dogs getting there tongues stuck in shredders.
The reason it is so easy for many of these innocent beings being hurt is because many paper shredders have an auto on/off function. A sensor detects when something is being inserted and the shredder automatically turns on accordingly. There are a few things that have been done to prevent these injuries.
Most shredder manufacturers have taken these lessons to heart and have made significant improvements to shredders to try and prevent injury. Many shredders have narrowed the gap on the opening to the shredder, making it much harder to insert fingers. Even better, many manufacturers have actually curved the opening of the shredder and have recessed the shredder blades back farther into the shredder head. This almost eliminates the possibility of injury.
This isn’t to say that these shredders are 100% failsafe. When children and pets are around, it is still a good idea to make sure your shredder is indeed safe. I also recommend unplugging a shredder when it is not in use.
Children and pets aren’t the only ones that can potentially be injured by shredders. Adults can also be injured as well. It is recommended, when shredding, not to wear a tie or long necklaces. It is also recommended to keep long hair pulled back and loose clothing to a minimum. These are all items that can get pulled into a shredder and potentially cause injury.
When clearing out paper jams, use caution. For bad paper jams, sometimes it is necessary to remove the shredder head to remove paper trapped in the shredder blades from below. When this is done, always unplug the shredder. Although safety switches are in place on many shredders, you never know when a shredder may turn on.
With this in mind, do not be scared away by paper shredders. Paper shredders are a great way to destroy sensitive information, old receipts, credit card applications and more. When used correctly, paper shredders are very safe and useful.
You can find a long list of newer and safer
paper shredders at Office Zone. For more information and answers to questions, visit
Office Zone.
