Records disposal and use of consoles
See below for guidance on how colleagues can effectively and efficiently destroy records within a secure environment.
This guidance should be read alongside the following documents:
- Records which can routinely be destroyed
RM_Guidance_Routine_Record_Destruction_Final.pdf
- Guidance on what is, and what is not a confidential record
RM_Confidential_Records_Final.pdf
- Destruction of Personal Data
Data Protection Code of Practice - Destruction of Personal Data
Colleagues should also remember that the disposal of documents is governed by records retention schedules. Additional guidance can be found here.
Routine Destruction and Disposal of Records
All departments/teams within the University should regularly put time aside to dispose of records, documents and information, both physical and electronic in line with the Records Retention Schedules. Annual events must be scheduled in each team/department to ensure that routine disposal takes place and that these events are documented. Ideally events should take place at the end of the relevant year e.g. academic, calendar, tax year, according to the Records Retention Schedule. If your departmental Records Retention Schedule has monthly or quarterly retention periods additional disposal events must be scheduled to accommodate these. All Records Retention Schedules have a Records Disposal Form included which must be used to ensure that disposal is taking place in accordance with authorised retention periods. If your department has an Information Governance Co-ordinator it is likely that they will undertake (or organise) routine disposal of information. Please remember that keeping information for too long is as risky to the University as disposing of it too early.
It is also a good idea to schedule time in your Outlook calendar for the regular review of information you are dealing with, including emails.
Further guidance on records retention is available here: http://staff.napier.ac.uk/services/secretary/governance/records/Pages/RecordsRetentionSchedules.aspx
Destruction Days
Destruction days play a key part in enabling departments to review their records for retention or destruction; whether as part of their routine day-to-ay management of records or as part of a special project e.g. Merchiston co-location or the Sighthill move. Departments usually arrange their own routine 'Destruction Days' or 'Tidy up Tuesday' (or Thursday) events, but Governance Services can provide advice and guidance, or be on hand on the day if required. Liaising with Governance Services to arrange for destruction days ensures that the appropriate procedures are in place for disposing of records. Colleagues who were involved in the Sighthill move found these days particularly useful and this procedure has been rolled out throughout our University.
For more information on organising destruction days, please contact Governance Services.
Shredding consoles
and confidential waste
The University has made available paper recycling consoles which enable all colleagues to dispose of records and information which are no longer required for business or legal purposes. For further information please refer to the University guidance note on the safe disposal of confidential waste available here.
Locations of all consoles are listed on the Environmental Sustainability intranet page 
www.bit.ly/ENU-Waste
Shredding consoles are often in close proximity to recycling bins, so PLEASE ensure that you put your confidential waste into the correct disposal container! Putting confidential information or personal data into the paper recycling bin is a breach of information legislation!
Colleagues are advised to read the following:
- Guidance on the use of shredding consoles
RM_Confidential_Waste_Disposal_Consoles.pdf
RM_Confidential_Consoles_Do_Don't.pdf
Property and Facilities can arrange:
- additional consoles or extra uplifts
- special consoles to be provided so that colleagues can dispose of CDs, memory sticks and videos
- the delivery of mobile consoles when colleagues have a sizeable amount of documents for destruction
For further information see: http://staff.napier.ac.uk/services/facilities/logistics/Pages/Logistics.aspx or contact the Facilities Helpdesk on ext. 5000, or email maintenance.helpdesk@napier.ac.uk
Whilst Property and Facilities encourage the ongoing use of the Confidential Waste Consoles, they can arrange additional collections of confidential waste and will arrange the disposal of this with you. Depending on how much confidential waste you have for destruction they may arrange for the contractor to collect the confidential waste directly from your office and shred it on-site. Please email the address above and someone will be in touch to discuss this with you.
Further information about Shred-it (the company that provides the consoles and shredding facilities) can be found here.
Page last updated 11 August 2017