An Advertising Feature

Considering that some types of shredders can turn paper into dust, it is reasonable to be a bit concerned about the safety features of these powerful machines.

When office shredders go from an office environment to a house with children and pets, it is important to think about the security measures we implement.

As the motorized cutting machines that they are, a paper shredder does carry a small risk of injury. Reports show that the majority of those injuries happen to children under the age of five. This means that, despite there being little or no risk with paper shredders if we follow all the safety measures properly, when there are children around it is important to remain vigilant if you have a paper shredder in the home.

Thankfully, the latest technology in paper shredders includes new and improved safety features on the market. These are the most common:

Safety sensor

This useful technology makes sure that the shredder automatically turns off when hands are too close to the paper entry. It works with a sensor around the paper entry that perceives the magnetic energy field carried by bodies –such as humans and large pets. When this energy field is detected, the shredder instantly shuts down.

Slimmer paper entry

This feature helps to increase the safety of shredders by reducing the chance of fingers getting pulled into the shredding mechanism. Sometimes, the entry is also made of an inflexible material to prevent the opening from widening with items bigger than paper.

Safety lock

This lock puts the shredder into a safe, inactive mode to prevent children from activating the mechanism.

Safety interlock switch

This feature ensures the shredder will not turn on when the shredder head is removed from the wastebasket.

Safety flap

The flap function is to cover cutters every time the shredder head is removed.

Understanding the different types of shredders available will help you to make sure that you choose the correct design when selecting this piece of vital equipment.

Checking out the safety features is highly important in order to keep the risk of injury as low as possible. If you have pets or children in your house, you might consider some –or all- of these security features so you can be sure to minimise the safety risks.