Benefits of a Climate Controlled Environment

What would happen if you were to store your documents in an area with inconsistent and unstable temperatures? How would your papers, microfilm, disks, hard drives, and other documents fair after a long period of storage under these conditions? An inconsistent or inhospitable environment can lead to discoloration, paper loss, water damage, mold and mildew, malfunctions in electronic equipment, ultimately resulting in lost data. Special care needs to be given to sensitive accounting and other records, which often need to be stored for long periods of time. Additionally, consider climate controlled storage for all archival documents as well.

Storage units have to be a place where businesses can have an area(s) where customers or businesses themselves can trustingly keep their documents. A good records management facility will offer storage in a climate controlled environment. Such climate controlled storage units are areas where the temperature and humidity are maintained at optimum levels. Too much heat or moisture, after all, can spell disaster for your documents over the long haul. A good climate controlled storage facility will have all of its equipment undergo regularly scheduled maintenance. The goal of climate controlled storage is to prevent damage to items from excessive heat, moisture, mold, and accidents. Using a dedicated records management facility that offers a climate controlled environment is an important step in proper records management. If your documents are destroyed or damaged by the elements, then their accessibility is compromised. Why bother storing documents if you can’t read them later on?

First, a records management facility should be able to prevent water damage. The obvious causes of water damage are leaks and flooding. Flooding doesn’t always occur because of a natural disaster. A ruptured pipe or water main in another building can inundate surrounding structures. Make sure that your documents are stored in a building with a good watertight roof. Also check to make sure all documents are stored at least three inches off the ground.

Second, a records management facility should offer an environment with low humidity. Humidity can wrinkle documents over time, and cause all sorts of fading and other discolorations. With humidity, mold and mildew can also become problems. These microscopic organisms can quickly colonize your paper documents, and literally eat them alive.

Finally, a records management facility offering a climate controlled environment should be able to provide your documents constant optimal temperatures. While they might not seem damaging at first, temperature fluctuations can lead to condensation. Hot air, after all, generally carries with it more water vapor than cold air. As the hot air cools down, this vapor consenses into liquid water droplets. These droplets lead to the moisture problems we discussed above.

We have seen how moisture and temperature variations can cause problems for your documents over time. By following the guidelines in this article, and storing your documents in a climate controlled records management facility, all of your records are sure to be clean, fresh, and readable when the time comes to access them.

Records Management for Individuals

When we think of records management, we often imagine huge corporations storing truckloads of old paperwork in huge warehouses the size of a city block. These companies are required by law to retain certain documents for extended periods of time. This is not always the case, however. Not every business is a multi-million dollar corporation. In this article, we will outline a few basic steps that small businesses and even individuals can use to take advantage of the benefits of proper records management.

To begin, gather all of your paper records together. Check every surface in your home or office. Most people already implemented some sort of document storage for themselves, be it a large cardboard box, a filing cabinet, or a back room or closet. If you have one of these, take a look inside, and pull out everything that isn’t already well organized and accessible.

First, sort through all your records and pull out the ones which are no longer needed. These can be disposed of, ideally with the help of a paper shredder. Next, sort all records by type. For example, all invoices go together in one group, while all bank statements go into another group. If groups of papers get too large, sort them into smaller groups. Invoices, for example, can be sorted by month. Bank statements can also be sorted by bank account number. There is no wrong way to classify your documents, so long as the system you use is consistent, and makes sense to those who need to access the files later on.

After sorting is complete, it is time to consider your new storage solution. At this point, there are two important things to take into account – the remaining available space, and the rate at which records are generated. Dividing the available space by the amount of paperwork created each week will give you an idea of how long your storage solution will last. When that time period nears its end, it will be time to consider storing your documents in an off-site facility. An experienced records management firm will be able to organize, track, store and provide security for your items. Despite popular belief, most records management firms today can handle very modest amounts of records. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Plan ahead now, and explore the different records management facilities in your area today.

Computer records:

To begin, go through your computer and gather all of your important files. If you are like most people, including the author- chances are these files are scattered throughout your hard drive. Perform a search for the files you need. Generally, important records are stored in some sort of text format – search for spreadsheet, word processor, and plain text (.txt) files. For this reason, it is a good idea to occasionally backup your data onto another storage media, such as CDs, or even an additional external hard drive.

What to look for in a records management facility

Storing your records in a dedicated off-site records management facility can be a great way to make your office more efficient, and save money. The key is finding the proper facility to meet your needs. Chances are, you will be storing your valuable records for some time; it is of the utmost importance that you find an off-site facility that is suitable. In this article, we provide a series of questions which, when asked, can help determine if a particular facility meets the stringent requirements for proper records management.

Step 1: Site selection. Site selection is an important step to ensure your records are protected from disasters. When selecting a site, be sure to ask the following questions:

- Is the off-site facility located far enough away from your offices to prevent one single disaster from destroying both the facility and your office? Ideally, your off-site facility should be located a safe distance from your office, yet not so far as to complicate prompt delivery of your records.

- Is the site located in an area prone to flooding? Water is a your paper records' worst enemy. A good facility should have adequate elevation above nearby rivers and oceans. Avoid off-site facilities which are located in an area below sea level.

- Is the site located near an earthquake fault line? No matter how good your records management firm is in protecting your documents, an earthquake can still spell disaster. While most earthquakes do not destroy buildings outright, they do shake up everything inside. Imagine trying to find an important document inside a warehouse literally full of loose papers. For this reason, avoid off-site facilities which are located near known active fault lines.

Step 2: Building Inspection. There are many different types of off-site storage facilities, with a great variety of construction methods. Here are some key question to ask when selecting your off-site facility.

- Is the building safe and durable? Some records need to be stored for a very long time. Before storing your records, find out the expected life, and renovation schedule for any prospective site.

- Does the building have a fire-proof roof? Fire is another great threat to your records. Many times, fires start in one building and can spread to adjacent buildings. Embers caught in the wind can travel for some distance. For this reason, it is important that your records management facility have a sturdy, non-flammable roof.

- Does the building have proper firewalls installed? As you can imagine, a warehouse filled with nothing but old paper documents presents somewhat of a fire hazard. Accidents happen, and proper firewalls play a vital role in keeping a small disaster from turning into a large one.

- Finally, is the facility insured? What is it insured against? Who is responsible for paying insurance premiums? While insurance may not be able to replace certain documents, a cash payout from an insurance company will no doubt help cover the costs associated with a potential loss of records. Ideally, your records management facility should have proper insurance for the building, as well as the building's contents.

Computerized Management of Paper Records

In the early days of records management, old documents were stored exclusively on paper. Old records – sometimes sorted, sometimes not – were simply placed into cardboard boxes and stored in a warehouse or back room until…whenever. Much has changed over the years in regards to document management. Today, companies are required by law to retain many records for certain periods of time. Failure to do so can result in government sanctions, and even criminal charges. It becomes necessary then, for companies to store and maintain their records, as well as access them at the appropriate time in the future. Fortunately, modern records management firms have advanced computerized records management systems which are up to the task. In this article, we will take a look at how these systems work, and how they help to ensure speedy, hassle-free access to your documents.

First, modern records management facilities make use of bar-codes to track boxes, and sometimes even individual files contained within these boxes. Each box or file that comes into the records management facility receives a bar-code sticker. Ideally these bar-codes will be attached immediately upon arrival at the facility. This sticker is then scanned, and all of the information about the item – such as the item’s owner, contents, status, and retention schedule - is placed into a central computer database. This ensures that each and every record is indeed filed in the correct box. Security measures are strictly enforced in any good records management facility, and only those with authorization from you, the client, will be allowed to move or open any of your stored items.

When files or boxes are moved, or delivered back to their respective owners, they are scanned again, and their location (as well as their status information) is updated in the central computer database. Security measures are strictly enforced in any good records management facility, and only those with authorization from you, the client, will be allowed to move or open any of your stored items.

Using these techniques, all deposited items are accounted for at all times. The owners and locations of each item can be tracked for easy access to files. Clients of the records management facility are typically given a computer print-out, a list of all items stored in the records management facility, and their locations. Some records management firms go a step further by offering clients access to their warehouse inventory database via the Internet. Some of these systems even allow the client to schedule a delivery from anywhere, at any time. By employing a records management firm using such a system, you can rest assured knowing you may never lose another important document again.