While many companies and businesses in the Dallas area have converted most of their business to online copies and cloud-storage, there are still a significant number of businesses that use hard copy record storage.
Many of these records are archived in filing rooms are held in off-site storage throughout the DFW area. This can pose problems for many businesses when security and industry standards require specialized types of storage for both old and new customer information and client files.
Several of the types of businesses that have to be extremely careful about record storage regulations include medical and healthcare businesses, law offices, and financial services, including accountants, banks, and financial processing companies.
Knowing the Industry Requirements
An important part of finding off-site record storage is to find out if the storage facility managers understand the requirements for industry compliance. For example, is the facility HIPPA compliant for the medical field, or are they aware of the American Bar Association document retention and destruction guidelines?
In addition, the business may have additional security requirements for the storage of their documents and records. At the very least, the records should be secured in a locked vault that is in a secure, monitored facility if there is any business, financial, or personal information within the documentation.
Facility Access and Features
Selecting the facility in the Dallas area that is easy to access, if required, is also a concern with records. Most businesses warehouse old records that are rarely if ever needed, but that has to be maintained for a set number of years.
This may require annual access to set up older files for destruction as they time out of the retention requirements. Checking how the facility allows access, and if they have destruction capabilities for records may also be an essential consideration as a feature of the location.
