The danger of paper shredders

With the rise in identity theft, many households have purchased paper shredders and use them to ensure that all personal receipts and confidential information are destroyed when no longer needed.

As with any motorized cutting equipment, there is a risk of injury associated with its use. With paper shredders, the main risks are getting a loose item of clothing or a finger pulled into the mechanism. Although the feeding slots for recently-designed home paper shredders are narrow enough to exclude adult fingers, many are still wide enough to allow a toddler's finger or a pet's tongue to reach the shredding jaws. And your cat may like to lie on the paper shredder, especially if the motor is warm from recent use, increasing the chance that their legs or tail might get pulled into the mechanism. For convenience, many personal shredders have a standby mode that starts the shredding process whenever something is inserted into the feed slot; few are equipped with an ‘off' switch. This increases the risk that a curious child or pet might accidentally activate the paper shredder.

If you have a paper shredder in your home, treat it as a dangerous piece of equipment, especially if you have a pet. Never allow your pet to be nearby when you are operating the shredder, since many curious dogs will investigate the ‘source of the noise', and some may be attracted to the movement of the paper. When not in use, you should ALWAYS UNPLUG IT so that it cannot be accidentally activated. Although there are currently no mandatory safety standards for paper shredders, and safety warnings are not required on the machines, many manufacturers are voluntarily incorporating safety features into their shredders. If you are in the market for a new paper shredder, you would be advised to purchase one that incorporates as many safety features as possible.

Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.