NAID AAA Certification

Northcoast was awarded the NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) AAA Certification on February 28, 2011. This Certification is the highest accreditation a document destruction company can receive in the country. This is a voluntary Certification, and it is awarded to companies that meet or exceed rigorous security standards and document handling procedures described below. Northcoast is certified for mobile and plant-based operations and endorsed media destruction for paper/printed media, non-paper media and computer hard drives.

NAID AAA CertifiedEmployee Requirements

  • 7 Year Criminal Record Searches on all access employees
  • Criminal Record Searches are conducted every three years
  • No person subject to a felony conviction in the last seven years for any crime involving theft, fraud, burglary or larceny may be employed in a capacity where they may come in contact with confidential client information.
  • 7 Year Employment History Verification kept on file
  • Initial drug screening at time of hire
  • 50% of employees drug tested annually or the local management trained in a “Substance Abuse Recognition Awareness Program” pre-approved by NAID
  • Signed Confidentiality Agreements kept on file for all employees
  • All drivers meet state licensing requirements
  • All access employees trained and tested annually to ensure their knowledge of the NAID AAA Certification program as well as document handling procedures.

Operational Security

  • All visitors are accompanied by an access employee at all times, and a visitor’s log is kept on file
  • Unauthorized access is prevented at all entrances of the building
  • Northcoast has key fob entry on all man doors as well as locked overhead dock doors which are gated and padlocked when open
  • Alarm system, security cameras and closed circuit monitoring system at all access point of the building and sufficient clarity to identify individuals
  • Weekly CCTV Logs must be used to check the camera and recording systems and kept on file
  • Monthly Operational Security Maintenance Logs must used to check security functions and kept on file
  • Monthly Quality Control
  • Policies and procedures manual for drivers and destruction processing employees
  • All media for destruction is attended by an employee or locked and secured in collection vehicles at all times before destruction
  • All collection and destruction vehicles must have applicable governmental inspections
  • Two-way communication devices must be carried by drivers at all times
  • Employees must wear Company uniforms and ID badges to improve recognition to customers

 The Destruction Process

  • Paper is destroyed by commercial grade destruction equipment producing a maximum shred size of 5/8 inch
  • Written policies and procedures for the destruction of hard drives including serial number recordation
  • Written policies and procedures for the physical destruction of non-paper media
  • All media is destroyed within 3 business days
  • Monthly Quality Control Logs completed to ensure all media is destroyed within the stated standards and kept on file
  • Agreement for Responsible Disposal on file for recipients of destroyed media
  • Destroyed media must not be reused in any capacity including animal bedding and packaging material

 Company Assurances

  • Company must be a legally registered business
  • Company must carry general liability insurance of $2,000,000 or more