Records Management: Storage Areas and Equipment

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Section 6: Storage Areas and Equipment

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Introduction

For Districts and any offices maintaining an inactive records storage area, this section contains information on:

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Storage area requirements for storing official records.

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How to identify and label boxes.

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Types of storage boxes available.

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Record Location Aids

Index stored records in sufficient detail to retrieve them. The 1419 Records Transmittal Form is designed to capture this information.

Include the location (pallet number, shelf location, etc.), a reference to the Agency Item Number on the TxDOT Records Retention Schedule, and the date the records become eligible for destruction on the index.

Furnish a copy of the index in a pending file, arranged by destruction date, to your Records Administrator. The list can serve as a detail attachment when documenting records destruction.

For quick retrieval, attach an index or list of contents to each box. You may also want to place a copy of the index inside the box.

Mark boxes visibly to identify the contents and destruction date. Include only records with the same destruction date in any single box. You may want to use different colored markers for different destruction dates and avoid colors that fade in sunlight.

Mark any boxes that contain either vital records or records requiring review by the State Archives before destruction.

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Types of Storage Boxes

Although the standard document storage box is the only type allowed at the TxDOT Records Warehouse or Texas State Library and Archives Commission, there are occasions when other types of boxes may be needed for local use. The table below describes several types of storage boxes.

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Storage Box Descriptions

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Box Types	Descriptions
Standard Document Storage Box	Standard document storage boxes are 1.2 cubic foot in volume, measuring 10 x 12 x 15 inches. They hold letter and legal-size documents and have removable lids. Empty boxes fold flat for storage. Request these boxes from local supply rooms, Regional Distribution Centers, or warehouses (NGIP# 615-37-13-0850)
Permafile Box	These boxes are also known as transfer boxes. The standard size is 10 x 12 x 24 inches, and the legal size is 10 x 15 x 24 inches. These boxes are collapsible and reusable. Each has the same volume as a file drawer. Permafile boxes are commercially available. While useful for storing some types of records such as rolled maps or large documents, Permafile boxes have some disadvantages: Weight: full box weighs up to 100 pounds. Hazards: The metal reinforcement strips can cut hands and rip clothing. Inefficient use of space: Boxes cannot be stacked more than four or five high without crushing the box on the bottom. Legal-size boxes do not fit standard shelving.
Bankers Box	These cardboard boxes slip into metal-reinforced cardboard shelving units. They are the same size as standard document storage boxes. Banker’s boxes are an inexpensive way to store records. The shelving units will not support more than seven or eight full boxes in a stack. You must dismantle an entire stack to replace a worn unit. The units tend to weaken with time and use and may become dangerously unstable.
Custom Box	Some offices make wooden boxes to store construction project records. Each project has its own box, which simplifies moves and transfers.
Other	Cardboard boxes for use with specific media are available under state contract (Commodity Code 640-25-60)