11.1. Transporting information

Large numbers of records or an entire database will not be copied to removable media or portable electronic devices without the express permission of the IT Manager; where the downloading is permitted for legitimate work purposes the reasons will be documented.

• USB sticks are not to be used for transporting confidential material, they are only for use when needing to use non-LGSCO IT equipment, such as when giving a presentation, except for circumstances set out in 7.2 above.
• Paper copies will only be transported in exceptional circumstances, for example the material cannot be scanned, is needed to be referred to at interviews, is agreed as a reasonable adjustment or cannot properly be studied in electronic form and cannot reasonably be printed at the destination. 
  • Staff taking paper copies of data out of our offices are personally responsible for the secure custody of that data from the moment of removal from then office until its return to the office and destruction there. 
  • Printed casework papers taken from the office must be logged in and out in Document Tracking in ECHO.
  • Paper copies of HR files will not be transported without the approval of the HR Business Partner.
• When travelling with confidential information in whatever form, staff will take it directly to their destination (home, BinJ office, LGSCO office, and so on). They will not stop off on route unless there are exceptional circumstances, e.g. a long car journey requiring a meal break, in which case the material will be kept secure by keeping it out of sight in a locked vehicle for example.
• When travelling staff should only view confidential information if they are sure they cannot be overlooked by others at adjacent seats or in seats behind them. If using a laptop, IT can supply a privacy screen which will reduce the risk of this.
• Staff using a laptop out of the office should only connect to publicly supplied Wi-Fi for work purposes. Should Wi-Fi not be available or of insufficient performance, if they have a mobile phone issued by LGSCO this can be used to create a wireless hot spot to connect.
• Staff are expected to take a reasonable level of care over the physical security of any work devices (laptops, mobile phones and so on) when traveling to or from work or socialising after work. This could involve keeping the device in a bag, checking it into a cloakroom (if there was one) or putting it in a secure locker (at a gym for example). If a device was lost or stolen, when investigating this we would consider if the member of staff had acted with a reasonable level of care.

11.2. Home and mobile working

We still need to maintain information security standards when working from home. Staff working out of the office should:

• Make sure to site computer equipment where the risk of unauthorised access is minimised.
• Ensure confidential information is only accessed by, or visible to, staff authorised to do so and not by household members or others.
• Be aware that hard copy also scanned onto ECHO will not be sent by post to home-based workers’ homes. If any other hard copy is sent to home-based workers, it must be sent by Special Delivery. 
• If home-based workers are sent material by post/courier and are not in to receive it, they must collect it/arrange redelivery promptly to ensure it is not returned to the sender.
• Only print LGSCO material at home when provided with an LGSCO printer. This is usually only in exceptional circumstances. 
• Return casework papers and corporate (such as personnel or confidential) files to the office for storage and/or disposal. 
• Never dispose of any casework papers and corporate (such as personnel or confidential) files through domestic household waste.