Memorial Safety Testing Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why are we testing memorials?
2. What do the safety tests involve?
3. What happens if we find a problem?
4. What standard does the headstone need to be repaired to?
5. Can I repair the memorial myself?
6. What will the Council not do?
7. What will happen if memorial owners cannot be traced?
8. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorials?
9. Will we need to carry out testing again in the future?
1. Why are we testing memorials?
In 2001 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a 'Be Respectful, Be Safe' campaign to try and improve the safety of cemeteries and churchyards. More recently, all local authorities that are responsible for cemeteries and churchyards are being asked to carry out safety checks on memorials, to ensure that they are in a good and stable condition and not likely to topple over. The safety checks are in line with advice from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) following a recent letter from the chairman of the HSC, Bill Callaghan, which highlighted the fact that across the country there have been 21 serious accidents, including seven fatalities during the last ten years.
2. What do the safety tests involve?
All inspection and testing will be carried out by trained cemetery staff using a procedure recommended by the memorial mason industry and professional associations. The inspection consists of two stages:
- Visual inspection. This identifies those memorials that are too dangerous to test manually.
- Manual test. This is a push/pull hand test to see if there is any movement in the memorial.
3. What happens if we find a problem?
- We notify the deed holders of any memorials which we find to be unstable.
- We will place a safety notice on the headstone informing people that the memorial has been found to be unsafe and the action to be taken
- We could also fence the area off around the memorial or in very dangerous situations lay the memorial flat.
- Although the council has a duty of care to ensure the cemetery is safe, the responsibility for memorials lies with the owner of the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Rights of Burial.
- We recommend that you should contact the memorial mason that supplied the memorial as soon as possible to arrange for it to be fixed and made safe. A stonemason will ensure that work carried out on the memorial is done to the proper professional standards issued by the National Association of Memorial Masons.
We fully appreciate that this may be upsetting for bereaved families and we are very sorry for any distress it may cause. Memorials are a lasting tribute to our loved ones and through careful testing to ensure their safety, we would like to work with you to ensure that all the memorials in our cemeteries and churchyards remain a fitting tribute for years to come.
4. What standard does the headstone need to be repaired to?
All memorials should be fitted to a quality specification such as the NAMM Code of Working Practice and BS8415. Memorials should withstand the 350 Newtons (circa 35kg) force used for inspections. Any damaged joints should be repaired by the mason at no cost.
5. Can I repair the memorial myself?
Yes. You are fully entitled to undertake work on the memorial yourself as long as you use a Memorial Mason who is registered to work within Blaby District Council's area. A list of approved Memorial Masons is available from the Clerk on request. Do not forget you must also inform the Clerk that you are getting the memorial repaired. However, we would strongly encourage you to arrange for the work to be carried out by a stonemason working to the NAMM Code of Working Practice guidelines/BS8415 standard. If you carry out the work yourself and inform us of this we will continue to test the memorial annually to ensure that the memorial remains safe.
6. What will the Council not do?
The council will not:
- remove the memorial from its site;
- lay the headstone flat on the ground, except in exceptional circumstances when the memorial is likely to present a serious hazard soon.
7. What will happen if memorial owners cannot be traced?
Where a memorial has failed the testing and the grave owner cannot be traced the council will make the memorial safe by either partially sinking or by repairing it. Care will be taken to ensure, where possible, that inscriptions are not affected. This will enable a full repair at a later stage if required.
8. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorials?
Notices were placed on gates at the entrance to Huncote Cemetery and on the cemetery notice board, as well as in the Huncote Village News to let people know in advance that this work will be taking place. In addition notices have been posted in local newspapers.
9. Will we need to carry out testing again in the future?
Yes. The testing of memorials will need to be effectively monitored and will require an ongoing programme based on the first round of testing. After a period of six months from us originally notifying you that the memorial had failed testing, we will contact you again to ask what action you have taken to make the memorial safe. If you tell us that the memorial has been made safe, we will update our records.