Memorial Safety Testing

Question

Answer 1

Memorial safety testing is the process of inspecting memorials for structural stability. Testing is carried out Thornbury Town Council staff, who have been trained by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM).

Answer 2

All plots which have any kind of masonry installed on them.

Answer 3

The inspector will carry out a visual inspection of the masonry to check for defects. They will then apply a force of up to 20kg to the apex of the stone to check for movement. A newly installed stone is required to withstand a force of 70kg at the apex and 150kg at the base without any movement, so if the inspector detects movement at just 20kg, it indicates that the stone has started to fail. The masonry will be given a grade from 1-3. A grade 3 stone is regarded as safe. A stone graded as a 2 is one that shows defects affecting its stability and that may cause it to become a hazard if not rectified. A grade 1 is a failure and is given to a stone which is regarded as unsafe, and which our staff must take immediate action to make safe.

Answer 4

The inspector will check for the presence of a ground anchor, which is a long, sub-terrain spike that goes deep into the earth below the stone’s base. Headstones installed in line with British Standard BS8415 are required to have one, but older stones, or those fitted incorrectly, may not have an anchor.

The inspector will take into consideration the stone’s position in proximity to paths and high traffic areas, the presence of anchor, and size of the monument, to determine what the most appropriate action is.

Grade 3 headstones – the test result is recorded and the stone will be tested again at the next inspection date.
Grade 2 headstones – the inspector will leave a notice of action on the plot to alert the owner that the stone has not passed inspection. A letter will then be sent to the plot owner to explain the grading and next steps.
Grade 1 headstones – the inspector must take action to make it safe, which may involve staking the headstone, laying it down, or removing it. Removal would only be considered if there were no other option. A notice will be left on the plot and a letter will then be sent to the plot owner to explain the grading and next steps.

Answer 5

All works to the headstones, including installation, restoration, and significant cleaning work, must be undertaken by an accredited memorial mason, under a work permit. We permit to work in our cemetery masons who have a current registration with either the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) or the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM). All headstones must be fixed in accordance with British Standard BS8415.

Answer 6

The plot owner is the only person who can give instruction for works to be undertaken on the plot, unless it is unsafe, in which case the burial authority must intervene. If the plot owner is deceased, it may be necessary to transfer ownership of the plot to a new family member, so that they can instruct a stone mason. If it is not possible to transfer ownership, it is sometimes possible for another person to take responsibility for the stone without taking ownership of the plot, by means of a Statutory Declaration.

Answer 7

The Town Council will send a letter to the address we hold on record for the owner, so it is really important that you keep us up to date if any of your details change. If we know that the grave owner is deceased and the grave ownership has not been transferred, we may attempt to contact the family by using the details of the individual who arranged for the interment of the grave owner, which would have been provided to us on the Notice of Interment.

If we cannot locate an owner, but we have made safe the stone, no further action needs to happen until the stone is retested and its condition changes. Most standard lawn memorials can remain safely laid on the plot indefinitely. For large memorials, it may be unsafe to leave them in situ, and the burial authority may be required to take action to remove or dismantle larger memorials and statues. We will generally only take action to make safe, rather than restore, as it would be improper to use tax payer money to undertake unnecessary works to privately owned property. If after spending money to make safe a memorial, an owner can be traced, we can attempt to collect reimbursement from the owner.

Answer 8

According to information published by the Ministry of Justice in 2009, 8 people had been killed in the UK by falling memorial masonry, the previous 30 years. In May of 2008, an 8-year-old boy died instantly when a memorial fell on him and severed his spinal cord. A fatal accident inquiry found that the council involved did not have an adequate programme of inspection.

The current British Safety Standard was introduced in 2005, and since then, there have been no reported accidents with memorials fitted in line with these requirements.

Answer 9

Like anything left outside in all weathers, headstones will deteriorate over time, by normal weathering and wear and tear. A headstone installed to current safety standards will last longer than one fitted incorrectly, but it is still expected that all headstones will require periodic maintenance. Your memorial mason who installed the stone should be able to give you guidance on what works will be needed and may be able to undertake these works themselves. They may provide a warranty on their work.

Answer 10

You will need to obtain a quote from your chosen mason, who will often conduct a site visit before giving a figure. It is normal for people to obtain several quotes to ensure they are getting good value for money, and also that they are happy with the person dealing with their memorial, as it is something personal. Don’t feel pressured to accept the first quote you get; take some time to think about it and ensure you are content that you are getting the right service for you.

Answer 11

There are a number of reasons this may happen:

The mason has gone out of business.
The mason is not accredited and due to the burial authority’s change of policy, we no longer permit non-accredited masons to work at our cemetery.
The mason has lost their accreditation since installing the stone.
The mason does not offer restoration works.
The mason’s lead time is too long and the stone is unsafe to be left.
The original mason fitted the stone incorrectly and you are not happy to use them again.

In this scenario, you will need to find a new mason to take on the job. If your warranty is affected, you can speak to the original mason to find out what they can do to help you, but they may not be obligated to cover any costs from another mason.

Answer 12

No. The Town Council does not charge for permits for restoration work. Your chosen mason will still need to apply for one, so we know who is working in our cemetery and what methods they will be using. We will check their accreditation and require from them a risk assessment and copy of their insurance certificate. We do not charge to issue the permit, unless in additional to restoration, you have asked them to undertake additional works.

Answer 13

You can ask us to recheck our records if you think we may have the wrong grave or have made an administrative error. In exceptional circumstances, we may recheck a stone, but the inspector’s decision is final. Our inspectors have undertaken extension training courses and have industry knowledge on defects that may not be immediately visible to an untrained eye. If required, we can give you the reasons for your headstone’s grading and explain the reason for concern. There is no appeal process, but we can give you details of our complaints procedure, which is also available on our website.

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