Memorial Safety Testing

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).

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

Burial authorities are required by law to test memorials at a minimum frequency of 5 years, but this may be sooner, depending on environmental, safety, usage and other factors in each individual cemetery.

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 on to make safe.

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.

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.

The Town Council will write to the address we hold for the grave owner, so please keep your details current. If we know the owner is deceased and ownership has not been transferred, we may contact the family using the details of the person who arranged the owner’s interment, as listed on the Notice of Interment. If an owner cannot be found but the memorial has been made safe, no action is needed until it is retested or its condition changes. Standard lawn memorials can often remain safely laid indefinitely. Large memorials or statues may be unsafe to leave in place, and the burial authority may need to remove or dismantle them. Our usual action is to make memorials safe, not restore them, as public funds should not be used for private property repairs. If an owner is later traced after we have spent money to make a memorial safe, we may seek reimbursement.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No. The Town Council does not charge for permits for restoration work if it is solely on the grounds of health and safety. 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 addition to structural restoration, you have asked them to undertake cosmetic works.

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 untaken extensive training courses and have industry knowledge on defects that may not be immediately visible to an untrained eye. We will always 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: https://www.thornburytowncouncil.gov.uk/policies-and-procedures. You can also view our Memorial Safety Testing Policy and Memorial Cleaning Policy on the same webpage. We follow ICCM guidance, which is available on their website: https://www.iccm-uk.com/iccm/guidance/

The inspector will check for a ground anchor, a long underground spike beneath the stone’s base. Headstones installed to British Standard BS8415 must have one, but older or incorrectly fitted stones may not. The inspector will consider the stone’s location near paths or busy areas, the presence of an anchor, and the monument’s size to decide on the appropriate action. Grade 3: Test result is recorded; the stone will be retested at the next inspection. Grade 2: A notice is left on the plot, and a letter is sent to inform the owner that the stone failed inspection and explain next steps. Grade 1: The inspector must make the stone safe by staking, laying down, or, as a last resort, removing it. A notice is left on the plot, and a letter is sent to explain the grading and actions taken.