Why are memorial inspections necessary?

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 requires all burial authorities to ensure that memorials are safe and so reduce the potential for injury to those working in and visiting Devizes Cemetery. Although reports of serious incidents involving unsafe memorials are relatively rare nationwide, there have been fatalities and the risk of incident grows with the passing of time and the increase in the number of memorials. The Health and Safety Executive expects local authorities to have a suitable memorial inspection programme.

When will the inspections be carried out?

All memorials within the cemetery will be periodically inspected as part of a continuous safety programme. This will normally be every five years. Memorials that do not present an immediate danger but may have some defects or deterioration may be inspected more frequently.

How will the inspection be carried out?

The process will consist of:

• Visual inspection
• Manual stability test (Hand test)
• Measured pressure test

The industry agreed safety standard for measured pressure testing (based on advice from the Health & Safety Executive / Institute for Cemetery and Crematorium Management) is a pressure of 35kg applied using an appropriate measuring device. All testing is carried out by trained staff using specialist equipment. Every effort will be made to contact the owners of memorials that have failed a stability test and offer advice on what to do next.

Will the stability testing damage memorials?

No. The measuring equipment used is extremely accurate and sensitive. This ensures that only the specified testing force is applied to the memorial. The slightest movement of the memorial is detected allowing the testing to stop. This means that there is no risk of the test damaging a secure memorial.

Will memorials be laid flat?

Memorials that fail a stability test but do not represent an immediate danger will be fitted with a temporary support while the grave owner is contacted. This is a temporary measure and in the event that the owner cannot be traced it may become necessary to lay some memorials flat. Some larger memorials may be laid flat where it is impractical to fit a temporary support and where there is an immediate danger.

Will memorials be removed from graves?

Memorials will not be removed from graves unless the grave owner gives permission or does not take any action to repair or remove the memorial within a specified time.

A pictorial example of the headstones, which are potentially in need of laying down can be viewed (in Adobe® Portable Document Format) by clicking on the following link:

A pictorial example of memorials in Devizes Cemetery
(please note that the document file size is very large and will take some while to download)

If you cannot find the answer to your specific query please contact the Clerk to the Burial Committee, full contact details are listed at the bottom of the left hand menu

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