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Page A18 SEPTEMBER 2017 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A
By Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE
Reducing Risk: Transferring
Human Remains to Crematory
When transferring custody of human remains to the crema-
tory, certain procedures must be followed. And these proce-
dures are the same whether the crematory is third-party or in-
house.
Everyone must understand the basic concept that cremation
is an irreversible and irreplaceable process. Once the human
remains are placed in the chamber and the cremation process
starts, there is no turning back. Also, if they are lost, there is no
replacement.
Importantly, funeral service providers have a fiduciary re-
sponsibility that the family has entrusted to the firm. And by
ignoring proper due diligence, a firm neglects the trust the
family has placed with it.
Before a deceased is delivered to a crematory, the funeral
home must address certain areas of risk to prevent loss. These
processes should take place with two representatives of the fu-
neral home present. It is critical that the following issues are
addressed for each deceased to protect the family, funeral
home, crematory, and crematory operator:
• All human remains must be treated with dignity and re-
spect at all times while under the control of the funer-
al home. The staff must remember that the deceased was
someone’s mother, father, son, or daughter.
Protecting
Your Families
and Business The above are guidelines only; if your firm’s or state’s re-
quirements are more stringent, they should be followed.
But it is important to have a policy and procedures in
place, and follow them every time.
Whenever I write an article on cremation, I attempt to up-
grade the cremation procedures that many of the death care
providers are currently following. These procedures may take
more time or may add cost to your firm. If they do, you may
want to research what you are charging and adjust to reflect
the dignity and respect that everyone needs to have when deal-
ing with the consumers that chose cremation.
• Verify all required permits accompanying the de-
ceased are fully completed. If any of the required
permits are not fully completed, there should be a
hold on further processing of the deceased until the
permit(s) is completed.
• Verify the authorization for cremation is completed
and has not been altered. Never useWhiteout on any
paperwork. If a correction or change is needed, either
start a new form or draw a line though the mistake
and write the correction next to the mistake with the
initials of the authorizing agent.
• Confirm the deceased’s name corresponds on all the
paperwork.
• Confirm that any scheduled services or viewings have
been completed. Many authorizations have a section
that states the cremation will take place after a ser-
vice or visitation. If you are using this type of autho-
rization, confirm the service or visitation has already
taken place.
• Verify the name on the authorization for cremation
corresponds to the name on the container and the ID
on the deceased.
• Confirm that no extraneous items, which are not
part of the container or belongings of the deceased,
are in the container or casket. This could be trash or
parts from another deceased’s autopsy.
• Remove any valuables or non-combustible items if
they are on or with the deceased. Store these items in
a secured area or give them back to the authorizing
agent with documentation.
• Remove any item that could damage the cremator or
could cause harm to the operator. This includes bul-
lets or shotgun shells that the family placed in the
container because dad was a hunter, as well as a glass
or plastic container with sufficient mass that it would
melt into the refractory brick.
Jim Starks, CFuE, CCrE, is President of J. Starks Consulting in Lutz,
FL, and a nationally-recognized trainer on funeral home and crema-
tory risk management.
He used his experience in both funeral home and crematory oper-
ations and risk management, combined with his involvement with
funeral homes of all sizes and geographies, to become an author-
ity at controlling risk and loss in the death care industry, providing
lectures and presentations to private firms, as well as regional, state
and national associations. He also conducts private audits and risk
assessments to independent funeral homes and crematories in the
US and Canada, often identifying ways to save or generate thou-
sands of dollars of profit.
Jim is a Michigan and Indiana Licensed Funeral Director and
Embalmer and ICCFA- and CANA-certified crematory operator, as
well as Dean of ICCFA University’s College of Cremation Services. He
is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, the Mid-America School
of Mortuary Science, and the ICCFA University. For more information
on risk management in the death care industry, visit jstarksconsulting.
com. Contact Jim at (813) 765-9844 or
Funeral Home & Cemetery News
Contributors share insights and
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TANEXPO announces the New Edition:
Bologna, Italy, April 5-7, 2018
B O L O G N A , I TA LY—
TANEXPO, the Inter-
national Funeral and
Cemetery Exhibition ,
meets every two years in Bologna allow-
ing funeral professionals an opportuni-
ty to discover all the latest products and
services available. In 2016 more than 250
exhibiting companies and 18,000 profes-
sionals visited from 58 countries.
The exhibition is less than a year away
andTANEXPO is working hard to achieve
and exceed their 2016 success. This goal is
achievable thanks to the positive response
of the industry: approximately 40% of the
2016 exhibitors have already confirmed
their participation. Moreover, many new
exhibiting companies have registered.
Nine months before the show 100 exhibi-
tors have been registered.
TANEXPO has been developing a strong
network and organizing many internation-
al events with the TANEXPO World proj-
ect. The great attention to international
markets, mainly to countries with a high
level of economic growth and with a strong
interest in new products and technologies,
took TANEXPOWorld to Brazil and Rus-
sia. The next edition of Necropolis – Tanex-
po World Russia will take place on October
25-27, 2017 at the All-Russian Exhibition
Center VDNH of Moscow.
March 14-17 saw Miami Funer, World-
wide Funeral Industry Conference and
Expo , an event with a special focus on
Central and Latin America professionals.
The event combined educational sessions
and an international Trade Show where 70
companies displayed to 1,100 professional
visitors from 40 countries. Moreover, four
days included 17 professional workshops
bringing together an international audi-
ence interested in catching up as well as
acquiring new skills in funeral marketing,
embalming techniques, technology and
innovation. Miami Funer looks forward
to welcoming all professionals in Miami
in March 2019!
Of course the top event in the agenda
is Tanexpo on April 5-7, 2018 in Bo-
logna! More information is available at
PO Box 5159
Youngstown, OH 44514
Fax 1-800-321-9040
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