From the time human remains arrive until the cremated human remains are returned to the authorized person, countless policies and procedures must be followed when operating a crematory. But only three basic principles distinguish a first-class crematory.

Dignity & Respect

  Dignity and respect starts when the human remains arrive at the crematory and lasts until the authorized individual receives the cremated human remains. Everyone must realize each “case” is someone’s parent, sibling or child.

  Whether a family requests cremation with no service or mass in a Catholic church with a casketed body, the same level of respect is warranted.

  And once the cremated human remains are processed and placed in an urn or temporary container, that same requirement for respect remains. For example, they should never be stacked on top of other containers or placed in the trunk of a car.

Irreversible & Irreplaceable

  Once you have started the cremation process there is no turning back. It is critical that everything is correct before starting this irreversible process.

  When human remains arrive at the crematory all paperwork must be verified complete, the identification on the human remains must be verified, and the names on the paperwork and the identification tag must match. After cremation the only way to identify the cremated human remains is the pre-numbered stainless steel disk. If the initial steps were not completed correctly, the risk of irreversible errors skyrockets.

  In fact, during each stage of the cremation process it is critical that the correct human remains or cremated human remains are being processed.

  Aside from being an irreversible process, cremation deals with something irreplaceable: someone’s loved one. Accordingly, after the cremated human remains are placed in an urn or temporary container they must be stored in a secure location and only released to the authorized representative listed on the cremation authorization.

Return the Most & Commingle the Least

  Families want as much of their loved one back as possible, with the least amount of other people mixed in. But there is only one time that commingling does not happen: the first cremation in a new cremator.

  To return the largest amount and keep commingling at the absolute lowest amount possible, certain procedures are required: Use a high-temperature vacuum to retrieve the human remains that were not removed using the wire clean-out brush. After vacuuming, the cremated human remains must be removed and the filter in the vacuum must be brushed off to obtain additional cremated human remains.

  Incorporating these three basic, but critical, principles through explicit policies and procedures protects not only the firm and its reputation but also its employees and the consumers serviced.

  When I write an article about cremation, I attempt to upgrade the cremation procedures that many of the death care providers currently follow. These procedures may take more time or 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 when dealing with the consumers that chose cremation.