TRANSPORTATION
Are all internal procedures being followed?
Before transporting the deceased to the crematory it is critical to ensure the correct person is transported. A trusted procedure is to always require two staff members to verify the identification band on the deceased, along with verifying that all required paperwork is fully completed.
Also before transferring custody to the crematory, confirmation should be made to ensure there are no valuables or non-combustible items placed inside the container/casket. Sometimes the family may place items with deceased during a viewing. This is why it is important to educate the family of the cremation process during the arrangement conference.
When transporting to the crematory, the same dignity must be used as when taking a casket to a church or a graveside service. This dignity would also apply to when loading or unloading the vehicle. Simply because cremation has been requested, there should be no difference in the respect given to the deceased.
CREMATION
Are the last safeguards in place before the cremation process starts?
When the deceased arrives at the crematory, the following procedures should be followed by the crematory staff. Even though many of these steps have been done at the funeral home before the transfer of custody took place, it is critical to remember cremation is an irreversible process. Once the container/casket is placed in the chamber and the cremation process starts, there is no turning around.
Verify all required permits accompanying the deceased are fully completed with the same name on all paperwork. If any of the required paperwork is not fully completed, the crematory operator should hold further processing of the deceased until the paperwork is completed.
Verify the authorization for cremation is completed and has not been altered. Never use Whiteout 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.
Verify that the name on the authorization for cremation corresponds to the name on the container and the ID on the deceased. After the identification as been completed a pre-numbered stainless steel disk needs to be assigned to the deceased. This number should be recorded on all accompanying paperwork and written on the container. Once the cremation process starts this disk is the only identification that can track and verify who the cremated human remains are.
The above process should take place with a representative of the funeral home present. At the conclusion of this process the crematory should issue a receipt of human remains to the funeral home representative. This documentation is critical to the funeral home to demonstrate that the chain of custody has transferred from the funeral home to the crematory.
THIRD-PARTY CREMATORY
Are you comfortable with the crematory you are using?
A majority of funeral service providers use a third-party crematory. And a majority of these firms have not performed proper due diligence!
Funeral service providers have a fiduciary responsibility the family has entrusted to the firm. Ignoring proper due diligence neglects the trust the family has given the firm.
Remember: Cremation is an irreversible process; once it has been completed it cannot be reversed. The goal of all crematories should be to return the largest amount of cremated human remains possible, and to keep commingling to the least amount possible.
To perform the required due diligence to ensure a third-party crematory meets acceptable standards, request a copy of their policies and procedures. Read them, and come back and verify they are following their policies and procedures. If your request produces a one-page sheet – or worse, nothing at all – find another crematory.
Part of ensuring standards are met includes inspecting the crematory yourself, or hiring an auditor to do so. The following items are not negotiable. 1) The crematorium should be clean and orderly at all times. 2) Areas of the crematorium should not be used as general storage nor have dead insects on the floor. 3) Further, there should not be any cremated human remains around the clean-out door of the cremator or the processing equipment. If there are, the crematory is not doing a proper job of returning the largest amount of cremated human remains possible.
Another thing to ask the crematory operator is what they do with the unidentified cremated human remains. Placing them in any type of waste container is disgraceful. Crematories should have a residue container to retain unidentified cremated human remains. All crematories have some form of uncollectable residue at times. But the only proper place for the residue to end up is in a cemetery.
Similarly, medical metal that remains after cremation needs proper methods of disposal. One method is burial in a cemetery after the metal has been cleaned of all visible cremated human remains. The second method is recycling the medical metal. If recycling is a crematory’s chosen method, such practice should be disclosed on their Authorization for Cremation. In addition, it should be clear whether the crematory is making money from the recycling or donating to a non-profit charity.
Other considerations include whether the cremation chamber is vacuumed after each cremation. The contents of the vacuum should be emptied into the retrieved cremated human remains from the chamber. If these steps are not being followed every time, then the crematory is not returning the largest amount of cremated human remains possible and reducing comingling to the least amount possible.
To decrease your firm’s exposure, also request to be added as an additional insured on the crematory’s company insurance policy and have their carrier/agent issue an ACORD certificate from the insurance company. As an additional insured, your firm should be covered by the crematory’s company insurance should the crematory do anything that brings legal action. This action should also function as a defense and cover a judgment awarded against your firm due to the crematory’s negligence.
Lastly, check to ensure that all crematory operators are certified. This certification can be obtained from national death care organizations or the cremator manufacturers, and some states have their own requirements.
These issues are a start to the due diligence process. Many crematory inspection forms are available from national death care organizations, and these should be used when inspecting third-party crematories. Moreover, these inspections should be completed at least annually, with your findings retained in a file.
RETURNING CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS
Are policies & procedures in place?
Before the cremated human remains are released to the authorized representative, it is critical that the name on the temporary container or urn and the Certificate of Cremation match the name on all other paperwork. If the crematory utilizes an identification number on the temporary container or urn and Certificate of Cremation, these numbers must also correspond.
Additional areas to verify before releasing the cremated human remains include verifying the correct urn is being used and the cremated human remains were placed in the urn. It is not unheard of for a funeral director to give a family member an empty urn.
This usually happens when an urn is personalized: When it comes back from the manufacturer it is placed on a shelf. And when the authorized agent arrives to retrieve the cremated human remains, they are given an empty urn. Before releasing a temporary container or urn, the container should be checked to make sure it is not leaking and does not have any residue on the outside.
Additionally, when the authorized representative takes custody of the cremated human remains, complete a signed and dated receipt stating control was transferred.
At the same time, make a copy of the representative’s identification and attach it to the receipt. This documentation can protect the funeral home from future claims, such as releasing the cremated human remains to the wrong person, by the family should they arise.
Whenever I write an article on cremation, I attempt to upgrade 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 dealing with the consumers that chose cremation.