Cemeteries and Crematorium Services - Code of Cremation Practice

The Code of Cremation Practice must be adhered to at all times

1. Conduct

The cremation of a human body is a highly emotional occasion for those taking part in the service. This must never be forgotten by the staff of the Crematorium, who must combine to create and maintain an atmosphere of reverence and respect throughout the entire proceedings.

2. Staff 

The greatest care must be taken in the appointment of the members of the Crematorium staff, any one of whom may, by conduct or demeanour, detract from the atmosphere of reverence which it is endeavoured to create. All staff employed in the operation of cremators must be suitably trained in the technical and ethical procedures and certificated as specified in the Secretary of State's Guidance Notes of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or any subsequent legislation made thereunder.

3. After Committal

a) A body shall not be removed from the Crematorium after the Service of Committal except for a lawful purpose.

b) Subject to receiving the necessary Authority to Cremate, the coffin and its contents shall be put into the cremator exactly as they have been received on the catafalque. A body not cremated on the same day as the coffin is received at the Crematorium may only be retained overnight on the written consent of the Applicant for cremation or in exceptional circumstances deemed necessary by the Cremation Authority. All bodies retained at the Crematorium will be accommodated in secure and sanitary conditions within the building. 

c) Once a coffin, with its contents, has been placed in the cremator, it shall not be interfered with until the process of cremation is completed. On completion the whole of the Cremated Remains shall be collected and, following their reduction, shall be disposed of in accordance with the instructions received. 

4. Correct Identity

a) No coffin shall be accepted at any crematorium unless it bears adequate particulars of the identity of the deceased person contained therein. If a coffin is encased, the cover and the coffin must bear adequate identity of the deceased person.

b) Every care must be taken to ensure correct identification throughout the whole proceedings from the moment the coffin is received on to the catafalque until the final disposal of the Cremated Remains. 

5. Separately Cremated

Each coffin given to the care of the Cremation Authority shall be cremated separately.

6. Coffin Covers

When a re-usable cover is used to encase a coffin, a signed authority must be given by the applicant for the cremation authorising its use and consenting to its subsequent removal from the Crematorium.

7. Metal Residues

Any metal remaining following the cremation process will be recycled or removed and disposed of in  aggregate in accordance with the directions of the Cremation Authority or Higher Authority.

8. Cremated Remains - care to be taken

The utmost care shall be taken to ensure that the Cremated Remains, following their removal from the cremation, shall be kept separate and suitably identified. The Cremated Remains shall be reduced and placed in a separate container. If the Cremated Remains are to be disposed of in a Garden of Remembrance, this shall be conducted with reverence and respect. Cremated Remains to be conveyed by a carrier service should be placed in a suitably labelled robust container and dealt with according to recommendations laid down by the Federation of British Cremation Authorities.

9. Cremators and Ancillary Equipment

Cremators and all ancillary equipment used at the Crematorium shall be kept in good repair and maintained in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and the requirements of the current Guidance Notes issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or subsequent legislation.

10. Statutory Regulations

All cremations shall be carried out according to the provisions of the Cremation Acts and the Regulations made thereunder and any subsequent legislation.

The Federation of British Cremation Authorities Guidance for the use of Coffin Covers

The Executive committee of the Federation accepts that the use of an outer cover to encase a coffin is within the ethical standards of the code of cremation practice. The decision to accept the use of a cover is a matter for individual cremation authorities whose judgement may be influenced by the layout of the cremation buildings and the ability to remove a cover form the crematorium without causing offence or concern to visitors to the crematorium.

The following detail is offered as guidance for the controlled use of coffin covers:

1. Prior notice of at least 24 hours should be given to the appropriate crematorium officer when a cover is to be used.

2. A signed authority should be given by the applicant for the cremation authorising use of the cover and consenting to its subsequent removal from the crematorium.

3. Both the cover and the coffin must bear adequate identity of the deceased person contained in them.

4. The Cremation Authority should be satisfied, by prior inspection if necessary, that the cover is designed in such a way that removal of the coffin is easily foliated and in a way that prevents the possibility of damage being caused to the coffin or accident or injury to staff.

5. Consideration should be given to the cover dimensions, in particular the width including handles, so as to ensure that it can pass through any apertures such as may be encountered with lowering catafalque or any other restricted opening adjacent to a catafalque.

6. The coffin should have sufficient strength and rigidity not only to contain the body but also to withstand the rigours involved when it is charged into the cremator.

7. To enable easy removal of the coffin from its cover it is advisable to have two biers available, both with roller facility.

8. The Cremation Authority should not accept responsibility for any damage to the cover however caused.

9. There is a need to ensure that there is sufficient space within the crematorium building to house the covers pending their collection by the funeral director.

10. The funeral director should provide sufficient staff for the collection of covers which should be at a time and in a manner agreed with crematorium management.