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Memorial health and safety work

Erecting a memorial

In order to have a memorial erected on a grave, a permit must be completed with your monumental mason and sent to the cemeteries office at Carleton Cemetery for approval.

No work can be carried out until the permit is granted. The permit must be carried whilst working in the cemetery at all times. 

The work in the cemetery must be carried out by a qualified monumental mason who is BRAMM or NAMM registered.

Any memorial erected on a grave is the responsibility of the grave owner.

In their absence the responsibility will pass onto the next of kin of the grave owner.

Headstone stability

Headstones are checked for stability each time a grave is re-opened.

The applicants will be advised to arrange removal of any unsafe headstone to allow the grave to be reopened safely.

Other headstones will be tested in the surrounding area and made safe for the duration the grave is open. This could result in the headstone being laid down on the ground.

Headstone safety checks

Blackpool Council has a duty to protect visitors to cemeteries and staff working in cemeteries, including contractors, from the possible danger caused by unsafe memorials.

Inspections take place periodically throughout the year and are carried out by members of staff who have been trained  on how to check the safety of memorials.

The tester will make a visual assessment first and then follow this with a hand test.

The results of these tests are recorded and any memorials found to be unsafe will be marked as dangerous. Dependant on the risk, the memorial may be laid down or a sign may be put on the stone to advise of the risk. 

We will contact the grave owner who is then responsible for making the memorial permanently safe. If we are unable to trace the grave owner or any other next of kin we will carry out the necessary works. 

The council has a duty to regularly check that headstones are safe and secure and as the owner of a memorial you also have a duty to ensure it is safe.

If you see a sign on your memorial stating it is dangerous, or if we contact you to tell you your memorial is unsafe you should contact a memorial mason who is registered with the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM)  and arrange for it to be repaired as soon as possible.

Carleton Cemetery office have a list of accredited local memorial masons if needed.