Memorial Testing to take place
13 August 2024
Ross-on-Wye Town Council will be undertaking memorial safety tests in the Town Cemetery and the closed churchyard of St Mary’s Church on 21st, 22nd and 23rd August 2024.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 the Town Council has a responsibility to ensure that risks within their cemeteries are properly managed. Each headstone will be tested to make sure it is not at risk of falling over and injuring someone.
A specially trained member of staff will start by doing a visual inspection of the memorial, followed by a hand test. This will involve pressure being applied to the memorial to check for movement. In most cases there will be no movement and a record will be kept that the memorial has passed. If the memorial moves it will fail the test.
If the memorial fails the hand test it will be highlighted with caution tape. A member of staff will contact the registered owner of the grave as a matter of urgency to inform them that it needs repairing. If there is no registered owner the Town Council will take measures to make the memorial safe.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
FAQs
Why are tests being carried out on headstones?
Ross-on-Wye Town Council has a duty to look after the safety of visitors to Ross-on-Wye Town Cemetery and the closed churchyard of at Mary’s Church. To ensure this, memorials must be tested for stability on a regular basis.
Who will carry out the tests?
All testing will be carried out by suitably trained personnel of Ross-on-Wye Town Council ensuring that all work is carried out with due respect.
What will the safety tests involve?
Each memorial will firstly be given a visual check and hand test to assess the condition. National Association of Monumental Masons now recommends that testing is carried out at a force of 250N, equivalent to 25Kg, as per revised British Standard BS8415:2005 A2:2012 Monuments within Burial Grounds – Specification. Testing is carried out on a rolling 5-year programme in accordance with NAMM recommendations. Any memorial which fails the test for stability will be deemed unsafe. A record will be kept of the date of inspection and of any action that is taken.
What happens if a memorial is unsafe?
Where a memorial is found to be unsafe Ross-on-Wye Town Council has a responsibility to ensure that it is made safe after testing. Any memorial which is deemed unsafe will, temporarily, be made secure. One or more stakes will be driven into the ground immediately adjacent to the memorial and tape will be secured around the stake(s) and the memorial. A notice stating that the memorial is unsafe will be attached to the stake. The deed-holder of the grave will be advised that the memorial requires making safe in accordance with NAMM guidelines.
My memorial has been staked and banded. Why wasn’t I contacted first?
Once a memorial is found to be unsafe it is necessary to make it secure as soon as possible. On completion of the inspection we will attempt to contact the deed-holder of each grave where the memorial is found to be unsafe as a matter of urgency. If you have not received a notification of an unsafe memorial, it may be because we do not have a record of your current address. If there is no registered owner the Town Council will take measures to make the memorial safe.
Will headstones or memorials be removed from a cemetery?
No headstone or memorial will be removed from any cemetery.
What should I do if my memorial is declared unsafe?
Please contact the Town Council directly who will be able to provide you with information on the reason the memorial is unsafe and provide you with a list of NAMM approved monumental masons who will be able to assist you with re-erecting your memorial safely.
Under no circumstances should you try to re-erect or the memorial yourself; this could be very dangerous and may result in serious injury to yourself and/or to members of the public. Only approved monumental masons can carry out work on memorials in Ross-on-Wye Town Cemetery.
Who is responsible for re-fixing unsafe memorials?
Deed-holders of graves or their next of kin, once a Transfer of Grave Ownership has been completed, are responsible for fixing the memorial back in place and in a safe condition.