St Edmundsbury Borough Council's memorial testing leaflet (PDF 105Kb)
Click on the following links to see a list of memorials that failed the testing carried out in 2006:
Please note: the lists are in a pdf document. You can use the search function on Adobe Reader to find the relevant data.
Frequently asked questions
1. Why are we testing memorials?
2. What do the safety tests involve?
3. What happens if we find a problem?
4. Can I repair the memorial myself?
5. What will the Council not do?
6. What will happen if memorial owners cannot be traced?
7. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorials?
8. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorial sinking?
9. Will we need to carry out testing again in the future?
10. Where do we have cemeteries/churchyards?
11. How many memorials are there?
1. Why are we testing memorials?
In 2001 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a 'Be Respectful, Be Safe' campaign to try and improve the safety of cemeteries and churchyards. More recently, all local authorities that are responsible for cemeteries and churchyards are being asked to carry out safety checks on memorials, to ensure that they are in a good and stable condition and not likely to topple over. The safety checks are in line with advice from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) following a recent letter from the chairman of the HSC, Bill Callaghan, which highlighted the fact that across the country there have been 21 serious accidents, including seven fatalities during the last ten years.
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2. What do the safety tests involve?
All inspection and testing will be carried out by trained cemetery staff using a procedure recommended by the memorial mason industry and professional associations.
The inspection consists of three stages:
- Visual inspection. This identifies those memorials that are too dangerous to test manually.
- Manual test. This is aimed at identifying those headstones that may be unable to withstand the machine test.
- Machine test. If a memorial passes the first two stages, a confirmatory test is performed using a calibrated topple tester. This tester allows the inspector to exert a force, not exceeding 35kg, to the top of the headstone.
All memorials under two metres (approximately 6 feet 6 inches) will be subject to a hand test and confirmatory testing with force measuring equipment if required. All memorials over two metres (approximately 6 feet 6 inches) will be subject to testing by a specialist structural engineer. All those memorials below 500 millimetres (approximately 1 foot 8 inches) will be risk assessed to decide on the most suitable type of inspection.
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3. What happens if we find a problem?
- We notify the deed holders of any memorials which we find to be unstable. We would ask all deedholders to please contact us on 01284 757068 or email cemetery.service@stedsbc.gov.uk with your current address if your details have changed since the deed was issued.
- Although the council has a duty of care to ensure the cemetery is safe, the responsibility for memorials lies with the owner of the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Rights of Burial.
- We recommend that you should contact the memorial mason that supplied the memorial as soon as possible to arrange for it to be fixed and made safe. A stonemason will ensure that work carried out on the memorial is done to the proper professional standards issued by the National Association of Memorial Masons.
We fully appreciate that this may be upsetting for bereaved families and we are very sorry for any distress it may cause. Memorials are a lasting tribute to our loved ones and through careful testing to ensure their safety, we would like to work with you to ensure that all the memorials in our cemeteries and churchyards remain a fitting tribute for years to come.
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4. Can I repair the memorial myself?
No. You must contact the memorial mason that supplied the memorial as soon as possible to arrange for it to be fixed and made safe. A stonemason will ensure that work carried out on the memorial is done to the proper professional standards issued by the National Association of Memorial Masons.
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5. What will the council not do?
The council will not:
- remove the memorial from its site;
- lay the headstone flat on the ground, except in exceptional circumstances when the memorial is likely to present a serious hazard soon; and will not
- make a memorial safe until at least two months after we have sent a second notification to the deedholder.
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6. What will happen if memorial owners cannot be traced?
Where a memorial has failed the testing and the grave owner cannot be traced the council will make the memorial safe by either partially sinking or by repairing. Care will be taken to ensure, where possible, that inscriptions are not affected. This will enable a full repair at a later stage if required.
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7. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorials?
Notices were placed on gates, notice boards and around every burial section in Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds cemetery to let people know in advance that this work will be taking place. In addition notices have been posted in local newspapers. Notices went up in rural areas prior to the commencement of testing after discussion with the relevant parochial church council.
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8. What have we done to inform visitors and owners of memorial sinking?
The first letter to all contactable deedholders explained that we would allow six months for repairs to be carried out. However, in some instances, this has not been sufficient and therefore a second letter will be sent to contactable deedholders giving another three months before further works take place.
In addition notices will be erected in the cemeteries at the end of October 2006 to advise that sinking of memorials will take place where, despite publicity and extensive research, nobody has come forward as the memorial's deedholder and we are not aware of any living relatives.
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9. Will we need to carry out testing again in the future?
Yes. The testing of memorials will need to be effectively monitored and will require an ongoing programme based on the first round of testing.
After a period of six months from us originally notifying you that the memorial had failed testing, we will contact you again to ask what action you have taken to make the memorial safe. If you tell us that the memorial has been made safe, we will update our records and re-test the memorial in:
- one year, if you have carried out the work yourself or if the work has not been carried out by a professional stonemason;
- five years, if the work has been carried out by a professional stonemason.
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10. Where do we have cemeteries/churchyards?
Haverhill, Bury St Edmunds and closed churchyards at Barningham, Chedburgh, Denston, Ousden, Stoke by Clare and Whepstead.
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11. How many memorials are there?
There are over 35,000 in Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds.
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Contact details:
Cemetery Registrar
St Edmundsbury Borough Council
Borough Offices
Angel Hill
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 1XB
Phone: 01284 757068
Email: cemetery.service@stedsbc.gov.uk
Other useful contacts:
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