OSHA Emergency Action and Fire Safety Requirements for Funeral Homes and Crematories

by Mark Harrison

Funeral Homes and Crematories are face higher levels of fire risk than other facilities.

In recent years we have seen an increase in Funeral Home and Crematory fires due to the rise of cremation and increased heat across the country. 

 

All funeral home facilities must have active Emergency Action and Fire Safety Programs in place. These Programs must include:

  1. Custom Written Manuals
  2. Training and Proof of Training
  3. Recordkeeping

Employees must be made aware of their responsibilities and limitations. Employees should only attempt to control emergencies, especially fires, chemical spills, and confined space rescues, if you have received adequate training.

Employees must also be made aware that as a condition of employment, the company requires employees to comply with our emergency action program. Failure to comply with our emergency action program may result in disciplinary action.

Types of Emergencies
Funeral Homes face a series of workplace emergencies, including but not limited to:

  • Confined space rescue
  • Electric power interruption
  • Fire and explosion
  • Natural disasters (e.g., severe wind, thunderstorms, snow & ice, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods)
  • Spill (e.g., chemicals, hazardous and non-hazardous products)
  • Workplace violence (including bomb threats and terrorism)

Proper preparation must be in place for each of these scenarios. 

A Complete and Custom Emergency Action and Fire Safety Program must have the following items in place:

  1. Emergency Action Plan Notice
  2. Written Compliance Plan 
  3. Specific Types of Emergencies
  4. Emergency Action Personnel
  5. Tools, Equipment and Supplies
  6. Emergency Action Off-site Responders
  7. Training Topics 
  8. Employee Quizzes
  9. Trainer Qualifications
  10. Annual Program Review 

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Funeral Home and Crematory OSHA Emergency Action and Fire Safety

Funeral Home and Crematory Challenges: Operating a funeral home or crematory can present some unique hazards – potential for blood and chemical exposure, lifting human remains also presents unique musculoskeletal hazards – but is your facility also in compliance with OSHA? Funeral Home OSHA fines can reach $70,000 or more.

Certified Safety Training, the official compliance provider to the NFDA, developed the following checklist to ensure your funeral home facility is safe and in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

This checklist is designed to give you an overview of what is required to bring your facility into compliance. OSHA has very specific requirements and standards that apply to funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories. To be in full compliance with OSHA you will need more than a checklist, you must adhere to the OSHA standards on page six and seven of this checklist by having a Complete Compliance Program.

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