If I have insurance cover on my memorial will the costs of repair be covered?
Check with your memorial mason or insurer to find out.
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My memorial has been lowered to the ground and I wasn’t contacted first. Why?
If we have not written to you it may be because we do not have your current address or the owner of the grave may be deceased and a transfer of ownership has not been completed. Our immediate priority is to make a complete inspection of all cemeteries to make sure they are safe places for the public to enter. Every memorial laid flat will have a sign attached to it advising the owner what to do next.
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What should I do if the memorial on the grave I own has been laid flat?
Please contact the St Albans District Council Cemetery Office (01727 819362) to speak to a member of staff.
We will provide you with a list of memorial masons who will be able to provide quotations for the re erecting of the memorial. Under no circumstances should you try to re erect the memorial yourself; this could be very dangerous and may result in serious injury to yourself and/or members of the public. Only competent memorial masons may carry out work in St Albans Cemeteries. Grave owners are responsible for arranging to fix the memorial back in place in a safe condition. We can also arrange to transfer the rights to the grave should the original owner be deceased
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What will the safety tests involve and who will carry them out?
Each memorial will be given a visual check to assess the condition and then given a gentle hand push to test that it is not in ‘immediate danger of falling’.
If the gentle hand push indicates that the memorial can be moved a firmer hand push is used to establish if it is unsafe.
A trained Officer or memorial consultation will conducted the inspection, and a record is made of the date of the inspection and any action taken or required.
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What will you do with headstones that fail the test?
Once a memorial is found to be unsafe the Council has a duty of care to make sure it is made safe as soon as possible because the cemetery is a public place. Memorials which are in immediate danger of collapse will be carefully laid flat on the grave, with a wooden batten underneath to protect it from damage. A notice will be placed explaining to the owner what to do next. No memorials will be removed from the grave space. We will contact any known owners as soon as possible to inform them where it has been necessary to lower a memorial to the ground for safety reasons. If a memorial is assessed as unstable but not in immediate danger of falling it will be made safe with a stake and rope. A notice will be placed on the memorial. The owner will be contacted by letter and asked to have the memorial repaired.
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Where can I get further information about memorial safety?
We understand how upsetting it can be to see the memorial of a loved one laid flat or made safe, and we want to help people deal with their unsafe memorials as quickly as possible. Anyone, who wants to talk about what is happening or who needs information, can always contact us. Further inspections of the Council’s cemeteries will be ongoing. Members of the public are asked to keep to the paths where possible and to keep children under close supervision at all times.
Memorial Masons list
It is essential that families do not attempt to move memorials, which have been laid down or remove the safety notice, rope or stakes. A list of masons who can provide quotations is available on request. If you need further information or advice about the safety of a memorial please contact the Cemeteries Manager.
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Who is responsible for keeping memorials repaired & in a safe condition?
The grave owner is responsible for keeping the memorial repaired and in a safe condition. However, the Council has the obligation of making a memorial safe if it is found to be in an unsafe condition.
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Why does the Council carry out memorial safety checks?
The Health & Safety Executive have required this work following a series of incidents across the country where people have been injured or killed by falling memorials. Tragically, there have also been incidents of children being killed by falling memorials whilst playing in cemeteries. Some of the memorials in our cemeteries could be unsafe. The Council has a responsibility for the safety of visitors, staff and contractors in our cemeteries.
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