This guide deals with the risk of infection when dealing with human remains. It provides advice for:
- Funeral directors and their staff, including part-time/casual workers and the selfemployed, for example ‘trade embalmers’; and
- Those involved in exhumations, for example cemetery employees, specialised companies, the Police, Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), archaeological researchers and redevelopment/construction companies, about the sorts of risks they face and how to control them. Although the term ‘your employees’ is used throughout, the duties etc described apply equally to you as an individual if you are self-employed.
The guide covers your duties under health and safety law as they relate to controlling the risks of infection, in particular the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. You may already know that these regulations deal with chemicals risks at work but they also cover infection risks (from microorganisms) too.
Information about other relevant guidance on infections risks and other health and safety risks, for example chemical, manual handling, construction, that are an issue in the funeral/exhumation process can be found in Appendix 4: Further reading and information.
WHAT IS THIS GUIDE ABOUT?
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
IDENTIFYING THE HAZARD
- Sources
- Transmission
- Host
- ASSESSING THE RISKS
- CONTROLLING THE RISKS
Cleaning, disinfection and disposal of waste
APPENDIX 1
Part 1: Key infections
Part 2: Additional infection information for exhumation
Part 3: Special precautions when a smallpoxinfected body is suspected
APPENDIX 2: INFECTION CONTROL NOTIFICATION SHEET
APPENDIX 3: DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION
APPENDIX 4: FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION