Perth and Kinross Council is committed to ensuring the safety of all visitors, staff and contractors in our cemeteries. As a burial authority, we have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Occupiers Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 to maintain cemeteries in a safe condition.
In addition, Regulation 4(1) of the recently introduced Burial Management Regulations require burial authorities to carry out regular scheduled inspections to identify any headstone or memorial which is not in safe order.
Memorial safety inspections
Following national guidance, and in response to a tragic incident in Glasgow in 2015, Perth and Kinross Council began a rolling programme of memorial safety inspections across all cemeteries. This work is carried out with the utmost care and respect. We understand that this is a sensitive issue and are committed to keeping communities informed.
We will:
- display signage in cemeteries at least 28 days before work begins
- contact lair holders "where contact details are available" to inform them if their memorial fails the safety inspection
- attach notices to unsafe memorials where appropriate
What happens if a memorial is unsafe?
If a headstone is found to be unstable it may be:
- trenched (partially buried) for stability
- laid flat to prevent accidents and injury
The full repair and ongoing maintenance of memorials remains the responsibility of the lair owner.
Please note: Whilst every memorial is inspected with the utmost care and respect, Perth and Kinross Council cannot be responsible for any damage that may occur during the inspection process or making a memorial safe.
Do not attempt repairs yourself
For your safety and that of others, do not attempt to repair, adjust or move the memorial yourself. Memorials can be extremely heavy and unstable when compromised and untrained handling may result in serious injury or damage to the memorial. Only qualified and registered memorial masons should carry out such work.
Contact us
We appreciate your assistance and co-operation to ensure our cemeteries remain safe and respectful places for all.
If you require further information about the memorial inspection programme, please contact the Bereavement Services Team by phoning 01738 459660 or emailing ESBurials@pkc.gov.uk.
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