All exhumation applications and requests are dealt with individually. Telephone: Email: crematorium york. Email: coroners justice. Skip to content Skip to navigation Exhumation means the removal from the ground of a body or cremated remains. There are two types of licence available for exhumation: A Bishops Faculty licence A Home Office licence Normally you will need either one or the other, although there are certain circumstances where you may require both.
Determining what sort of licence you need Within burial grounds the land is termed either consecrated or unconsecrated. Apply for a Home Office Exhumation Licence You can get a copy application from York Crematorium, which may speed the process, as the local authority must complete some sections on the application form before it is submitted for consideration.
What happens at the exhumation An environmental health officer and cemeteries officer can be present at the exhumation. They will supervise the event to ensure that: the correct grave is opened the exhumation commences as early as possible in the morning to ensure maximum privacy the plot is screened if necessary as appropriate for privacy health and safety of all workers is maintained - protective clothing including masks and gloves, task lights and all other necessary equipment everyone present shows due respect to the deceased person and to adjoining graves the nameplate on the casket corresponds to that on the licence the new casket has been approved all human remains and all the pieces of casket are placed in the new casket the new casket is properly sealed the area of exhumation is properly disinfected satisfactory arrangements are in place for the onward transmission of the remains If the conditions of the licence cannot be met, or there are public health or decency concerns, the exhumation may not proceed.
Also see Deaths, funerals and cremations. Generally speaking, the written permission of the owner of the exclusive rights to the grave will be required to authorise an exhumation. In addition, permission of the next of kin of the deceased to be exhumed will also be necessary.
Where it is necessary to disturb other human remains in order to carry out an exhumation, the written permission of the next of kin of each person so disturbed must normally be obtained. Once you have obtained all the licences, you will need to forward these onto the Burial Authority where the deceased is interred. Arrangements can then be made to carry out the exhumation and ensure that if any of the licences have special conditions listed these are fully considered.
Contact should also be made with all those involved with the pending exhumation, this may be the funeral director, the burial authorities, a minister of religion for the re-interment and other family members to ensure that family wishes are adhered to. Exhumations are generally carried out early in the morning to ensure maximum privacy and an Environmental Health Officer for the Local Authority will be in attendance along with a Funeral Director and Council Bereavement Services staff.
There is normally some discussion between all attending parties about how the exhumation will take place and what equipment is required. As soon as reasonably practical after any disinterment, the officer of the burial authority will complete the statutory records to state:.
The cost of an exhumation can be substantial, so the financial implications should be clearly established at the outset. It is very difficult to give precise details. Remember to include, for example:. Corpses typically pass through five stages of decomposition: fresh, when cells begin to burst; bloat, when pent-up gases cause the body to expand and turn from flesh-colored to green to black; active decomposition, in which tissues turn to liquid and maggots eat what they can; advanced decomposition, where hardier bugs tackle tendons; and ultimately, skeletal decay, where bones begin to disintegrate.
Disinterments typically start the same way — a backhoe quickly clears the topsoil — but each exhumation is unique, depending on the condition of the corpse.
Cold weather can limit the growth of hungry bacteria. And, in rare cases, an embalmed body may look similar to the day it was buried, even if decades have passed. Eco-friendly caskets, like those made from bamboo or cardboard, disintegrate quickly. Wooden caskets, from mahogany to pine, last a bit longer but still erode.
In those cases, the disinterment crew will have to collect any human remains and place them in a new, smaller vessel for reburial. But if someone was buried in a metal casket — typically steel, copper, or bronze — they may be able to move the box directly from one grave to another. Caskets are rarely placed directly in the ground. Concrete vaults are pricier, but they can prevent soil, water, and other invaders from seeping in.
Concrete vaults also make exhumations easier because the crew can pull the entire vault out of the earth and easily plop it elsewhere. But in some cases, any evidence of a body has disappeared entirely.
This inherent unpredictability makes exhumation an emotional process. Legally, they can attend a disinterment, but funeral directors often advise them against it. You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre or Request a call back from an information officer. Information The removal of a dead body from the ground after it has been buried is known as exhumation.
Examples of situations where exhumation may occur include: When a court orders an exhumation as part of a criminal investigation For public health reasons for example if a graveyard or cemetery is being moved For family reasons for example if the family of the deceased person asks for the remains to be moved to another burial ground , another part of the country, or abroad The following information is about arranging an exhumation for the purpose of reburial elsewhere.
Rules You must apply to the local authority responsible for the upkeep of the burial ground where your family member is buried. The local authority will issue a licence for exhumation if your application complies with strict requirements. An Environmental Health Officer must attend the exhumation to ensure privacy and protect public health. The remains must be reburied or cremated within 48 hours of exhumation. When would an exhumation licence be withheld?
A local authority will refuse an exhumation licence in the following circumstances: The consent of the next of kin has not been given. The person died very recently. The burial plot cannot be identified. The remains lie unidentified in a common plot for example the burial plot of a religious order. Due respect to the person who died cannot be guaranteed. The remains to be exhumed are located below a body that is not to be exhumed.
Public health and decency cannot be protected.
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