SOP : Mortuary/Driver: Delivery of corpse
- Mar 4, 2024
- 3 min read
04 March 2024
DEFINITION:
Procedure to follow when delivering a corpse from mortuary/funeral home to funeral or family home.
PROCEDURE: PREPARING TO LOAD CORPSE FOR DELIVERY:
1. Identify corpse by:
a. Confirming body code, name and surname of corpse from Funeral Schedule and Mortuary Fridge book
b. Checking the “toe tags” attached to the coffin handles and ensuring that it corresponds with the details from the Funeral Schedule and Mortuary Fridge book.
c. Open the coffin and ensure that it is indeed a male/female to correspond with the name and surname as identified in point 1a and 1b above.
d. If you are 100% sure it is the correct corpse, prepare to load coffin into company vehicle
e. If you did the dressing yourself according to SOP-MOR-4 – Dressing of corpse steps 1 – 19, and are sure that it is the correct corpse, prepare to load the coffin into the company vehicle.
2. Confirm with mortuary assistant/family/funeral arrangement staff if family will be visiting funeral home to view the corpse:
a. If family arrange to view corpse at funeral home, move corpse into view room when family arrives and direct family to view room.
b. Ensure to assist family at all times and be courteous, helpful and empathetic at all times.
c. After the family is done viewing, move the trolley back to the designated area in the dressing area of the mortuary.
3. Ensure to have flower/bouquet, program parcel with candles, and cross that must accompany the coffin to family/funeral and double check name and surname.
4. Move company vehicle to designated area for loading and off loading of corpses and open back doors of vehicle.
5. Fetch trolley with coffin and load into back of vehicle. Secure coffin with coffin stopper provided in all hearses.
6. Ensure that the correct program parcel, cross and flowers are loaded.
7. Close the doors of the vehicle.
8. Sign out the corpse in the fridge book with your name, signature and date.
9. Complete an electronic checklist on the TMS system to obtain a route authorization number.
10. Ensure to have address of delivery or phone family to confirm address and delivery time
11. Ensure to leave early enough to drive at a dignified speed (80—100 km/h) when transporting the corpse and be in time as arranged by the family.
12. DELIVERY OF CORPSE TO FAMILY HOME
a. When arriving at the family home – always remember to show the utmost respect towards the family and the deceased.
b. Greet family, identify yourself, the company and your reason for visit and confirm that you are at the correct address.
c. Open the back of the vehicle and take the coffin stands into the house.
d. When back at the vehicle, assist in taking out the coffin, when the family must open the coffin to identify the corpse.
e. Allow family time for anything they want to do before you put the screen in front of the coffin.
f. Hand the family the cross and programs, in order to check that everything is in order according to arrangements.
g. Enquire from the family what procedure is to follow according to cultural/family preferences and time to start the funeral the next morning.
h. When finished, enquire from the family if there is anything else needed from you or the Office.
i. Greet family, close vehicle and leave back to Office/branch where you have to sleep for the night.
13. DAY OF FUNERAL
a. Ensure to be early enough at the graveyard to set up everything neat and correct according to Company policy.
b. Ensure that all funeral staff is on time, neatly dressed and aware of the procedure for the funeral.
c. Be on time at the family home as arranged the previous night.
d. Open back of vehicle.
e. Go to the house, greet family and confirm funeral procedures according to their wishes.
f. Assist in loading the coffin into the vehicle.
g. Close the vehicle and drive to the graveyard.
h. Follow procedures according to arrangement with family for removing of coffin, placing of coffin etc.
i. Always be aware of any problems that may occur during the course of the funeral e.g problems with lowering devices, upset family members, etc. and be of assistance when you can at all times.
j. After the funeral has been concluded, ensure that all company equipment is loaded back onto the vehicle.
k. Before leaving – check around the yard for any equipment that might be missed.
l. Drive back with family to the house if needed, or greet family and return to base – whichever was arranged for.
__________________________
Marietha Hall
HR Department
Wisani & NLA
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