Prepare and secure a lawn grave for Monday

You are a grounds and gravedigging crew member at Everlasting Memorial Park.

Simulated workplaceEntry missionCAQA Everlasting Funeral Services

What is going on

The Hollis burial is at 2 pm on Monday in lawn section C, row 12, grave 7, a new single-depth grave. Mitch Doyle will operate the excavator and you will locate the grave, prepare the site and support the dig. Hydraulic shoring set B is out of service after failing inspection, so set A is the only set available. Last week a grave in section B filled with water overnight and its walls softened, and rain is forecast for Sunday night. The work order is in the interment register and the cemetery plan shows an irrigation line running along the row. The grave ready check must be signed by midday Monday.

Terry Kowalski, Cemetery Operations Supervisor
Subject: Grave preparation for Monday, lawn section C

The Hollis burial is Monday at 2 pm in lawn section C, row 12, grave 7. It is a single-depth new grave. Mitch will run the excavator; you are to locate the grave from the plan, complete the second-person location check, set up the site and complete the confined space checklist if the grave needs to be entered for squaring. Note that the shoring set B is out of service, so use set A. Section B had water in a grave last week, so check the forecast and have the pump on the trailer. Sign the grave ready check in the register by midday Monday.

Your brief

Locate, prepare, excavate and secure the grave safely and to the work order, with the second-person location check, service protection, shoring and confined space controls all in place and recorded, so the grave is ready two hours before the service.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the grave preparation and interment procedure and the WHS policy, and identify the hazards for this grave, including the irrigation line, the weather forecast and the shoring availability.
Open the work order in the interment register, locate the grave from the cemetery plan and survey pegs, and complete the second-person location check with Mitch before any ground is disturbed.
Set up the site: protect the neighbouring graves and lawn with boards and mats, place barriers and signage, and mark the irrigation line so the excavator keeps one metre clear until it is exposed.
Support the excavation, placing spoil on the covered mat at least one metre from the edge, and confirm the depth and dimensions against the coffin size on the work order.
Install shoring set A before anyone enters the grave, complete the confined space checklist, and enter only with a second person at the surface to square the base.
Cover and barricade the grave when unattended, arrange for the pump to be on the trailer for Monday morning, and record the site check after the forecast rain.
On Monday morning fit the lowering device, matting and chairs, confirm the grave against the coffin dimensions and sign the grave ready check in the interment register.
Report the leaning headstone you noticed in the heritage section on the way past using the incident and hazard report form and the WHS incident register.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Interment register work order with the location check and grave ready check signed
Completed confined space entry checklist
Site set-up and shoring record with the excavator and shoring set used
Incident and hazard report for the heritage section headstone

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.