Why we carry out safety inspections
We're responsible for the safety of visitors and staff within our cemeteries and churchyards.
We must have an inspection programme and take immediate action to make sure our burial sites are safe for all. This is described in regulation 4 of the Burial (Management) (Scotland) Regulations 2025.
Inspections are done by trained council staff or qualified contractors.
When we do an inspection and find unsafe headstones and memorials, they are:
- laid flat
- or temporarily barriered off until further assessment.
This is to make sure it cannot fall.
All inspections are in line with industry training delivered by external third-party trainers.
Responsibilities of the lair holder
The lair holder is responsible for:
- the safety of headstones and memorials on their lair
- any costs of re-erecting a headstone or memorial.
During an inspection
If we find a headstone that is unsafe during an inspection, we must act immediately. We cannot wait to try to contact a lair holder.
All actions are carried out with respect and dignity. When we lay a headstone flat:
- we try to position it straight and align it with the lair
- we try to leave the inscription clearly visible
- it will be in a safe and secure position.
After an inspection
If we have up to date contact details for the lair holder, we'll send a letter telling them the inspection outcomes and any immediate action that was taken, or any defects noted. We'll also leave a small ticket at the headstone with our contact details.
Any headstone that fails an inspection, including a relatively new one, will be laid flat. There are many factors that can lead to movement of a headstone. A qualified memorial mason will advise you on this and what repairs are required if you want it re-instated.
All repairs must be carried out by a qualified memorial mason who is registered on our Qualified Contractor Scheme. If not, your headstone is more likely to fail future inspections at an earlier stage.
The full inspection process of headstones and memorials
We have a thorough process that follows agreed steps and includes a second opinion. This process means that we are making sure the monuments and headstones are safe for all people in the cemetery.
Stage 1: visual inspection
A qualified memorial safety inspector performs a comprehensive visual examination of the memorial.
During this inspection, the inspector assesses for:
- visible cracks, chips, or damage to the stone
- evidence of structural instability or misalignment
- signs of environmental wear, such as erosion or corrosion of fixings.
All observations are documented in the inspection log, noting any immediate safety concerns.
Stage 2: hand push test
The inspector carefully applies a small amount of force (a hand push) to the memorial stone to test its stability.
The issues the inspector is looking at include:
- the degree of movement in the stone
- whether internal pins or fixing mechanisms catch and stabilise the stone
evidence of internal pins being present.
If movement is detected and the pins fail to hold the stone securely:
- a second qualified inspector is requested to perform an independent assessment.
Stage 3: second inspector review
A second qualified inspector conducts a full repeat of both the visual inspection and hand push test.
The second inspector verifies the findings of the first inspector, paying close attention to the following:
- the condition and movement of the stone
- the effectiveness of internal fixings and stability mechanisms.
Findings are compared against the initial inspection results, and a final determination is made.
The second inspector ensures that all results and decisions are documented clearly and accurately.
Stage 4: categorising risk
Following the inspection process, memorials will be categorised as follows:
- Category 1 - immediate action to make safe following inspection. This category is used for memorials which pose a risk to the health and safety of visitors and members of staff.
- Category 2 - inspection shows signs of defect, however, does not pose the highest risk to health and safety. The memorial will be reinspected within 1 year.
- Category 3 - memorial is deemed to be safe (if no defects are present) and will be reinspected within 5 years.
You can read the full inspection process in the appendix of our policy.