by Duncan Todd, A.I.A. As published in The Director,November 2011 It can be said that when your preparation room is equal to the other rooms in your facility, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You and your funeral home have an image in the community. Often a result of several generations [...]
OSHA Compliance
by Gary Finch Funeral Home and Cemetary News, May 2011 In November of 2009, the Journal of National Cancer Institute released a long awaited study examining the link between formaldehyde exposure and specific cancers. Na- tional Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers observed an association between embalming and death from myeloid leukemia, with the greatest risk among [...]
Prep Room Maintenance
by Duncan Todd American Funeral Director, April 2011 Preventative maintenance on a regular schedule is an often neglected function, not only in our homes, but in our businesses. By creating a plan for routine maintenance and executing it faithfully, funeral home directors can realize a cost savings in efficiency and lessen the possibility of unexpected [...]
For the Safety of the Embalmer
by Duncan Todd, A.I.A. Mortuary Management, April 2011 Aside from skill and caring attention to the decedent, what can be more important in the preparation room than concern for the health, life and safety of the embalmer whose profession makes him or her vulnerable to serious health issues arising from frequent exposure to toxic fumes [...]
Localized Exhaust Ventilation (LEV): A Need For Embalmer’s Safety
by Doris Todd The Embalmers Quarterly, January 2011 The NFDA has recently brought to the attention of the industry a need to provide embalmers with added protection from formaldehyde vapors in the preparation room.The NFDA landmark study and publication, Formaldehyde Vapor Reduction in the Funeral Home Preparation Room, recommends the use of an LEV (localized [...]
The Art and Science of Designing a Modern Preparation Room
by Marjori ICCFA Magazine, February 2011 Many funeral homes have open houses and other functions to which the public is invited, but how often does the tour include the prep room? Maybe the funeral director figures people really don’t want to hear about embalming. Or maybe the prep room doesn’t live up to the look [...]
Health and Safety in the Funeral Home
by Marjori Todd & Richard Best The Director, January 2011 Does your head spin with the alphabet soup of acronyms that are relevant to your professional life? Are you familiar with the requirements of the various agencies that have a level of jurisdiction over your funeral home practice? There are many aspects of funeral service [...]
Fresh Air- Proper Ventilation For The Prep Room
by Marjori Todd American Funeral Director, September 2010 I watched an old movie some time back. You may have seen it. A family lived in the funeral home they operated. One scene took place at the kitchen table with the door open to the basement below. In the basement was an embalming table and other [...]
A+ for Piedmont Students
by Dori Todd The Director, April 2010 With its recently completed embalming lab renovation, Piedmont Technical college in Greenwood, South Carolina, now offers its funeral service students an advanced, state-of-the-art learning environment and provides continuing-education opportunities for area funeral professionals. Piedmont replaced an existing mock embalming lab with a fully operational and OSHA-compliant embalming room [...]
Is Your Funeral Home Protected From Your Preparation Room?
by Marjori Todd Mortuary Management, April 2010 You established your funeral home to serve your community. As an integral part of that mission, you built a preparation room within the building. Did you know, however, that an often overlooked element in construction can wreak havoc in your facility, exposing your staff and your families to [...]
