Attending a Funeral: The Seating

    The seating is something which does throw some mourners.  It is not a common or serious issue, but it is something which obviously makes people unnecessarily uncomfortable.  In this post I look at where mourners should sit, as well as how they should sit.  As in how to make the whole event easier and better for everyone.

Slow Rise of Obesity - Part two: the preparation

  It is no debate, we are getting larger and fatter.  Yet what does this actually mean?  As in how are our attitudes and views changing and how is it affecting our lives?  To answer this I look to funeral and the funeral industry.  The funeral industry is a wonderful way to look at society.  To look at us, our attitudes, beliefs, how we go about our daily lives and so on.  This is because quite simply the way we live is the way we die, the two are directly connected.

This is why I decided to do a few detailed posts on obesity in the funeral industry as I experienced it and understand it.  Through looking at how obesity affects the funeral industry we can understand how it affects our lives.  My first post was on the transfer of obese bodies.  This post is on how we deal with and process the obese body.  What happens in the mortuary to the body and the coffin of obese bodies.

Slow Rise of Obesity - Part one: The transfer

    The funeral industry is a great indicator of society and our daily lives.  Through looking at funerals and death we can examine how we live, how we think, our beliefs, attitudes and more.  Our death and funerals do not simply reflect our lives or society.  Instead the we die is entangled with how we live; how we die is inseparable from how we live just as how we live is inseparable from how we die.

    I intend to explore this idea through first examining obesity in the funeral industry.  By doing this I intend to illustrate how we can look at things like obesity and funerals to look at changes in society and our lifestyles.

    Yet to truly understand this one must understand obesity and funerals.  How an obese body is different from a non-obese body and how an 'obese funeral' is done.  Thus I thought I would write three posts exploring obesity in the funeral industry.  Starting with the transfer, then handling of the body in the mortuary and finishing with the cremation and burial of an obese body.  So here is the first part, the transfer of an obese body.

The Slow Rise of Obesity

    Obesity and heavy bodies are becoming an increasing problem for the funeral industry.  Yes, on one hand it means a shorter life spane which is good for the industry.  But more importantly it is causing big issues and costing the whole industry a lot of time and money.  So here is a look at some changes being introduced to handle heavy bodies and why.

    Australia now has a higher number of obese people than America.  And there is countless evidence to show how Australians are getting heavier.  Indeed there is no doubt that the average weight is changing.  So the funeral industry, just like many other industries, will have to keep up with this change.

    Any body over 70kg is tricky to work with.  At 90kg they become difficult and require special attention.  The first issue we have with a heavy body is with the transfer. The transfer crew consists of two people.  Only two people and little special equipment.  This makes moving 90kg+ of dead weight very difficult.  And as I outline in the house transfers post most homes were not designed to move a body through.  Hence the saying "I hope they die on the ground floor".  So some of the first changes seen in the funeral industry are procedural changes dealing with transferring heavy bodies.  They are designing special courses solely dedicated to teaching staff how to safely move a heavy body.  These courses are targeted at western Sydney, such as Liverpool, Penrith, Eastern Creek, Paramatta, etc.  Obviously this is because there is a higher rate of obese people people in Western Sydney.  And truth be told all except for one of the heavy or obese bodies I have transfered were either from the coroners or from Westmead Hospital.

    I remember assisting the embalmer with a big guy from the Pacific Islands.  The skin on his skull was over an inch thick, and it should only be a few millimetres at most.  Usually the embalmer can work alone and have a body fully embalmed in about three hours.  However it took three of us about two days just to embalm him.  Then five of us another day to dress and coffin him.

    Special body bags and coffins for heavy or large bodies have always existed.  But their rate of use is increasing.  Now body bags with handles are becoming more common and are almost a regular site for many transfer crews.  One coffin manufacturer told me how he is making proportionately more oversize (OS) coffins than he did a few years ago.  He is also looking at different, more secure ways to attach the handles to coffins.

    Most normal OS coffins will fit in a hearse and most other spaces without too much trouble.  It might be a bit tight, but it can get about.  However the custom larger OS coffins are another story, some will not even fit in the hearse.  A transfer van is the only option for transporting a large OS coffin.  And nobody could carry it by handles, so no handles are attached (which also saves space).  They carry it on three to four long bars they place underneath the coffin.  This means there is always three to four people on each side, making it easier to carry.  However this coffin is too large for most cemeteries and crematoriums.  We struggle to fit something like that through a large door, having to go through the service garage door.

    Most of these large coffins do not fit in many regular crematoriums, either through the doors or in the 'burner' itself.  Just last year crematorium set about installing a spacial new 'burner' to cremate larger bodies.  It will have a bigger door and more space inside because they had a couple of bodies that would not fit in the crematorium.  They had to get the funeral director to re-coffin the body into a smaller custom made coffin with thin walls.  Squishing up the body to do so.  A regular 'burner' costs over $250,000 just to buy, let alone install.  So a special larger one will cost a lot more.  Yet it is obviously worth it and they will be one of the only crematoriums to have the larger accommodation.  The average burning time is about 3 hours for most bodies.  However they have had a couple in recent time who took 24-36 hours.  This is a big difference from most people.

    Recently the coroners at Glebe installed a special lifting machine over the lift we use to load bodies in and out of the coroners.  This lifting device is designed to move a body between the coroners trolleys and the transfer stretcher.  It is not just bolted onto the roof but has its own special frame built into the roof and has a weight rating of up to 400kg.  This would have easily cost tens of thousands to buy and install.  And the coroners had their last budget heavily slashed so much they had to reduce staff in some areas.  But again, just like the special cremator it is worth it.

    There were rumours that the cemeteries were considering increasing the size of grave plots.  You can buy larger plots, or double sized plots.  But the rumour was that they were looking at increasing the average size of plots.  And cemeteries are very space conscious.  They covert space and hold on to it with devotion, always desiring and devouring more.  After all, once a space is taken it will be decades before it may become open again.  Waverly for example is mostly closed, to buy a plot there would cost at least $70,000 for just one, if it is even available.  And selling space is worth a lot, they even take out or shrink roads to make space for more grave plots.  Others constantly try to expand into neighbouring national parks or empty land.  For the cemeteries to increase plot size would be to lose land, which is a massive issue for the cemetery.

    Overall many new procedures, technologies and attitudes are being developed to deal with the increasing number of obese people in Australia.  All at great cost, time and effort.  But in the end many organisations see it as worth it.

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House Transfers

   This is the most unpredictable and delicate form of transfer.  Because of this it is the most interesting and also the most difficult.  It involves going into someone private residence to remove a dead body, often in front of family or friends.


One must always be on guard and act professionally when doing a house transfer. You should never forget that not only are you moving a body, a loved one but you are also doing it in someones private home. It is incredibly personal for most people.


Here is the basic procedure:

1. Get the paperwork.  Before you do anything make sure they have the appropriate papers.  If there is no DC or interim then something signed by a doctor or other professional which declares the person dead and give you authority to remove them.
2. Scope out the place, you can do this while sorting the paperwork.  What you want to look for is a way in and out as well as what the situation and residence are like.  Will you need to move furniture?  Can you get the stretcher to the body and back?  Are there any stairs or tight corners?  And other similar questions.  Do this
before you get the stretcher out.
3. Bring gloves and wear them when needed.  Keep them quietly in your pocket and actually wear them, some find it awkward to put on glove in font of the family but it is your health at stake.  The family may object to you wearing gloves as they do not see the deceased as ‘dirty’ or ‘diseased’.  But again, it is your health and helps preserve the deceased.
4. Assess the situation before starting.  You do not want to be in an awkward situation where you realise the stretcher will not fit through the door with a body. Knowing what you are dealing with and talking it through with your partner can avoid an embarrassing issue later.
5. Talk to the family or those who are watching.  If appropriate tell them what you are going to do.  Even before putting on the gloves let them know and why.  Not only will this make them more comfortable but they might even help.
6. Getting them involved.  This is debatable and not recommended unless absolutely necessary.  The family or whoever is there may be quite willing and able to help, but they are not trained or experienced.  If anything goes wrong because of them it would be your fault. In situations where it would be dangerous or very impractical not to get their help, and they are willing and able, then ask them.  Other times the family just
want to help and doing so will make them happier.  If this is the case find something simple and easy for them.
7. Check for valuables!!  This is one of the most important steps, but check for valuables on the body before you put them in the stretcher.  Also ask the family if anything is to go with them such as clothing.

Dealing with the Residence:
   Explain what you have to do and the procedure before you do it.  This will help them understand and prevent any unpleasant surprises.  If it is appropriate get them involved in the process.  Not only can this make it easier for you but it makes them feel better.  Someone I work with is great at this.  He at least gets them to at least help slide the body onto our stretcher and they always appreciate it.  So if the job is difficult or dangerous and the residence are willing and able to help ask them.

   I personally prefer the family or friends be out of the room when transferring the body to the stretcher.  This is because it allows me to be rougher and work as I  normally would without worrying about what others think.  Sometimes it is impossible to move a body ‘delicately’ and watching it could look bad.

   You must always wear gloves on all transfers.  However with house transfers the residence may take offence to this.  To them their loved one is not dirty or diseased.  This is not about dirt or disease, most bodies are clean.  This is about simple hygiene and cleanliness for the body as well as you.  Explain to the residence about the gloves before you put them on.  Keep them comfortable and informed about the process.


   Never demand, never expect and never judge.  These are all important when dealing with residence.  Demanding things will make them unhappy and uncooperative.  Expecting things will disappoint you or leave you high and dry.  And never judge, everyone is different.  While some people appear uncaring or cold they may simply be grieving, or did not know the deceased well.  How sad are you that they are dead?

The Unpredictability:
   The driveway is the first issue you may find.  Many places do not have driveways meaning you need to ‘load up’ on the street.  Just do what you have to do, but be quick and discrete about it.  Other times there is a driveway but it is impractical or difficult to reverse into.  Do not be fooled, reverse in if you can.  This will make loading up easier and then you can just drive out.  Reversing out is always more difficult than reversing in.

   Stairs and doors are a nightmare.  Not only are they difficult to get around but they are often dangerous.  Stairs in particular can be slippery, steep and have tight corners.  One person has a story about how the stairs collapsed as he carried a heavy body out of a house.  It resulted in him being up to his waist in stairs and with a heavy stretcher with a body on top of him.

   Furniture is also an issue.  It is often in the way of getting the body onto the stretcher, or getting the stretcher out of the place.  This can be anything from a little table by the door to a washing machine.  Either way feel free to move it, ask first if the residence are about but always move it if it is in the way.  Asking sometimes results in them helping, so never hesitate to ask, or simply get them to help if you need.  Try to put the furniture back if you can, but this is not always impossible.  And remember that when moving anything electrical or plumed in to turn it off at the source and unplug it first.

   The location of the body itself is often a hazard in itself.  The deceased may be on the floor of a tiny bathroom with water everywhere and not enough room for the stretcher.  Or they might be in the middle of a large bed.  Beds are surprisingly difficult as you cannot get a solid or stable foot hold to move the body.

   The deceased will not have been cleaned in most cases.  While hospitals and nursing homes will usually clean the body, or at least neaten them up the residence of houses will not.  be ready for a dirty or messy body.

Three Relevant Transfers:
   One transfer I remember was very interesting in terms of dealing with residence.  We arrived, scoped out the place and situation.  There were two people there, the son and his friend.  they were fairly emotional and tense but very nice and easy to deal with.  We are about to head to the car and get the stretcher when they ask if they can watch.  We explain that it might not be pretty but are free to watch if they like.  After unloading the stretcher we come back, slide the door open and are confronted by over 40 people in the room.  The deceased’s whole family was there, from his cousins and children to his grandparents and friends.  To say this made us feel awkward is a serious understatement.  Imagine trying to work with over 40 emotional people watching your every move.  It all went well, but i will always remember the surprise of all those people and the awkwardness.

   On another transfer I had to deal with some stairs.  While the family were amazingly nice and friendly the job itself was particularly difficult.  The body was over 6 foot tall and he was not light.  The door was right next to the stairs with very little standing room let alone enough room to carry a stretcher.  And then there were the stairs.  They were slippery wooden, had no railing, a tight 180 bend in the middle and went up two stories.  We ended up standing him vertically in the stretcher to get him out the door.  Then slowly carrying him down the stairs.  It was very difficult and dangerous.

   My final transfer story is a little more ‘graphic’.   The deceased was on the floor in a tiny bathroom.  She had slipped getting out of the bath and died on the floor.  There was a puddle of water (or at least what I hope was water) all over the floor.  Luckily there was no blood at least.  Because of the small size of the room there was not enough room to get the stretcher in and barely enough room to stand.  After much struggling and tricky maneuvering we got her onto a sheet and then dragged her out into the hall where we put her on the stretcher.

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   This makes the whole procedure very personal for those involved.  So remember, the most important thing is to be delicate and professional!!  Discretion is the corner stone of this industry and it is never more important as with a house transfer.  Most times the family/friends will understand what you have to do, but try to be as nice and delicate about it as possible.
   As for the unpredictability, with a hospital or nursing home you will generally know what to expect.  However with a house transfer you will rarely know what the situation is before you get there.  And peoples residence are rarely designed to get a body out of.  Think about how hard it is to move something like a couch or fridge into or out of your place.  Now imagine doing it with a body, the weight is about 60-80kg at the lightest with the trolley and you have to be more delicate than you can be with furniture.