Stonemasons
Monumental Mason Works at RPCV sites
All mason works require a Remembrance Parks Central Victoria (RPCV) permit;
- Application forms for works must be completed and sent in to RPCV 30 days prior to commencement, along with the location, plans and payment;
- Detailed build plans must accompany all permit applications;
- Details of staff and qualifications must accompany permit applications;
- Proof of business insurances for Workcover, vehicles, and Public Liability must be shown;
- All equipment and materials used must comply with relevant Australian Standards;
- All electrical equipment must be in date, tested and tagged;
- All mason employees need to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for tasks performed;
- Masons must submit a work schedule to RPCV outlining the timing of works, including required inspection times. All footings will need to be inspected during and at completion of works.
- A copy of the permit must be available for viewing on site during works.
The Cemetery and Crematoria Act 2003, Section 100, states that a Cemetery Trust may remove memorials if they have failed to comply with any term or condition to which the approval of the Cemetery Trust under section 99 was subject.
This means that RPCV has an obligation to maintain safety on all our sites; allow only memorials of sufficiently permanent nature; show compatibility with surrounding memorials and comply with any other prescribed requirements.
Thus, if works have been carried out that do not match the specifications approved in the application, and the memorial is deemed not in accordance with Standards and Regulations, the Cemetery Trust has the capacity to remove or alter the memorial and may recover costs associated with taking such action.
On site requirements
All relevant certification, licenses and tickets must be sighted along with the Permit prior to works commencing, along with:
- Supervisor must have, Certificate iii in Stonemasonry (monumental/installation) – or equivalent
- One person on site must be trained in providing First Aid (HLTAID003)
- Red/White card (or equivalent)
- Drivers/truck licences for vehicle driver
- Excavation equipment licences – back hoe; bob-cat; front end loader; excavator; forklift (if equipment is required for works)
- Crane operators’ licence (if equipment is required for works)
- Manual handling certification
- Confined spaces (If entering vault or Crypt)
- Working at heights (optional) – for working above an open grave or at height
- Grave safety certification (optional)
- Licence to erect, alter and dismantle basic scaffolding – basic level (If scaffold is required)
- Trench support certification (If trenching is required)
- Staff must conduct themselves in a professional manner while on site and understand and abide by Privacy and Confidentiality in undertaking the works;
- There must be Spotters if heavy machinery is being used (Includes earth moving and cranes fitted to trucks). The spotter should be trained to use the plant he is spotting for. The spotter should have no other task than spotting for the plant while it is in operation;
- At commencement of each day an initial site induction and a Job Safety Assessment must be completed and be onsite for inspection by RPCV;
- Work must be built using sound engineering principles to ensure monuments that are built to last.
Equipment Requirements
- Machinery, tools and excavation equipment must be checked regularly and maintained. Documented Pre-start checks and Maintenance records, and crane certificates must be onsite for inspection by RPCV staff;
- Current lifting equipment inspection certificates must be available;
- Equipment must be used within the Manuals specifications. Manuals must be onsite in the vehicle for reference;
- Electrical equipment must have current test and tag;
- Checks must be performed on equipment to ensure there are no oil leaks and all safety lights must be functional;
- There should be a Spotter when heavy machinery is being used. A Spotter’s sole task when plant is being used is to ensure equipment safety distances are complied with;
- All vehicles must be in a roadworthy condition.
Personal Protective Equipment requirements (PPE)
- Basic PPE including Steel cap work boots, full cover clothing, safety glasses, hearing protection, High Vis clothing, hard-hat and gloves must be worn at all times by masons.
- The appropriate signage and barriers must be placed for public safety during mason’s works.
- A First Aid kit must be carried whilst on site.
- A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) must be available for Diesel, Unleaded petrol, cement and any other chemicals used on site.
All monuments and materials need to comply with Standards:
- As far as practicable materials used in the work must be prepared off site;
- The materials to be used are sturdy; in good condition i.e. no bubbles, scratches etc.; durable with a service life of at least 50 years. Cement used must also comply with Australian Standards AS 3972;
- Memorial measurements must meet Australian Standards for Headstones and cemetery monuments;
- All lettering must be legible and durable and made of the correct materials in accordance with the Australian Standards;
- RPCV staff must check foundations of the site in case corrections need to be made for stability before any concrete pour. All works will need an acceptance inspection at completion of works;
- Specifications on the approved Permit must be adhered to including dimensions acceptable to RPCV
Work in Denominational areas of RPCV sites
Monumental Masons please note that any works undertaken in the specified denominational burial areas of RPCV sites are subject to special restrictions.
- All burials in these areas are on approval of the CEO;
- Monument design and wording must be approved by the CEO prior to any work commencing;
- Where a monument is in place, any additional inscriptions to these for a new burial in that same site are subject to the approval of the CEO.
Schedule of works:
- Work hours are to be conducted between 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday;
- Once works have begun they must be completed within 4 weeks;
- On completion of works a copy of the completed permit must be returned to RPCV to be signed off and finalised by RPCV staff member.
As RPCV have obligations to meet legislative requirements, a full monument constructed on concrete pier-and-beam foundations will need to be inspected a number of times to ensure construction is proceeding in accordance with the permit and the Australian Standards AS-4204 Headstones and cemetery monuments and AS-4425 Above ground interment structures (mausolea).
Inspection stages for a full monument constructed on concrete pier-and-beam foundations:
- Prior to commencement to identify the site;
- Once the foundations have been excavated and steel reinforcement placed an RPCV staff member will need to inspect the works and sign off this stage prior to any concrete for foundations being poured;
- During construction an RPCV staff member will need to inspect to ensure dowels are correctly positioned;
- During construction when the kerb is in place but before installing the top slab or ledger.
- When the work has been completed an RPCV staff member will need to inspect the works whilst the masons are still on site to ensure the finished monument is of a standard acceptable to the trust and that the site has been left tidy.
It is the mason’s responsibility to notify an RPCV staff member at each of these stages.
Appointments may be arranged in advance. Failure to comply with inspection requirements could see a monument removed, and costs associated with any post construction investigation to verify compliance to standards and/or removal if necessary, will be charged to the mason.
Failure to comply with any of the above procedures and restrictions may result in the suspension of all works by the mason on any RPCV site.
Where works are deemed to be not up to standard, if mason staff are not compliant with the necessary certificates, licences and tickets, or fail to have the required PPE protection, RPCV will suspend all works and the breach will be reported to Worksafe.
Masons will be held responsible for costs associated with damage to existing memorials.
In any event where works are suspended, the mason may be responsible for costs associated with additional inspections. Application for a new permit in any of these circumstances will require payment of another permit fee. Any suspension will remain in place until all outstanding fees have been paid.
Other important requirements include:
- Works must not restrict access to another grave;
- No harm to or removal of vegetation without permission;
- No harm to historical monuments or heritage listed structures whilst carrying out works;
- The colour palette of the memorial must match existing memorials in the location specified for the works to be carried out;
- The memorial must not be offensive to others;
- Soliciting work in the cemetery is not permitted;
- The memorial is positioned in the correct section and is compatible with the rules and general nature of the surrounding memorials of that section of the cemetery.
These requirements are to ensure preservation and aesthetic quality within RPCV cemeteries.
If you have any questions or queries regarding the information contained in this document please contact us on 1300 266 561 or email on enquiries@rpcv.org.au
Right of Interment
A right of interment relates to a specific place of interment within a public cemetery, for example a plot, grave, crypt or cremation niche.
For general information on Right of interment, please visit the Department of Health website here.
Fact Sheet
To download the Department of Health issued Right of Interment fact sheet, please click the link below.
Right of interment permit fact sheet
Determining the Holder
To determine the current holder(s) of the right, RPCV follow directives given by the Department of Health and Human Services, please click the link below to view the department issued fact sheet.
Managing a right of interment following the death of a right holder
Frequently Asked Questions
Permit requests or completed application forms should be emailed to the bookings inbox
All holders of a Right of Interment must authorise any mason works on a memorial site.
They may do this by:
- Signing the permit application form
or
- Providing a signed letter authorising an applicant to authorise a permit on their behalf
A Power of Attorney may sign on behalf of a holder of a Right of Interment if they supply a certified copy of the Power of Attorney and appropriate proof of identity (such as a driver’s licence).
If the applicant for a permit is not the holder of the Right of Interment or is unsure who the holds the rights, this person will need to contact RPCV to update the trust records before the permit can be approved.
To determine the current holder(s) of the right, RPCV follow directives given by the Department of Health and Human Services, please click the link below to view the department issued fact sheet.
Managing a right of interment following the death of a right holder