Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to encoffin a deceased person safely and appropriately according to OHS procedures and work requirements and to complete engraving requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to funeral home staff members who may or may not be embalmers and involves working autonomously with a reasonable level of responsibility.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Prepare to encoffin the deceased person.

1.1

Identify and prepare encoffining area  and appropriate instruments and equipment  according to workplace policies and procedures , and relevant legislation .

1.2

Prepare and use personal protective equipment  according to workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

1.3

Identify correct coffin or casket and check for serviceability and correct preparation.

1.4

Identify and assess considerations for encoffining  the deceased person.

1.5

Check identity of the deceased person against nameplate and encoffining instructions.

2

Encoffin the deceased person.

2.1

Apply manual handling procedures  to lift the deceased person into coffin or casket.

2.2

Arrange the deceased person in coffin or casket according to work instructions .

2.3

Undertake final check of presentation and arrangement of the deceased person and make adjustments as required.

2.4

Seal or close coffin or casket according to work instructions and customise with mementos, special handles or accessories as required.

2.5

Secure nameplate and trimming accessories and undertake final check for presentation and accuracy.

3

Perform engraving.

3.1

Identify engraving requirements  according to workplace policies and procedures.

3.2

Select and prepare appropriate engraving tools and equipment  according to job requirements, workplace policies and procedures, and relevant legislation.

3.3

Select item to be engraved and prepare engraving surface  for setting out process.

3.4

Select appropriate fonts and lettering set out and transfer to engraving surface.

3.5

Engrave lettering  and decorative ornamental work to set out design according to job requirements.

4

Clean up.

4.1

Clean engraving surface according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.2

Dispose of waste material according to workplace policies and procedures.

4.3

Clean and store tools and equipment according to workplace policies and procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• safe manual handling techniques
• literacy and numeracy skills to interpret work instructions and engraving requirements, verify identity of the deceased person and check nameplates
• fine motor skills to manipulate engraving equipment to meet job requirements.

Required knowledge 

• legislative requirements relating to safe completion of encoffining procedures
• broad working knowledge of relevant federal, state or territory, and local government legislation and regulations relating to OHS, infection control and handling human remains
• use and maintenance of personal protective equipment
• funeral services industry parameters and protocols when dealing with the deceased
• traditional and contemporary font styles and ornamental designs
• workplace policies and procedures regarding safe performance of engraving work.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• ability to correctly identify and encoffin a deceased person safely and appropriately according to OHS procedures and work instructions
• observation of social, cultural or religious requirements
• ability to accurately interpret and complete engraving requirements, including lettering and ornamentation
• safe manual handling techniques
• encoffin deceased persons on multiple occasions to ensure consistency of performance and ability to respond to different situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills in a facility where deceased persons can be encoffined, most commonly a mortuary
• access to deceased bodies
• access to coffins or caskets
• access to appropriate encoffining equipment, including personal protective equipment
• access to client brief for engraving
• access to nameplates to be engraved
• access to engraving tools and equipment, including personal protective equipment.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• observation of candidate identifying and applying all preparatory procedures, applying safe manual handling and infection control practices, and correctly encoffining the deceased person according to work instructions
• observation of candidate selecting, preparing, engraving and presenting a range of funeral items
• review of completed engraving work
• written or verbal questioning to assess knowledge and understanding of relevant legislative and workplace requirements
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SIFOHS002A Follow infection and contamination control procedures
• SIFOHS003A Follow mortuary OHS procedures.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Encoffining area  may include:

• tables
• floors
• walls.

Instruments and equipment  may include:

• personal protective equipment
• embalming trolley
• coffin or casket trolley
• mechanical lifting device
• lifting straps
• coffin or casket
• coffin or casket trim
• staple gun
• shroud
• body covering
• breast shroud
• face covering
• deceased's shoes and clothing
• coffin or casket nameplate
• specialised handles and accessories
• body identification tag.

Workplace policies and procedures  may include:

• standard operating policies and procedures
• standards and certification requirements
• quality assurance procedures
• OHS procedures
• infection control procedures
• emergency procedures, including fire and accident procedures
• security procedures.

Relevant legislation  may include:

• OHS
• infection control
• hazardous materials.

Personal protective equipment  may include:

• disposable gloves
• heavy duty gloves
• barrier gown or suit
• waterproof overshoes
• waterproof aprons
• splash proof masks
• hair cover.

Considerations for encoffining  may include:

• general body condition
• type of coffin or casket
• clothing requirements
• size and weight of the deceased person
• age of the deceased person
• age of viewers
• place of viewing
• full body or partial viewing

• social, cultural and religious requirements, such as:

• dress standards
• gender of body preparation personnel
• time required between death and burial or cremation
• orientation of the deceased person.

Manual handling procedures  may include:

• single person lift
• multiple person lift
• assisted with mechanical lifting device
• assisted with manual lifting device.

Work instructions  may include:

• social, religious or cultural requirements
• accessories
• mementos.

Engraving requirements  may include:

• nameplates
• mementos
• fonts
• iconography
• heraldry
• client brief
• drawings and specifications
• engraving surface, such as:

• brass
• silver
• gold.

Engraving tools and equipment  may include:

• personal protective equipment, including:

• safety glasses
• ear plugs or muffs
• dust masks
• respirators
• gloves
• leather apron

• measuring tape
• rule
• drafting equipment
• squares
• manual engraving machine
• computerised engraving machine
• motorised engraving machine.

Transfer to engraving surface  may include:

• templates
• direct drafting
• stencils
• tracings.

Lettering  may include:

• standard
• decorative.

Sector 

Funeral Services

Competency field 

Mortuary Work and Embalming