CHAPTER 86
PLACES WHERE DEAD HUMAN BODIES ARE PREPARED
FOR BURIAL OR ENTOMBMENT
[Prior to 7/29/87, Health Department[470] Ch 86]
641—86.1(156) Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards for the operation and inspection of places where dead human bodies are prepared for burial, cremation or entombment.
641—86.2(156) Definitions.
“Board” means the board of mortuary science examiners.
“Cremated remains” means the body of a deceased person, including any form of body prosthesis that has been permanently attached to or implanted in the body.
“Cremation” means the technical process, using heat and flame, that reduces human remains to bone fragments. The reduction takes place through heat and evaporation. Cremation shall include the processing, and may include the pulverization, of the bone fragments.
“Cremation chamber” means the enclosed space within which the cremation takes place.
“Cremation establishment” means a place of business which provides any aspect of cremation of human remains.
“Cremation room” means the room in which the cremation chamber is located.
“Department” means the Iowa department of public health.
“Funeral establishment” means a place of business, as defined by the board of mortuary science examiners, devoted to providing any aspect of mortuary science.
“Human remains” means a deceased human being for which a death certificate or fetal death certificate is required.
“Listed” means equipment or materials included in a list published by an agency that maintains periodic inspection on current production of listed equipment or materials and whose listing states either that the equipment or material complies with approved standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner.
“Preparation room” means a room in a funeral establishment where human remains are prepared, sanitized, embalmed or held for ceremonies and final disposition.
641—86.3(156) Licensing. No person, business or corporation shall operate a funeral establishment, preparation room or cremation chamber without first licensing the establishment with the board.
641—86.4(156) Public access areas. Public access areas of funeral homes and crematorium establishments shall have a public rest room with hot and cold running water.
641—86.5(156) Preparation room. The preparation room shall meet the following standards:
	86.5(1) The preparation room shall be of such size and dimensions to accommodate and shall contain an embalming table, an appropriate sink, or other liquid waste receptacle with sewer and water connections, suitable cabinet or shelves, and hand-washing facilities to include hot water, soap and towels.
	86.5(2) The preparation room shall be private. It shall not be used as a passageway from room to room. No toilet or commode shall be located within the preparation room. Only equipment necessary for use in preparation of bodies for burial, shipment or cremation shall be permitted in the preparation room.
	86.5(3) There shall be a toilet and hand-washing facility accessible elsewhere in the building.
	86.5(4) Ventilation shall be provided by an exhaust fan vented to the outside of the building.
	86.5(5) Doors and windows of the preparation room shall be so installed and constructed as to obstruct view from outside and to prevent fumes and odors from entering any other part of the building.
	86.5(6) There shall be adequate lighting. Light fixtures shall be easy to clean and kept clean.
	86.5(7) The preparation room shall be provided with an adequate water supply with hot and cold running water.
	86.5(8) The building drainage system must be discharged into the municipal sewage system where such a system is available. Where a municipal sewage system is not available, the building drainage system must be discharged into a private system of waste disposal acceptable to the Iowa department of natural resources and the Iowa department of public health.
	86.5(9) Backflow prevention.
	a. 	Funeral homes not meeting the requirements of 86.5(9)“c” shall have water-supplied aspirators equipped with a listed atmospheric vacuum breaker mounted at least six inches above the aspirator. The discharge of the aspirator shall be through an air gap.
	b. 	Funeral homes not meeting the requirements of 86.5(9)“c” shall have hose bibbs protected by a listed nonremovable hose bibb type backflow preventer. Potable water outlets with a tube connection fitting shall be protected by a listed atmospheric vacuum breaker mounted at least six inches above the highest point of water usage.
	c. 	In new construction, the water supply to the preparation room and to fixtures in the preparation room shall be protected against backflow in accordance with the Iowa state plumbing code (641—Chapter 25) or in accordance with the ordinance of the political subdivision in which the facility is located, provided that the requirements of the ordinance are equal to or greater than the requirements of the Iowa state plumbing code.
	86.5(10) The embalming table shall have a top composed of stainless steel, porcelain or other rustproof material, and the edges shall be raised at least three-fourths inch around the entire table. There shall be a drain opening in the table.
	86.5(11) Each preparation room shall have a covered, watertight receptacle for solid refuse.
	86.5(12) All preparation rooms shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. All embalming tables, sinks, receptacles, instruments and other appliances used in embalming dead human bodies shall be thoroughly cleaned with hot water and disinfectant. There shall be available a suitable means to sterilize instruments.
641—86.6(156) Crematorium chambers.
	86.6(1) Cremation chambers shall be installed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
	86.6(2) Cremation chambers shall be vented to the outside of the building.
	86.6(3) There shall be a means to bring in a fresh air supply to aid in combustion.
	86.6(4) The room where the cremation chamber is located shall have adequate exhaust to prevent heat buildup.
	86.6(5) The cremation chamber shall be cleaned after each use, with cremated remains and pulverized materials being placed in containers as defined in 645—100.1(156).
641—86.7(156) Inspection fees. Inspection fees shall be billed to the owner of a funeral home or crematorium upon the completion of an inspection. Inspection fees are due upon receipt of a notice of payment due. When the funeral home or crematorium is located within the contracted area of a board of health that has a 28E agreement for inspections with the department, inspection fees billed shall be paid to the contracted board of health or its designee.
	86.7(1) The fee for the inspection of a funeral home or crematorium shall be $15 for each facility.
	86.7(2) Penalty. Inspection fees not received by the department or contracted board of health within 45 days of the date of billing will be assessed a $25 penalty for each month or fraction thereof that the payment is delinquent.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 156.
[Filed 6/9/70]
[Filed 1/18/79, Notice 12/13/78—published 2/7/79, effective 4/1/79]
[Filed emergency 7/10/87—published 7/29/87, effective 7/10/87]
[Filed 2/26/98, Notice 9/10/97—published 3/25/98, effective 4/29/98]