645—100.1(156) Definitions.
“Alternative container” means an unfinished wood box or other nonmetal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation or a fixed interior lining, that is designed for the encasement of human remains and that is made of fiberboard, pressed wood, composition materials (with or without an outside covering) or like materials that prevents the leakage of body fluid.
“Authorized person” means that person or persons upon whom a funeral director may reasonably rely when making funeral arrangements, including but not limited to embalming, cremation, funeral services, and the disposition of human remains pursuant to Iowa Code section 144C.5.
“Autopsy” means the postmortem examination of a human remains.
“Board” means the board of mortuary science.
“Body parts” means appendages or other portions of the anatomy that are from a human body.
“Burial.” See “Interment.”
“Burial transit permit” means a legal document authorizing the removal and transportation of a human remains.
“Casket” means a rigid container that is designed for the encasement of human remains and that is usually constructed of wood, metal, fiberglass, plastic or like material and ornamented and lined with fabric.
“Cemetery” means an area designated for the final disposition of human remains.
“Columbarium” means a structure, room or space in a mausoleum or other building containing niches or recesses for disposition of cremated remains.
“Cremated remains” means all the remains of the cremated human body recovered after the completion of the cremation process, including pulverization that leaves only bone fragments reduced to unidentifiable dimensions and may include the residue of any foreign matter, including casket material, bridgework or eyeglasses that were cremated with the human remains.
“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 will include the processing, and may include the pulverization, of the bone fragments.
“Cremation authorization form” means a form, completed and signed by a funeral director and authorized person, to accompany all human remains accepted for cremation.
“Cremation chamber” means the enclosed space within which a cremation takes place.
“Cremation establishment” means any person, partnership or corporation that is licensed by the board and provides any aspect of cremation services.
“Cremation permit” means a permit issued by a medical examiner allowing cremation for human remains.
“Cremation room” means the room in which the cremation chamber is located.
“Crypt” means a chamber in a mausoleum of sufficient size to contain casketed human remains.
“Custody” means immediate charge and control exercised by a person or an authority.
“Dead body.” See “Human remains.”
“Death certificate” means a legal document containing vital statistics pertaining to the life and death of the decedent.
“Decedent.” See “Human remains.”
“Disinterment” means to remove a human remains from its place of final disposition.
“Disinterment permit” means a permit from the department of health and human services that allows the removal of a human remains from its original place of burial, entombment or interment for the purpose of autopsy or reburial.
“Disinterment permit number” means the number assigned to a disinterment permit by the department of health and human services, giving the funeral director the authority to remove a human remains from its place of final disposition.
“Embalming” means the disinfection or temporary preservation of human remains, entire or in part, by the use of chemical substances, fluids or gases in the body, or by the introduction of same into the body by vascular or hypodermic injections, or by surface application into or on the organs or cavities for the purpose of temporary preservation or disinfection.
“Embalming record” means a record completed by the licensed funeral director or registered intern for each body embalmed in Iowa, or otherwise prepared for disposition by the licensee. “Embalming record” includes, at a minimum, a case analysis and a detailed listing of the procedures or treatments or both performed on the deceased.
“Entombment” means to place a casketed body or an urn containing cremated remains in a structure such as a mausoleum, crypt, tomb or columbarium.
“Final disposition” means the burial, interment, cremation, removal from the state, or other disposition of a dead body or fetus.
“Funeral ceremony” means a service commemorating the decedent.
“Funeral director” means a person licensed by the board to practice mortuary science.
“Funeral establishment” means a place of business as defined and licensed by the board devoted to providing any aspect of mortuary science.
“Funeral rule” means the Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule, 16 CFR §453.4, as amended to 1994.
“Funeral services” means any services that may be used to (1) care for and prepare human remains for burial, cremation or other final disposition; and (2) arrange, supervise or conduct the funeral ceremony or final disposition of human remains.
“Holding facility” means an area isolated from the general public that is designated for the temporary retention of human remains.
“Human remains” means a deceased human being for which a death certificate or fetal death certificate is required.
“Interment” means to place a casketed human remains or an urn containing cremated remains in the ground.
“Intern” means a person registered by the board to practice mortuary science under the direct supervision of a preceptor certified by the board.
“Mausoleum” means an aboveground structure designed for entombment of human remains.
“Medical examiner” means a public official whose primary function is to investigate and determine the cause of death when death may be thought to be from other than natural causes.
“Memorial ceremony” means a service commemorating the decedent.
“Niche” means a recess or space in a columbarium or mausoleum used for placement of cremated human remains.
“Preparation room” means a room in a funeral establishment where human remains are prepared, sanitized, embalmed or held for ceremonies and final disposition.
“Pulverization” means a process following cremation that reduces identifiable bone fragments into granulated particles.
“Removal” means the act of taking a human remains from the place of death or place where the human remains is being held to a funeral establishment or other designated place.
“Removal technician” means a person registered with the board to perform removals.
“Scattering area” means a designated area where cremated remains may be commingled with other cremated remains.
“Temporary cremation container” means a durable receptacle designed for short-term retention of cremated remains.
“Their own dead” refers to the legal authority the authorized person has regarding a human remains.
“Topical disinfection” means the direct application of chemical substances on the surface of a human remains for the purpose of temporary preservation or disinfection.
“Transfer.” See “Removal.”
“Universal precautions” means a concept of care based upon the assumption that all blood and body fluids, and materials that have come into contact with blood or body fluids, are potentially infectious as prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Urn” means a receptacle designed for permanent retention of cremated remains.
[ARC 7812C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]