Thursday, March 28, 2013

Funeral directors battle with obesity

A new report from the Royal College of Physicians shows that the rate of obesity in the UK is amongst the highest in the world with 25 per cent of adults now clinically obese – this is having a huge impact on the funeral and mortuary sector.
Funeral and mortuary workers’ biggest health risk comes from back injuries and muscular strain according to the British Institute of Embalmers.
The risk of injury through manual handling is growing as the UK’s funeral parlours struggle with a growing obese population.
It is a trend already recognised in the funeral parlours of the US where morticians are already changing their business model to accommodate larger ‘clients’. The standard US sized coffin or casket has already increased from 24 inches to 27 inches with one manufacturer, Goliath Caskets, building coffins of up to 52 inches wide that can hold a person between 800lbs (363kg) and 1000 lbs (454kg).
In the UK such is the concern about the consequences of workplace injuries that risk assessments must be routinely carried out where the combined weight of a corpse and coffin could be a problem. And some funeral directors now believe that the tradition of pallbearers carrying coffins at funeral services is under threat because of Britain's soaring obesity problem.
Known disasters have included the funeral firm who couldn't get a casket through the door, the coffin that buckled with the weight of the body while on a stand during the service and a coffin that wouldn't close.
Meanwhile, some families are being forced to buy two plots to accommodate a coffin and vans rather than cars are required to transport large coffins.
Last year a crematorium in Bath, Somerset, spent thousands of pounds installing large cremators to cater for the increasing number of oversized coffins and staff were regularly having to turn grieving families away because relatives were too big to be cremated at the site.
A new report from the Royal College of Physicians shows that the rate of obesity in the UK is amongst the highest in the world, exceeded only by the US. Approximately 25% of UK adults are obese and it is estimated that the majority of Britain’s population will be obese by 2050.
As our managing director Jon Ellis says: “An increased number of seriously overweight people has meant health and safety regulations have restricted usual practices at more and more funeral services.
“With the combined weight of a corpse and a coffin regularly exceeding 35 stone, funeral directors have to use trolleys and lifting equipment instead of professional pallbearers and family mourners.
“Moreover, funeral professionals are increasingly faced with making a ‘first call’ when they remove the deceased from their place of death to the funeral home. Quite often they are encountering a situation where they have to man handle a body from a house or care home with very little room for maneuver.”
As a result Ferno is witnessing an increasing demand among funeral professionals for equipment that both protects staff from injury while managing the deceased with dignity and decorum.
Jon says: “Funeral directors are more aware of their obligations to staff in terms of what they can carry.”
We recently launched the X Lifter - a new lightweight body lifting solution for the funeral and mortuary sector. The X Lifter makes it possible for anyone to single handedly easily load and unload a coffin rack.
The X Lifter is available with two attachments - a tilting embalming top and a coffin frame. The embalming top comes complete with six body rests while the coffin frame has four rubber rollers that can be manufactured to suit individual needs and requirements.
We have also developed a Coffin Buggy for funeral professionals who have long demanded a more compact and diverse answer to solve common issues associated with other lifting equipment. The coffin buggy features a ribbed rubber top to protect the coffin and prevent slippage, and swivel castors with double wheels for extra load bearing and to enable the buggy to run on all floor surfaces.
Meanwhile, the Ferno 24-MAXX trolley with its unique, independent-leg design and wide surface, allows funeral professionals to transport bodies weighing up to 450kg reducing the risk of back injuries. The trolley allows for easy maneuverability in tight areas and down stairs.
John Weir of the National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors, says: “Even five years ago this was not a problem. It was rare to have a coffin that couldn't be physically carried. Now it's every single week. Health and safety regulations prevent us from legally carrying coffins in many cases.”
Jon Ellis says: “The overriding concern of funeral directors is that the funeral goes ahead with dignity. There's nothing less dignified than the sight of pall bearers struggling with excess weight.”
Working closely with a number of funeral companies, we expect to further expand our range of super-sized equipment as funeral directors and morticians struggle with the obesity problem.
As with all things it is also about managing the risk. Just as funeral directors will have rules for dealing with infection control, hazardous chemicals and vehicle safety so too should they have a strategy for manual handling.
Where possible avoid manual handling particularly for heavy or awkward loads. Instead, consider the use of stretchers, body scoops, roll-in multi-level cots, trolleys, church trucks and so on.
Other areas to consider include laying out funeral premises to aid the movement and storage of coffins, stretchers and trolleys; training staff in lifting techniques and practices such as how to use mechanical aids; and, as a general rule, insist on two people lifting an empty coffin rather than one person alone.

Monday, March 25, 2013

MTCCN takes delivery of eight critical care trolleys

We’re delighted to report that the Mid-Trent Critical Care Network has acquired eight Critical Care Trolleys, which have been hailed as a ‘potential life saver’ by clinicians, heart experts and partners across the NHS.
The specially designed trolley includes the latest technology to enable clinicians to constantly monitor a patient’s condition, helping to ensure these vulnerable patients get the best possible care when they need it most. It also enables ambulance crews to transfer patients quickly and easily with no need to disconnect vital life-supporting equipment at any time during transfer, significantly reducing the risk of complications.
Mid-Trent’s purchase of eight trolleys will effectively increase the levels of care and safety that the patients receive by reducing the risks that arise from transporting patients between various hospitals and specialist centres.
Ferno was approached with the proposal for producing a new Critical Care Trolley by the Mid-Trent Critical Care Network, as well as various clinicians from across the NHS.
Ferno managing director Jon Ellis said: “Nothing like this has been developed before and our research and development team rose to the challenge to deliver a product that specifically met the client’s exacting brief and could have long-term benefits for heart patients across the UK.”
Surrey, Sussex, St Peter’s and Frimley Park NHS trusts have all also taken deliveries of the new trolleys. Dr Peter Clarkson, the consultant cardiologist at Frimley Park Hospital, said: “Together, we decided we could do more to support these critically ill patients on transfer to a specialist centre for expert health care.
“Clinicians from local clinical networks, Surrey’s acute hospitals, the South East Coat Ambulance Services and NHS Surrey came together to really raise the standards for hearth patients, both in Surrey and nationally.”

Thursday, March 21, 2013

From our latest e-shot


EZ-Glide debuts at Trinity Leeds

The new £350m shopping and leisure development Trinity Leeds opened this morning with crowds queuing to get in  - and we’re pleased to reveal that everyone will be safe and sound because Trinity has Ferno evacuation and emergency equipment in the shopping centre.
The 1,000,000 sq ft (92,900 sq m) Trinity Leeds is expected to create 3,000 jobs. It is the only major retail development opening in the UK in 2013.
The glass-domed centre was opened by the leader of Leeds City Council, Keith Wakefield with 90% of units pre-let.
Ferno has supplied two EZ-Glide chairs and delivered a training programme to ensure staff can  use and deploy the evacuation chairs in the appropriate manner.
The EZ-Glide chair has been designed to meet the demanding needs of medical and disaster response services and allows patients to be moved safely up and down stairs.
The operator has full control at all times; able to slow, stop or even reverse direction at the touch of a button. A patented built-in safety circuit limits downhill speed, even when power has been lost.
The EZ-Glide PowerTraxx leads the industry with its 227kg weight capacity and large seating area which along with the extending footrest, provides a more comfortable experience for larger patients while the innovative features work with the caregivers to ensure a safer transport for all.
The chair can also be employed to move equipment up and down stairs and a range of accessories are available such as padded headrest and oxygen cylinder holder.
"The EZ Glide is the first chair of its kind in the industry,” says Jon Ellis our managing director. “It has multiple uses as a stair chair, evacuation chair or transport chair - capable of manoeuvring over kerbs and rough terrain. It comes with powered tracks that deploy easily to eliminate the need for lifting or carrying while ascending or descending stairs, reducing the risk of injury to medical staff.”


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Happy Birthday to Brian McDonald

Happy Birthday to Brian McDonald who has hit the big “Four 0” this week.
As is traditional at Ferno, Brian received a special birthday cake to celebrate the occasion. The cakes are commissioned to reflect each employee’s personal interests – can you guess what Brian’s is?
We all wish Brian all the best on his 40th!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

New Model 11-T ‘first-call’ stretcher

At Ferno we have a deep understanding of the needs of the funeral sector which is why we are delighted to announce the launch of the Model 11-T stretcher - a new lightweight body lifting solution with an innovative track system that allows removal down stairs with ease.
The Model 11-T stretcher has been developed for funeral directors and morticians who have long demanded a more compact and diverse answer to solve common issues associated with other lifting equipment.
The Model 11-T stretcher is a simple and economical first call stretcher which provides more control and ensures the safety of users to prevent accidents and injury. It has two front wheels and narrow track-to-ground clearance for easy maneuvering over all surfaces, even with tracks deployed.
The response we have received from customers operating in the funeral and mortuary sector to our new range of equipment has been very encouraging and the introduction of the new Model 11-T stretcher as a ‘first-call’ solution underscores our deep understanding of the needs of funeral directors.
The Model 11-T stretcher folds in half when not in use for easy carrying and storage and includes two quick-release patient restraints, a footrest and a carry case.
Other new funeral and mortuary equipment introduced by Ferno includes its Coffin Buggy and X-Lifter. The coffin buggy features a ribbed rubber top to protect the coffin and prevent slippage, and swivel castors with double wheels for extra load bearing and to enable the buggy to run on all floor surfaces.
The X Lifter makes it possible for anyone to single handedly easily load and unload a coffin rack. It is also super lightweight. It is 5kgs lighter than any similar item and the most compact lifter ever produced at 318mm when closed-down for easy storage when not in use.