PEAI Code of Conduct

Introduction

The Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland (PEAI) Code of Professional Conduct is designed to address the Commitment of each member in five key areas:

i.            Commitment to the Family

ii.            Commitment for the Care of the Deceased

iii.            Commitment to the Public

iv.            Commitment to the Government

v.            Commitment to the PEAI

Each area begins with a Moral Principle that sets forth the goals and ideals of the Association. The applicable sections of the Code of Professional Conduct, which lists specific types of conduct that is either required or prohibited, then follow the Moral Principle.

Moral Principles are goals that every Embalming Professional should strive to achieve. They serve as the justification for the specific requirements of the Code of Professional Conduct. Unlike the Moral Principles, The Code of Professional Conduct may subject the member to disciplinary action in accordance with the PEAI Constitution and Bylaws.

Five Areas Of Commitment

1.    Commitment to the Family

Members have a moral commitment to serve each family in a professional and caring manner, being respectful to their wishes and confidences and being honest and fair in all dealings with them.

Code of Professional Conduct

1.1    Members shall provide embalming services to families without regard to religion, race, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability.

1.2    Members shall comply with all applicable European and local government laws or regulations relating to the preparation of human remains and to the disposal of wastes relating to all areas of the embalming practice

1.3    Members shall protect any confidential information pertaining to the deceased or the family of the deceased from disclosure.

1.4   Members shall carry out all aspects of the Embalming service in a competent and respectful manner.

1.5   Members shall properly account for and remit any monies, documents or any other personal property that belongs to others, that comes into the member’s possession.

1.6   Members shall not engage in any unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the families they serve in the course of providing professional services.

2.     Commitment for the Care of the Deceased

Members have a moral commitment to care for each deceased person with the highest respect and dignity and to transport, prepare and shelter the remains in a professional, caring and conscientious manner.

Code of Professional Conduct

2.1   All deceased persons shall be treated with proper care and dignity during transfer from the place of death and subsequent transportation of the remains.

2.2   All members must properly identify the deceased and ensure that permission has been granted from the bereaved family and the attending doctor before the embalming procedure takes place.

2.3   All members must carry out the appropriate “tests for death” before embalming any deceased individual.

2.4   Only authorized personal of the funeral home or those persons authorized by the family of the deceased shall be in attendance during the preparation of the remains.

2.5   Members shall only allow embalmers, apprentices and students, who are qualified as per the rules of the association, to embalm human remains.

2.6   All deceased persons shall be prepared within a professional environment to allow for safe handling of the individual and proper disposal of embalming chemicals and clinical wastes.

2.7   All deceased persons in the preparation room shall be treated with proper care and dignity and shall be properly covered at all times.

2.8   Members shall not transport, hold or carry out the disposition of human remains without all permits and authorizations required by law.

2.9   Members shall not violate any statute, ordinance or regulation affecting the handling, custody, care or transportation of the human remains.

2.10   Members shall not knowingly dispose of parts of human remains that are received with the deceased person by the funeral home in a manner different from that used for the final disposition of the deceased person, unless the person authorizing the method of final disposition gives permission that the body part may be disposed of in a manner different from the disposition of the deceased person.

3.    Commitment to the Public

Members have a moral commitment to the public to offer their services in accordance with the highest principles of honesty, fair dealing and professionalism.

Code of Professional Conduct

3.1   Members shall not engage in any unprofessional conduct, which is likely to defraud, deceive or harm the public.

3.2   Members shall not engage in false or misleading advertising.

3.3   Members shall not use alcohol or drugs to the extent that such use would adversely affect the member’s ability to carry out his or her obligation to the embalming profession.

3.4   Members shall not knowingly make or file false records or reports in the practice of the embalming service.

3.5   Members shall comply with all European and local government laws, rules and regulations governing or impacting the practice of the funeral service.

3.6   Members shall comply with all European and local government laws, rules and regulations that were enacted to protect public health and the environment.

4.     Commitment to the Government

Members have a moral commitment to maintain strict compliance with the letter and spirit of all governmental laws and regulations that impact the deceased, the bereaved family, the embalming profession and the public health.

Code of Professional Conduct

4.1 Members engaging in the profession of embalming shall hold all necessary qualifications to engage in such a practice.

4.2 Members shall require any person in their employment or under their control who serve as an embalmer, or as an apprentice or student, to have all appropriate qualifications.

4.3 Members shall not knowingly make false statements on a death certificate.

4.4 Members shall not knowingly make or file false records or reports in the practice of the embalming service.

4.5 Members shall comply with all European and local government laws, rules or regulations governing or impacting the practice of the funeral service.

4.6 Members shall comply with all European and local government laws, rules and regulations that were enacted to protect public health and the environment.

5.   Commitment to the Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland

Members have a moral commitment to promote, participate and support the Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland in its mission to help all members enhance the quality of the embalming service to families.

Code of Professional Conduct

5.1   Members shall comply with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland.

5.2   Members shall conduct themselves in a proper appropriate manner while attending or participating in PEAI meetings and in all communications with other PEAI members.

As adopted at the Annual General Meeting of June 28, 2007.