32-1382. Funeral establishment requirements; responsible funeral director

A. A funeral establishment licensed pursuant to this article shall:

1. Provide separate rooms for each of the following:

(a) An area inside the funeral establishment that may be used as a chapel for conducting funeral services.

(b) A preparation room that meets minimum requirements adopted by the department, that is maintained at all times in a sanitary and professional manner, that has sanitary flooring, drainage and ventilation and that is equipped with instruments and supplies necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and the employees of the funeral establishment in connection with preparing and embalming dead human bodies. This paragraph does not prohibit the embalming of a body at a central location.

(c) A display area for displaying funeral goods or for displaying funeral goods by photograph or electronic means.

2. Provide access to hearses or funeral coaches that are properly equipped for transporting dead human bodies and that are kept in a sanitary and professional manner.

3. Employ and designate a responsible funeral director to manage and supervise the daily operation of the funeral establishment. The responsible funeral director is responsible for the funeral establishment complying with the laws of this state and the rules of the department.  The funeral establishment or the responsible funeral director shall designate a licensed funeral director to act as an interim responsible funeral director.

B. All employees of a funeral establishment who handle dead human bodies shall use universal precautions and shall exercise reasonable care to minimize the risk of transmitting any communicable disease from a dead human body.