When I was a practicing funeral director I was well aware of safety concerns at the cemetery when the casket was lowered into the vault and grave. Our good friends from Wilbert Vault were usually the ones who did that work and I always respected their space while doing so. Most of the time this procedure was done after the family had left the cemetery.
There were, however, times when the family wanted to watch this element of the burial procedure. When that happened, the people of Wilbert Vault were happy to accommodate the request but asked for those family members to stay a few feet beyond where the actual work was being done.
However, this article will tell you that the situation is not always as easy as I portray it and certain religious customs are interferred with by doing it this way. The article describes a recent lawsuit filed by Jewish families against the Paradise Memorial Gardens of Scottsdale, Arizona…