Progress Industries

Standard Procedures

Subject: Death of a Person Served

Section: G: Procedures – Persons Served

Approved by: President & CEO

Effective date: 8-25-89

Review date: 7-89, 10-89, 10-91, 7-92, 3-94, 5-96, 4-99, 3-02, 8-03, 4-05, 7-07, 9-10

6-12, 2-13, 3-15, 7-16

Modified date: 2/14

In the event of the death of a person served, the staff finding the body will immediately notify the ambulance (911), county coroner, program manager, and site manager.

The program manager shall (if during day business hours):

1. Bring the case file of the person served to the site in order to answer any requests for information by the ambulance personnel, county coroner or police.

2. Notify the parents/guardians immediately upon recommendation of the county coroner. If the county coroner is not available, parents or guardian shall be notified as soon as the condition of the person served is definitely determined by professional medical personnel. Preferred method of notification is direct contact by Progress Industries’ staff who is known to the parents or guardian (clergy may be called upon to assist). At this time, the mortician of choice shall be ascertained or confirmed by the parents or guardian.

The program manager will offer to contact the mortician and clergy.

3. Call the Vice President of Operations and other Progress Industries’ staff as appropriate.

4. If unavailable, or after hours, or holiday contact or call manager for these procedures.

5. All staff will cooperate, as needed, in arrangements for exam, autopsy, and burial. Prior to the removal of the deceased, staff will inform persons transporting the body of any known or suspected communicable disease, and make notation in the daily log of personnel effects removed with the body (jewelry, etc). In sites owned by Progress Industries, two staff will make inventory of personal belongings as soon as possible. An incident report will be completed.

6. The program manager shall notify the referring and funding agencies of the death by the next business day. The program manager shall obtain a death certificate with the physician's signature. Notation will be made in the daily log of all notifications and on the discharge summary sheet regarding the disposition of personal belongings.

7. The Vice President will notify the President of Progress Industries, who will implement the Disaster Recovery Plan of Progress Industries and notify the Board Chairperson. If the death occurs while the person served is working for Progress Industries, the Vice President or the Property and Safety Management Director will notify Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration within eight hours of the death.

(Ph.#. 515-281-3661; If no answer, call 1-800-562-4692 or 281-3606,281-3607,

281-3286: IOSHA, 1000 E. Grand, Des Moines, Iowa 50309).