Lesson 1Safety checks before family arrives: collapse risks, utility checks, access pathsThis part covers safety checks before the family arrives, including soil firmness, collapse dangers, hidden pipes, vehicle and foot access, and emergency plans, making sure the site is safe and honourable before mourners reach the grave.
Looking for cracks and slumpsFinding and marking hidden pipesChecking vehicle and hearse pathsFoot paths and trip danger controlWeather, light, and sight checksEmergency response and rescue plansLesson 2Tools, gear, and safety wear list: spades, picks, planks, ropes, lowering toolsGo over key tools, gear, and safety wear for grave preparation, including hand tools, planks, ropes, lowering tools, and check routines, ensuring all is ready, safe, and stored well before the funeral in Botswana's conditions.
Main hand tools and their carePlanks, ladders, and entry aidsRopes, straps, and lowering equipmentSafety wear for digging and liftingBefore-use checks and fault recordsStorage, moving, and guardingLesson 3Handling soil piles: placing, steadying, avoiding dirt spread, erosion controlThis part explains placing, shaping, and steadying soil piles to stop collapses, dirt spread, and washing away, with safe distances from the grave side, water flow control, soil layer separation, and guarding nearby graves and paths.
Safe distances for soil pilesLayering and separating soil levelsCovering piles to cut dust and mudWater channels and dirt barriersStopping path dirt spreadBackfill readying and pressingLesson 4Site checks in rainy conditions: soil kinds, water levels, drain signsThis part looks at checking wet sites before digging, covering soil types, water level signs, surface drain patterns, recent rains, and nearby buildings, to pick safe digging ways and plan good water handling in Botswana's variable weather.
Reading soil feel and buildSpotting high water level signsSurface drains and pool patternsEffect of recent and coming rainImpact of trees, walls, and pathsPicking safe ways from checksLesson 5Temporary guarding of nearby graves and plants during diggingLearn to protect close graves, stones, and plants from harm during digging using barriers, padding, and path controls, while planning machine moves and soil pile spots to keep the cemetery looking good and respected.
Checking nearby stones and signsSetting up planks, mats, and barriersRoot areas and tree guard waysMachine paths to miss stonesDust, mud, and bits containmentAfter-dig site fixing stepsLesson 6Rule depths and standard grave sizes for adult coffin burialsKnow legal depth needs and standard grave sizes for adult coffin burials, including width, length, and space, plus local changes, double-depth graves, and checking against cemetery rules and maps in Botswana.
Usual adult coffin grave sizesMinimum cover and depth rulesDouble-depth and family plot setupsSpaces from paths and buildingsChecking local and belief rulesRecording approved sizesLesson 7Shoring and steadying ways: use of wood planks, trench boxes, and short supportsThis part explains when and how to use shoring and steadying systems, including wood planks, trench boxes, and push supports, to stop wall falls, guard workers, and follow digging safety rules in different Botswana soils.
Soil sorting and support needsWood sheets and beam systemsUse and limits of trench boxesPush and machine shoringCheck and care routinesRemoval order to stop fallsLesson 8Record-keeping for grave spot, sizes, and before-burial state (what to note)Learn to record grave spot, sizes, soil states, and before-burial site condition, including photos and drawings, so future care, digging up, or family questions can use true, trackable, and rule-following records.
Grave numbers and map linksRecording sizes and depth infoNoting soil kind and waterPhoto and drawing recordsDocumenting guards and shoringSafe storage of records and changesLesson 9Digging ways for steadiness in wet ground: stepping, tiering, slopingLearn digging ways that keep steadiness in wet or soaked ground, including tiering, stepping, and sloping, plus water removal choices, watching for shifts, and fitting ways to changing weather and ground water in Botswana.
Spotting soaked and weak soilsTiering and stepping grave wallsSafe slope angles by soil kindUse of pumps and easy drainsWatching wall shifts and liftsBackfilling in wet conditions safelyLesson 10Measuring, marking and pegging: side and height controls, level checksThis part explains measuring, marking, and pegging graves using tapes, levels, and base points, ensuring right line-up, depth, and drop, while guarding old markers and allowing safe machine and carrier access.
Setting base lines and marksMarking grave corners with pegsChecking length, width, and straightnessUsing levels for depth and dropAllowing space for access and gearGuarding nearby markers while marking
