Coroner Facility Planning Guide

Plan Around Workflow Zones

Lay out the facility as a one-way path: intake and receiving, storage, examination, then release. Minimizing cross-traffic between clean and soiled zones protects evidence, staff, and infection control.

Storage Placement

Place refrigerated storage within efficient transfer distance of both the receiving dock and the autopsy suite. The shorter and straighter the path, the safer and faster the handling.

The Autopsy Suite

Size and equip the examination area for your caseload — tables, sinks, ventilation, and pathology workstations — and position it to receive decedents directly from storage.

Utilities & Slab

Walk-in coolers need a level slab of adequate load rating and the right electrical service. Planning utilities early prevents expensive retrofits and keeps the build on schedule.

Monitoring & Security

Build in continuous temperature monitoring and access control from the start. Both are far cheaper to design in than to add later, and both are increasingly expected for compliance.

Facility Systems