Embalmers
On the Job
Embalmers prepare bodies for burial. Their work must be in compliance with government laws and regulations.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Apply cleansing or conditioning agents to client hair, scalp, or skin.
- Apply makeup to alter or enhance appearance.
- Arrange items for use or display.
- Embalm corpses.
- Handle caskets.
- Maintain client information or service records.
- Perform basic equipment maintenance.
- Direct funeral or mortuary activities.
- Supervise service workers.
Typical Working Conditions
- Frequent contact with others.
- Frequent decision-making.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Exposure to disease or infections.
- Responsibility for outcomes and results.
- Dealing with external customers.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Standing.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
