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How Health Infrastructure Queensland Expanded Mortuary Capacity with a Future-Ready Stainless Steel System
Industry: Mortuary/Forensics
Location: Coopers Plains, Brisbane, QLD
Client: Health Infrastructure Queensland
As demand on forensic and mortuary services continues to rise across Queensland, Health Infrastructure Queensland undertook a critical project: expanding the temporary mortuary capacity at the Coopers Plains Forensic and Scientific Services (FSS). This wasn’t a simple equipment refresh. It required a scalable, hygienic, and structurally robust solution that could accommodate both current pressures and future surges—without disrupting essential operations.
Emery Industries was appointed to design, manufacture, and install the stainless steel racking systems that would form the backbone of this new temporary facility. The project is now recognised as a benchmark for technical precision, hygienic design, rapid configurability, and sustainability in Australian mortuary infrastructure.
The initiative began in early 2024 with an initial quotation for Forensic Services Queensland. A formal purchase order followed in May 2025, triggering a tightly coordinated program:
Design Qualification & Prototyping: May–July 2025
Fabrication: August 2025
Installation: September 2025
Completion: Expected November 2025
Despite the complexity of the environment—live, sensitive, and operational around the clock—the project progressed without disrupting any critical forensic functions.
At the core of the brief was a demanding requirement: increase storage capacity across both refrigerated and freezer environments, while ensuring safe manual handling, structural reliability, and hygiene compliance.
The final system delivered:
267 tray spaces in total
211 refrigerated
56 freezer
These racking systems were fitted into existing cold room footprints and engineered to integrate seamlessly with legacy trays—an essential requirement for facility continuity.
Mortuary environments demand durability, hygiene, and corrosion resistance. Refrigerated, high-humidity spaces quickly degrade coated or mild steel surfaces, undermining safety and structural integrity.
Emery’s solution combined:
304-grade stainless steel
180 Grit and #4 surface finishes
Over 2 kilometres of stainless steel tube
Nearly 250 stainless steel sheets
Compared to painted or powder-coated mild steel, stainless steel offered:
Superior corrosion resistance
Exceptional hygienic performance
Long-term structural integrity
Lower lifecycle and maintenance costs
Full recyclability and environmental benefits
This material choice alone significantly increased the facility’s long-term operational reliability.
The racking systems were manufactured to tight tolerances to suit both standard and bariatric trays, with each tray position rated for:
250 kg load (standard)
350 kg load (bariatric)
Third-party load testing and certification were completed for every rack tier, ensuring verifiable performance and safety.
Other engineering highlights included:
Modular 3-, 4- and 5-tier configurations
Rapid-change tier adjustment system — reconfigurable on-site within 24 hours
Crevice-free welds and mortuary-grade hygienic design
Complete integration with existing tray specifications
This adaptability is rare in mortuary infrastructure and allows the facility to respond quickly to fluctuating service demands.
Installing large-scale mortuary systems inside an operational forensic facility demanded exceptional planning and control.
Emery’s team delivered:
Staged installation to maintain uninterrupted facility operations
Full coordination with forensic services and site management
Zero downtime to critical services
Detailed staff familiarisation and training
Complete commissioning, documentation, and warranty handover
The emphasis on communication and risk mitigation was critical to the project’s seamless execution.
The project was delivered under Emery’s rigorous quality management framework, including:
AS/NZS 1554.6-compliant TIG welding
Post-weld passivation for corrosion resistance
Third-party static load certification
ISO 9001:2015-governed production controls
Full traceability, dimensional checks, and verified inspection processes
This ensured every component met the highest standards for strength, hygiene, and reliability.
Beyond performance, sustainability was a guiding principle throughout the project:
Stainless steel’s full recyclability and long lifespan
ISO 14001-certified environmental management across manufacturing
Closed-loop recycling of all offcuts
Energy-efficient production, including solar support and LED infrastructure
Reduced freight emissions thanks to local Queensland-based manufacturing
The result is a low-maintenance, long-life asset with significantly reduced environmental impact compared to imported or coated alternatives.
This project has established a new benchmark for what modern mortuary systems can achieve: scalable capacity, hygienic design, operational resilience, and long-term sustainability.
Emery Industries is proud to have supported Health Infrastructure Queensland on such an important initiative—one that enhances dignity, safety, and service capability for the community.
If your project requires custom stainless steel solutions for healthcare, mortuary, forensic, or high-compliance environments, our team is ready to help.
