# Can body bags be opened from the inside?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 26, 2008, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286 "2008-06-26T09:35:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286/21 "2008-06-27T13:58:22Z")

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Are bodybags generally single-use? Admittedly, I’ve not seen many examples outside of film and TV, but they don’t seem like they’re made to be disposable. Are they cleaned and used again?

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**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286/22 "2008-06-27T15:34:43Z")

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[QUOTE=Mangetout]  
Are bodybags generally single-use? Admittedly, I’ve not seen many examples outside of film and TV, but they don’t seem like they’re made to be disposable. Are they cleaned and used again?  
[/QUOTE]

A mortuary will reuse the heavy black BB as they are quite expensive, But the generic disaster pouch is discarded. Do these tickle your fancy ?

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286/23 "2008-06-27T16:11:35Z")

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In a London museum, i saw an example of such a coffin 9the Victorians were scared of being buried alive). There was a lever inside, that would unlock the lid, so you could climb out 9provided you were in a vault).  
just what you were supposed to do (if in a grave) wasn’t clear!

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-body-bags-be-opened-from-the-inside/454286/24 "2008-06-27T20:47:29Z")

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[QUOTE=Mangetout]  
Are bodybags generally single-use? Admittedly, I’ve not seen many examples outside of film and TV, but they don’t seem like they’re made to be disposable. Are they cleaned and used again?  
[/QUOTE]  
So far we’ve not heard any complaints.

Actually, I believe this is discouraged as contamination from a previous occupant could compromise determination of cause of death if an autopsy’s required, not to mention potentially wreak havoc with evidence in a murder investigation.

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