Outer Burial Containers or Burial Vaults are not required by law but are required by many cemeteries. The burial vault surrounds the casket in the grave to protect it from sinking into the ground.

Graves are no longer opened by hand with a shovel. Today, the backhoe, which weighs in excess of six tons, is the choice for most grave openings. This weight, the daily grind of cemetery equipment, and the constant forces of soil pressure reinforce the need for protection. The burial vault is made to withstand the forces that act on the casket to avoid ground shifting and damage to the casket.