Ringing Forums

Information on hard hats is available on HSE (Health & Safety Executive) websites. The circumstances and requirements will depend on the specific tower concerned and the activities underway so the decision is therefore partly a matter of judgement on each occasion.

If the main concern is, as you suggest, "bumping your head", then a baseball style "bump cap" is probably helpful for the very reasons that you give. One major reason for a hard hat is to reduce the risk of injury from falling objects. If people are working at a higher level then that becomes a more significant risk so it is good practice anyway to minimise working above each other as much as possible.

If using a hard hat, then there are Standards to be met - for example, they must fit the wearer and be adjusted to fit properly each time they are used, be clean, undamaged and not too old (probably less than 5 years), stored properly when not in use (especially out of sunlight), etc. They are Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), preferably not shared. They and any other PPE required should be provided by the church to volunteers. Standards also apply to bump caps.

It is the church responsibility to set out what PPE they expect volunteers to wear, but ideally in discussion with ringers who are experienced in the sort of activity that is to be undertaken by volunteers in a bell chamber.

what are the hazards? If the only one is the trapdoor then it might be simpler to pad the edge. Hard hats are essential if there's a risk of anything falling on you but one downside if worn when moving in specs with limited headroom is that they increase the number of impacts because your brain 'knows' where your head ends but not where the helmet ends..

Bump hats are usually adequate but if someone is working above you with with a large adjustable then a hard hat could be appropriate. Risk assess it!

Is your church H&S person actually qualified or appointed to the role as there was no one else to do it. Those sort of people see danger everywhere. Work with them and educate them all will be fine

Ah ... thanks for the "technical name", I have been looking for this sort of thing in preference to a hard hat since seeing the Taylor's guy sporting one when I helped out with a rehang.

FWIW - I agree with other comments, a hard hat can be excessive and the extra height leads to more accidental collisions (which could lead to being knocked off balance or jarring neck), but if in a situation where somebody is/may be working above you with tools (or there are loose items that might be knocked and fall) a hard hat is likely to be advisable protection.

I agree with the comments about hard hats and the possible use of bump hats - that is covered in the H&S chapter of Belfry Upkeep. I know someone who was on a geology field trip. They were in the middle of a field and were told they had to wear hard hats. The only injury was when one of the hats blew off, bounced across the field and gave someone else a nasty gash on their face.

John Harrison sums it up perfectly . . . . "they increase the number of impacts because your brain 'knows' where your head ends but not where the helmet ends."
This has been my experience precisely when in a moment of enthusiasm I chose to wear a hard hat 'because I happened to have one' and I had far more collisions with the underside of the bell frame.

I agree with Peter Sotheran, wearing a hard hat whilst around a bell frame, the lip of the hat means you cannot see just above your head, and consequently you keep bumping the top of the hat, which is not good for your neck if done repeatedly or too hard.

someone who was on a geology field trip. They were in the middle of a field and were told they had to wear hard hats. The only injury was when one of the hats blew off, bounced across the field and gave someone else a nasty gash on their face. — Robin Shipp

That story should be kept and quoted to anyone demanding unsupported precautions in the name of 'health and safety'.
In fact anyone using the term 'health an safety' as justification is likely not to have thought through the rationale, because health risks and safety risks are usually quite different. Health risks are generally long term side effects, often 'slow burn' and not appreciated, of things working as designed, whereas safety risks are generally the immediate effects of something going wrong. Think asbestosis v falling off scaffolding.

There was this tower that didn't have a spider. Not having a spider had not caused a problem,

An H&S RA required a spider.

A spider was fitted.

Then someone was hit on the head by the spider.

Yes, lots of very good info on the use of ppe, but the question asked about 'the H&S person' - appointed by the church. Often these are people with experience of H&S matters in some way, but not thinking about particular cases. Reminds me of what is to me the first requirement of any consideration under the HSWA 1974 or it's successors - familiarity. Anyone with any experience of bell-frame examinations knows that hard hats are NOT advised. The question suggests that the said person requires one for going through a hatch .... ! This is a sure case of someone who would presumably so equip each person before visiting any castle, pub celler or loft! A definite case of 'education needed'! Ask them to climb under the bells to inspect a clapper ......

PS on second thoughts, it's 'experience needed' in the last sentence rather than education!

An enthusiatic H&S adviser has been doing the rounds in this neck of the woods, insisting that a rope 'handrail' be fitted round the side of every spiral staircase. The brackets protrude about 3" off the wall, thereby, in at least two instances, reducing the effective width of the staircase to less than 18 inches. Consequently it is necessary to climb the stairs slightly crab-wise, or reach the top with a badly bruised hip. To my knowledge, one mature ringer of 'stout' proportions has given up ringing there as he can no longer access the ringing room.

individual cases are different, so a standard answer might not be the best. That doesn't mean do nothing, it means look for a better solution. On a narrow staircase how about installing the rope/rail around the central column, where you are unlikely to stand anyway?
I have to say, as I get older and less steady I appreciate having my hand on something, in case needed.

> how about installing the rope/rail around the central column<

That is the obvious solution, well known to most of us but we can only surmise that it's not up to the standadrd required by the H&S eager beaver. The central column rope was removed from one of the two towers I referred to!

Cheers
Peter

Wasn't it much easier in the 'good old days' when there was no rope, no hand rail, nothing. Then you ran your hand on the centre column of the stairs in total safety, in exactly the same way as previous ringers had for centuries before H&S was invented?

Wasn't it much easier in the 'good old days' — Nick Cronin

Yes, but in the good old days I was younger and more sure footed. Now I find I need to take great care if there isn't a rope or handrail.

This discussion has veered away from hard hats in belfries.
Perhaps start a new discussion thread for clarity, if you wish to continue.

"Hard hats" (builders' helmets) must be dated as they have an expiry date based upon the date of manufacture. Time-expired helmets ought not to be used on building sites but, like many things, they still have a little useful life remaining. The contractor who worked on my home tower had a small stock of helmets that were required wearing for visitors. When the works were finished, the builder kindly donated those helmets to the tower. In this instance the helmets had years before expiry. A minor task for the Steeple Keeper is to bear that date in mind. In view of the very limited exposure to UV and hardy any impacts, those helmets are likely to offer protection for many years to come. Rule of thumb - touch your toes with your head protection on - if it falls off, it isn't properly fitted. Soft bump caps to industry standards can be obtained from stores such as ScrewFix, Machine Mart etc and are usually available online for delivery.

Alison, the original question was not about 'hard hats in belfries' but specifically 'hard hats for all above the ringing room because of a trap-door' - hence the replies tending to outline the ill-advice. The other advice surfacing is wise (including your own), but does not adress the issue of replying to 'H&S' advice that is based on 'no experience of the situation'. I would advise a calm and rational reply based on appropriate advice from the ringers, with help from Belfry Panel (i.e. Ass..) as needed.

While we are all kitting ourselves out with helmets, should not also be investing in a PPE suit & respirator to protect us from pigeon droppings and the carpet of dead flies that are common to many belfries?

The Gov.uk website offers the following on Psittacosis:
"Transmission of disease from birds to humans occurs mainly through inhalation of airborne particles from respiratory secretions, dried faeces or feather dust. . . . there are 25-50 cases reported per year"

In fact it might be better to not risk sweeping out the top of the tower and adjusting the ropes. Ever.

A few thoughts on H&S some of which may be controversial.

My professional background is hanging very heavy things above peoples heads on a regular basis so risk assessments have been my life for the last 15 years, so I believe that I am competent to comment. That said I have a reputation for being pragmatic and not just doing things for the sake of "the rules"

First thing is that H&S is everyones individual responsibility, not the Church, not the Diocese so if YOU perceive a risk, mitigate against it. I have personally worked with several bell hangers and have been appalled at the apparent indifference to safety with the excuse that we have always done it this way and everyone's been OK so far. I did kick off on one occasion when a volunteer turned up to help with an augmentation wearing flip flops, I won the argument on that one and he was sent home to change his footwear.

Regarding hard hats and bump hats, I would default to always wearing protection, there are so many frame bolts and bits of hard metal sticking out all over the place to cause injury, if power tools are in use, eye protection should be mandatory, drills are a grey area but angle grinders or power saws absolutely, you only have one pair of eyes. If the hard hat gets in the way take it off but be extra careful when moving around and working under others and put it back on as soon as possible.

To sum up, it is your responsibility to keep yourself safe, and not to endanger others, so pause and assess the situation first, even if it is only mentally and don't take unnecessary risks, things don't go wrong very often but when they do it can be devastating to the victim and their family.

Thanks Chris, this has been very helpful. I was working on the assumption that bellhangers, as they are employed by a company, would have done risk assessments. Therefore, if they weren't wearing hats, then their risk assessment would have said they weren't necessary.

We are going to suggest bump hats to our H&S rep. which seems to be an adequate response to the situation.

Now all we have to do is make sure that when we fall off the parapet when working on the roof we make sure to land on our head so the hard hat we are wearing at his insistence will protect us!