Insurance Implications of Leaving Bells "Up"

These Guidance Notes were compiled in 1994 by the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) following negotiations with a sub-group of the Central Council Administrative Committee, comprising Messrs A. W. R. Wilby (Chairman), R. J. Cooles, A. J. Frost and I. H. Oram, and Mrs K. Flavell.

The Notes are intended to provide guidance to bellringers and to field staff of EIG in negotiating safe practices where local circumstances require bells to be left in the "up" position during the working week. The notes indicate a general safe case which should be interpreted to meet each unique local situation.

Introduction

The EIG assessed the risk as follows:

• "Ringers do not have absolute control of the access to bell towers. Control rests in part with the Incumbents and Church Wardens, but others have the right of access at all times. They include Officers of the Insurers, Architects, Fire Officers, etc. It is not therefore possible for ringers to claim that no-one can go up the tower without their permission. In consequence, bells left in the "up" position represent a danger to any unknowledgeable person legitimately entering the tower and not under the supervision of the ringers.
• "A number of accidents or near misses happen each year. The consequences of such an accident can be catastrophic, resulting in death or very serious injury. The incidence of such events, whilst infrequent, is such as not to be rare.
• "With the increasing tendency of people to go to litigation and the implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act, EIG do not consider the risk to be one which they wish to take commercially. Without such cover the Church Officers are therefore exposed to this liability which they would be irresponsible to take."

1. General

Bells must be left in the "down" position when not in use during the working week between 7 a.m. Monday and 6 p.m. Friday with Public Holidays excepted.

Outside this period, if bells are left in the "up" position then the rope must be hoisted towards the ceiling on a "spider" and locked in position. Notices warning that the bells are "up" and that the bells should not be touched shall be displayed in the Ringing Room. The access door to the Bell Chamber must be kept locked, a danger notice exhibited and a single key kept in the control of the Ringing Master or deputy. If access is required to the Bell Chamber during the weekend while the bells are "up", then this must be under the control of the Ringing Master or deputy.

2. Visiting Ringers

The resident Ringing Master, or other person responsible for tower safety, must take reasonable steps to ensure that they are satisfied with the competence of visiting ringers and warn them of the circumstances attached to the tower.

3. Special Conditions concerning Heavy Rings of Bells

Rings of bells where the tenor weighs 20 cwt or more may additionally be left in the "up" position during the working week, provided that the following conditions are met:

• the bell-frame must be secured against any person being able to come into contact with the bells without the authority of the Ringing Master. This may be done by caging the bell-frame, fencing any walkway or securing any door adjacent to the bell-frame with materials sufficiently robust to prevent access, and
• a single controlled door in the cage or screen shall be provided with a single key which shall remain in the control of the Ringing Master or deputy whilst the bells are "up". Where no walking route to another part of the building passes through the Bellchamber, then the access door to the Bellchamber may be considered the controlled door.