EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BEAM CLAMPS

It's likely you've seen beam clamps before but might not have needed one until now where you realise what they actually are.

If you don't know what this piece of equipment is, that's no problem at all as this article is going to break everything down for you.

In this article, going to be looking at everything to do with what this fixing accessory is and how they can help your business.

Lifting Equipment Store (LES) always wants to make sure the focus is on the customer which is why in this article we're going to do a deep dive into what this piece of equipment is and how they can help your business with its challenge.

If by the end of this article you have questions on how one of these lifting solutions can help your specific business challenge, please contact a regularly trained member of the LES team where they will be happy to discuss bespoke solutions to your business.

WHAT ARE BEAM CLAMPS?
 

This temporary fixing solution, which are also known as girder clamps, is used to suspend or secure fixtures, wires, threaded rods, and other hardware. It provides a simple and portable means of attaching a hoist to a runway or lifting beam.

You can get them with a number of different capacities and variations in designs. You can expect to find that this piece of lifting equipment that can be adjustable or of fixed size, have scissor action, screw locking, or bolt clamp fixing, and be suitable for temporary or permanent applications.

For the above reasons, you can expect to see this piece of equipment being commonly used in industries that include transportation, steel, mining, and construction.

 DIFFERENT TYPES YOU CAN GET
 

The most common versions are the standard clamp, plain, and geared beam trollies.

The position fixing solution is simple and has a set of jaws that open and close by the operation of a threaded handle. The jaws fit around a beam and tightened to the beam, so it is a stationary attachment point for lifting or suspending devices. 

The plain version gives you flexibility meaning that you can freely move them along the beam. Therefore, making the load easy to move along the beam.

Geared beam trollies are similar to the plain version right above but have wheels that are fitted with gears and a chain. This means the operator can more precisely move the load along the beam making the moving process easier. 

WHAT VERSION DO YOU NEED?
 

Depending on what you need to do with it will likely impact the decision of which design you purchase.

You can find a variety of steel types for suspending and hoisting equipment with different weight ranges starting at 1000kg going up to 20000kg. However, it's important that you're aware there is a threshold that should not be exceeded when lifting.

LES stock premium products that include the George Taylor ‘GT’ clamps, Yale YC standard beam clamps, Camlok SC92 with a shackle, and the WH-UBC universal version.

You can find a variety of accessories for this lifting point item that can make the equipment suitable specific to your business challenge.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU'RE PURCHASING ONE
 

When you're buying one, there are a few factors we recommend that you should consider before purchasing to ensure you have the right solution which we have put below. These considerations can also form part of ideas that are specific to your business.

Type of clamp - adjustable/non-adjustable, scissor, screw, or bolt action
Capacity and beam size
Suitability of the beam
Type of lifting appliance to be used
If the application is temporary or permanent
 

INSTALLATION OF A BEAM CLAMP
 

After considering the version for your situation, we want to make sure you've got the information available to install it properly to avoid any damage or injury to you, your teammates, or anyone in the area.

To install this piece of equipment, you can follow these simple instructions:

First, open the jaws of the clamp so the mouth is wide enough to fit over the beam
Use the screw handle to tightly secure the clamp over the beam make sure it is secure enough before attaching any loads
You do not want the load to slip or fall during the lifting process
 

You can expect most people to be able to install one with ease, however, there are some safety precautions for each specific installation to consider before allowing anyone to install so please make yourself aware of these to avoid any accidents.

This leads us to our next point...

 SAFETY MEASURES TO CONSIDER WHEN INSTALLING BEAM CLAMPS
 

Like you can expect in any industry, safety precautions for the operators and people in the area are a priority for businesses when installing equipment. This is to prevent accidents and damage from occurring at your workplace.

We've put together some consideration points for you below that you can take into account before installing your equipment:

Ensure your team, and anyone on site, do a thorough check before and after using this lifting solution to avoid any unnecessary accidents from occurring
Attach any suspending attachment to your product from a safety hook to avoid it from disconnecting
Ensure that you have the right version for the job. Each variation has a different Working Load Limit (WLL)
Make sure your product is compatible with the other equipment you are using. Never force pieces of equipment to fit as this may cause an accident. Use more than one if deemed necessary.
Ensure that the beam is positioned over the centre of gravity of the hoisted load to avoid an unstable lifting procedure.
 

DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED BEAM CLAMPS?
 

You've now got an insight into the types of beam devices available to you on the market. We've gone into detail on what this product is and you now should have an understanding of how they are used, the different types, factors to consider when buying one, how to install them, and the safety precautions to consider.

Ideally, you've got a better understanding of which model will most benefit your company and its business challenge. By following the simple guidelines above, it can help you avoid any unwanted injury or damage from occurring.

We haven't looked at how this piece of equipment can help your business specifically. If you do want to find out more about how this lifting product can benefit your business, please contact an experienced member of the LES team where you can get a solution, whether it's beam clamps or not, specific to your business.