The heavy end of the range, and a different proposition from the standard clamps. At 16 and 20 tonnes with a flange range up to 457 mm, these are for major structural sections and serious lifts: plant installation, heavy machinery, transformer and generator work. They are substantial pieces of equipment in their own right, at 50 kg and 81 kg respectively, and getting one into position is part of the planning rather than an afterthought.
Key Features
- 16 and 20 tonne capacity: Well beyond the standard range, for heavy plant and structural work.
- 203 mm to 457 mm flange range: Sized for major universal beams and columns rather than general steelwork.
- Load applied away from the flange edge: The same jaw principle as the standard range, which matters more at these loads, not less.
- BS EN 13155 with 4:1 breaking load: The 20 tonne clamp has a minimum breaking load of 80 tonnes.
- Substantial construction: 50 kg and 81 kg. Plan how it gets to the beam.
- Wide jaw opening: Dimension d of 203 mm and 210 mm accommodates thick flanges as well as wide ones.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
W.L.L. (kg) |
Flange Range (mm) |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
C (mm) |
d (mm) |
E (mm) |
F (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
| VBC16 |
16,000 |
203 – 457 |
700 |
588 |
50 |
203 |
45 |
200 |
50 |
| VBC20 |
20,000 |
203 – 457 |
720 |
610 |
50 |
210 |
45 |
350 |
81 |
All dimensions in millimetres. Note the weight: both require mechanical assistance or two people to position safely.
BS EN 13155 | 16 t and 20 t | 4:1 Minimum Breaking Load | LOLER Ready
Manufactured and marked in accordance with BS EN 13155. Minimum breaking load is four times the marked Working Load Limit. Supplied with test certification. Under LOLER 1998, lifting equipment requires thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
At these capacities the applications are specific: heavy plant and machinery installation, transformer and generator lifting, press and machine tool relocation, structural steel erection, and major maintenance in power generation, process and heavy industry. The flange range indicates the sort of steelwork involved. At this scale the structural assessment is not optional and the lift will typically form part of a documented lift plan with a designated appointed person.
More About This Product
Material handling equipment solves the problem that most manual handling injuries come from: moving something heavy a short distance. Cranes handle the long lifts; the damage is done shifting a machine six metres across a workshop because it seemed too short a distance to be worth rigging.
The equipment is straightforward. The considerations that catch people out are the floor, the route and the momentum of something heavy once it is rolling.
The Route Is the Risk
A load on wheels behaves entirely differently from a load being lifted, and the risks move with it.
Point loading comes first. Wheel loads under a laden truck or skate concentrate onto small hard wheels, and the pressure at each contact patch is far higher than the load's own footprint would suggest. Slabs that carry the static load comfortably can crack, and floor coverings can be marked or cut.
Level changes are where control is lost. A multi-tonne load rolling at walking pace and stopping abruptly against a threshold, an expansion joint or a change in floor covering keeps trying to move. Anyone with a hand on it at that moment finds out how much energy is in it. The answer is to slow down before the change, not at it.
Gradients compound the same problem. Even a slight slope in a workshop floor will accelerate a heavy load on good wheels, and a load that gets away has no brakes.
Nobody walks alongside. The instinct is to have people at the sides steadying the load, and that is exactly where they should not be if it shifts or a wheel collapses. Push or pull from a position of control, keep feet clear of the wheels, and treat the route as part of the plan rather than as the bit between the lifting points.
How to Use the Large Beam Clamp
- Get structural approval: At 16 to 20 tonnes, the beam assessment must be done properly by a competent structural engineer. This is not a judgement call on site.
- Plan how the clamp gets there: At 50 to 81 kg it cannot simply be carried up a ladder. Positioning the clamp is a lift in itself.
- Check the flange is in range and sound: 203 mm to 457 mm width, and the flange must be free of corrosion, distortion and damage.
- Set square and tighten fully: Both jaws bearing evenly, clamp square to the beam, adjuster fully tightened.
- Take up load slowly and re-check: Load in stages, checking the clamp has not shifted between each.
- Vertical loading only: Angular pull is not permitted on this design.
Warning: At these capacities the supporting structure must be assessed by a competent structural engineer before use. The clamp itself weighs 50 to 81 kg and positioning it requires planning. Vertical loading only. Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit.
Safety Information
- Structural assessment by a competent engineer is required before use.
- Never exceed the marked Working Load Limit.
- Flange width must be between 203 mm and 457 mm.
- Both jaws must bear evenly with the clamp square to the beam.
- Take up load in stages, checking for movement between each.
- Vertical loading only. Do not side load.
- Plan the positioning of the clamp itself as a manual handling or lifting operation.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
Everything that applies to the standard clamps applies here with more consequence. Inspect the jaw faces for wear and spreading, the frame for cracking particularly at the jaw transitions, and the screw thread for stripping, corrosion and free running through its full travel. Check the suspension point for elongation and wear. Given the loads involved, thorough examination should include measurement against original dimensions rather than visual assessment alone, and any doubt should mean withdrawal pending further examination rather than a decision made on site.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is it so much more expensive than the 10 tonne clamp?
Because it is a substantially different product. The 10 tonne standard clamp weighs a few kilos and handles flanges to 220 mm. The 16 tonne weighs 50 kg and handles flanges to 457 mm, with a minimum breaking load of 64 tonnes. The step from 10 to 16 tonnes is a step into a different class of equipment.
Q: How do I get an 81 kg clamp onto a beam?
With planning. Typically a smaller hoist, a MEWP, or scaffold access with two people. It is a manual handling and working at height operation in its own right and should be treated as such rather than being improvised on the day.
Q: Do I need a structural engineer?
At 16 to 20 tonnes, yes. A beam that appears substantial may still be inadequate depending on span, existing loading and where along its length you attach. Getting that wrong at this scale is catastrophic rather than merely expensive.
