Vestil BC User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

BEAM CLAMP

MODEL BC (2, 4, 6 & 8)

MODEL NO. ________________________
SERIAL NO. ________________________

VESTIL MANUFACTURING CORP.

2999 NORTH WAYNE STREET, P.O. BOX 507, ANGOLA, IN 46703

TELEPHONE: [phone] -OR- TOLL FREE [phone]

FAX: [phone]

URL: WWW.VESTILMFG.COM EMAIL: [e-mail]

We produce several models of beam clamp so that our customers may select a product

that satisfies specific requirements. Each unit conforms to the generalized

specifications
disclosed in this manual and fulfills our demanding standards for quality, safety and
durability.

SAFETY PRINCIPLES

Vestil Manufacturing Corp. recognizes the critical importance of workplace safety. Each
person who might participate in the assembly, use, operation, or maintenance of the
product must read this manual. Read the entire manual and fully understand the

directions BEFORE assembling, using or maintaining the clamp. If you do not
understand an instruction, contact Vestil for clarification. Failure to adhere to the
directions in this manual might lead to serious personal injury or even death.

Vestil is not liable for any injury or property damage that occurs as a consequence of
failing to apply the safe operation and maintenance procedures explained in this manual or
that appear on labels affixed to the product. Failure to exercise good judgment and
common sense may result in property damage, serious personal injury, or death, and are
not the responsibility of Vestil.

This manual applies the hazard identification methods suggested for instruction manuals
by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in ANSI standard Z535.6-2006. In
accordance with ANSI guidelines for hazard warning language, this manual identifies
personal injury risks and situations that could lead to property damage with SIGNAL
WORDS. These signal words announce an associated safety message. The reader must
understand that the signal word chosen to identify a particular safety hazard categorizes the
seriousness of that hazard according to the following convention:

These symbols
identify hazards
that may result in
personal injury

Identifies a hazardous situation which, if not

avoided, WILL

result in DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY. Use of

this signal word is limited to the most extreme situations.

Identifies a hazardous situation which, if not

avoided, COULD result in DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY.

Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not

avoided, COULD result in MINOR or MODERATE injury.

Although Z535.6-2006 approves the use of “CAUTION” without an
accompanying safety alert symbol (black equilateral triangle with
yellow exclamation point) as an alternative to “NOTICE”, this
manual differentiates between hazards that pose a risk of
personal injury and those that create mere property damage
situations. CAUTION appears exclusively in conjunction with
the safety alert symbol to identify injury risks.

Identifies practices not related to personal injury,
such as operation that could damage the clamp. No safety alert
symbol (equilateral triangle enclosing an exclamation point)
accompanies this signal word.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Safety Principles 2
Product Introduction 4
Safety Guidelines 5
Use Instructions 7-10
Maintenance & Inspections 11-12

TABLE OF FIGURES

FIG. 1: Parts Diagram 6
FIG. 2: Label Placement Diagram 12

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P

RODUCT INTRODUCTION

We produce 4 types of clamp, the BC-2, BC-4, BC-6, and BC-8. Each
clamp is constructed from steel and has a paint finish. The four models are
distinguishable by lifting capacity: 2’s are rated for loads of up to 2,000 pounds,
4’s are rated for loads that do not exceed 4,000 pounds, 6’s can handle loads
weighing as much as 6,000 pounds, and 8’s have a load rating of 8,000 pounds.
All models incorporate a heavy duty formed shackle for easy use with overhead
hoists.

Vestil Manufacturing Corp. created this manual to acquaint owners and
users of our clamps with safe use and maintenance procedures. Employers are

responsible for instructing employees to use the product properly.
Employees and any other persons, who might foreseeably use, install, or
perform maintenance on the clamp, must read and understand every
instruction before using the device. Persons who use the clamp should
have access to the manual at all times, and in particular should consult the
directions before each use. Contact Vestil for answers to any question you
have after reading the entire manual.

Although Vestil strives to identify foreseeable hazardous situations that
could arise during use, this manual cannot address every conceivable danger.
The end-user is responsible for exercising sound judgment at all times.

Thank you for purchasing a Beam Clamp (“beam clamp” or
simply “clamp”) made by Vestil Manufacturing Corporation
(“Vestil”). Our beam clamps are durable, high-quality products
that combine safety features and superior lifting capabilities.
Despite the clamp’s ease of use, all personnel must familiarize
themselves with the safe operation instructions provided in this
manual.

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SAFETY GUIDELINES

Read the entire manual before you use the clamp for the first time and before each subsequent
use. Refer to the manual for safe use and maintenance procedures (p. 7-12). If questions remain

after you finish reading the manual, contact Vestil for answers. DO NOT attempt to resolve any
problems with the clamp unless you are certain
modify the product in any way without the express, written approval of Vestil.

that it will be safe to use afterwards; NEVER

• Electrocution Risk: DO NOT contact live electrical wires with the clamp or the load!

• Consult the safety messages included in the manual(s) for your crane, trolley, hoist, and any other device

used in conjunction with the clamp.

• DO NOT open the clamp while lifting and/or moving material. BEFORE opening the clamp, be certain that
any beam load is fully supported by the ground or other surface, and is fully immobilized (can’t fall over, roll,
slide, or move in an uncontrolled manner). If a second person is needed to ensure load immobility, find
someone to help you. To open the clamp, turn the handle counterclockwise (see FIG. 1 on p. 6). DO NOT
open the clamp while using them to lift and/or move material.

• ALWAYS inspect the beam clamp before each use according to the inspection procedures described in the
most recent revision of ASME B30.20. B30.20 also recommends “frequent” and “periodic” inspections.

• Properly maintain the beam clamp according to the maintenance procedures on p. 11-12 of the manual.
Vestil developed these procedures to supplement the maintenance practices of ASME B30.20.

• ALWAYS attach the beam clamp to a safety hook (e.g. a hoist that has a safety hook attached to the end of
the chain or rope), or to a connection that includes safety mechanisms to prevent accidental/unintended
detachment from the hoist. DO NOT use the device on a hoist hook that might accidentally/unintentionally
release the clamp. DO NOT connect the clamp to a safety hook that does not function properly or that is
damaged.

• DO NOT grip a load that has any debris or surface contamination on it that might affect the quality of the
connection between the clamp and the load. Remove the debris, such as oil, grease, water and dirt.

• Clear all debris, including fluids, from the path of travel if the job requires moving the load to a new location
BEFORE picking up the load. If moisture is present in the path of travel, absorb it before using the tongs.

• Make sure that no person is in the travel path.

• DO NOT remove or obscure any label. Verify the placement and legibility of all labels as shown in FIG. 2 on

p. 12. If a label is damaged or unreadable, immediately contact Vestil for a replacement. DO NOT use the
clamp UNLESS all labels are securely attached and readable.

• DO NOT attempt an unbalanced lift. Before performing the lift, attach enough tongs to properly balance the
load. (See “Use Instructions,” p. 7-10).

• DO NOT sit on or apply any weight/pressure to a load held by the clamp.

• DO NOT attempt to lift material that weighs more than the rated load of the clamp. ALWAYS make sure that

the load weighs no more than the rated load of the clamp.

• DO NOT lift a load higher than necessary. (See “Use Instructions” on p. 7-10).

• DO NOT raise the load over your feet or any other part of your body.

• DO NOT use the clamp to lift material over people or to lift any apparatus that supports people, such as a

work platform. The clamp is designed ONLY to lift beams.

• DO NOT get in front of or behind a suspended load while moving it. Always orient yourself so that the load is
visible to you. You are less likely to be injured if the load remains within sight at all times. Stand to one side
of the load and hold onto the hoist’s safety hook with one hand to stabilize the load as you move it to the
desired location.

• DO NOT leave a suspended load unattended. An unattended, suspended load creates a risk of injury to
yourself and others. Always move the load to its desired location, set the load down and properly immobilize
it, and then disengage the clamp from the load. Disconnect the clamp from the hoist BEFORE leaving the
work area.

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Labeled Photographs

A

r

**Note: Vestil does NOT provide replacement parts for this
product. The following diagram is solely intended to clarify
terms that appear in the Use (p. 7-10) and Maintenance
Instructions (p. 11-12).**

FIG. 1A: Side View

Handle

Spacer

Clamping
Arm

Clamping

Threaded Shaft

8

Interior Notches that
receive the top of an I­beam

Arm

Shaft linking collar

FIG. 1B: Top View

Shaft linking collar

Handle

Threaded Shaft

ttachment space

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Use Instructions:

recommendations of ASME standard B30.20.
Only trained, designated persons should use the beam clamp. “Designated person” means someone

selected by his or her employer, or by a representative of the employer, as competent to use the beam
clamp. Trainees under the direct supervision of a designated person may use the clamp. Maintenance
persons and personnel who perform tests also may use the beam clamp when necessary for the
performance of their employment duties.

Step 1: Perform a proper, “Every Lift” inspection as described in the most recent revision of ASME
B30.20, BEFORE you connect the clamp to a hoisting device. Proceed to the next step ONLY IF the
clamp passes the inspection and is deemed safe to use by designated inspection personnel.

: Connect the clamp to the hoisting device. Only connec t the clamp to the hoist via a safety hook

Step 2
to prevent accidental detachment from the hoist.

The operating instructions in this manual are meant to supplement the operation

Properly functioning safety latch Safety Hook

: Open the clamp by rotating the handle counterclockwise. Move the trolley to position the clamp

Step 3
above a beam as shown in photo 1. The beam must balance when lifted, and as a first approximation of
the balance point, position the clamp above the center of the beam.

DO NOT push or pull the clamp so that the hoist chain/rope is not vertical. All horizontal
adjustments in the position of the clamp must be accomplished by moving the trolley. This is important
because any deflection of the chain/rope from straight up-and-down will cause the load to swing when
lifted. A swinging load may cause serious personal injuries.

1 2

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Step 4: Engage the beam with the tongs. Turn the handle clockwise until the clamp firmly grasps the beam.

4

3

5

7

6

Each clamping arm is formed to include an interior notch. These notches receive the top of an I-beam. Tighten
the clamp until the top of the beam contacts all four of the clamping arms within the notches as shown in photos 3
and 4. The angled teeth (circled in photo 5) allow the clamping arms to engage the underside of the top of an I­beam. Adjust the position of the tongs to allow all 4 teeth to make solid contact with the beam.

Firm contact between
beam and notches in
the clamping arms.

: Test the balance of the beam in the clamp. Grasp the hoist hook to stabilize the lift (see photo 6), and

Step 5
raise the beam just a few inches from the ground (or other supporting surface). The beam is improperly balanced
if it slides or hangs lower on one side

. If improperly balanced, return the beam to the ground/supporting surface
and immobilize it. Reposition the clamp to improve balance by moving the clamp slightly towards the end that
hung lower during the test; then raise the object again to see if the beam is balanced. DO NOT proceed to the
next step until the load is properly balanced and stabilized. DO NOT use the tongs if you cannot achieve a
balanced hold of the beam; use a different device to lift and move the beam.

¾ If a single clamp cannot balance the beam, use a combination of two or more clamps. For instance, you

could connect a chain sling to the hoist hook, and attach a beam hook to each end of the sling via safety
hooks. Afterwards, retest the balance of the beam according to the process described in Step 5. Raise the
beam ONLY after achieving proper balance.

This end of the beam hangs lower than the other.
Return the beam to the ground/supporting
surface and reposition the tongs by moving them
closer to this end.

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8

9

: Lift the beam. To raise the beam, steady the clamp and load by grasping [one of] the hoist hook[s].

Step 6
The photographs demonstrate the procedure as it applies to a lift using a single beam clamp. For
combinations of two or more clamps, grasp the safety hook of the clamp attached to the back end of the
beam (as shown in the diagram next to photograph 8).
Lift the load to approximately waist height. Continue to grasp the hook. Direct the load to a position above
the desired location. Refer to the “Warning” messages and follow the lifting rules below.

Review all “Safety Guidelines” on p.5 and always follow these “Lifting Rules” when using the

clamp:

1. NEVER lift material over yourself or other persons. Inform persons in the area that you are going to use the

clamp and make sure that no one is in the starting point, path of travel, or end point.

2. DO NOT press down on the beam. Grasp ONLY the hoist hook to stabilize the load while raising, lowering

and/or moving to a new location.

3. Always stand at arm’s length to the side of the load and hold onto the safety hook as shown in photo 8.

Make sure that your clothing, feet, and all other body parts stay out from underneath the load. This stance
allows the operator to exercise some control of the load while maximizing safety.

4. The beam must remain level during movement. Walk slowly to keep the beam level. If the object has to be

removed from a container or be lifted over an obstacle, continue to grasp the hoist hook. Use a different
device if you will not be able to maintain the safe stance described in Rule 3.

If you use a motorized trolley:

• DO NOT push or pull the clamp or the beam. Allow the trolley to provide all movement. Your hold on
the hook is a means ONLY for stabilizing the load.

If you use a manual trolley,

• Grasp the hoist hook with one hand. DO NOT pull the beam in the direction of travel. Use the hand that
grasps the hoist hook to move the trolley in the intended direction.

Grasp the
hoist
hook to
stabilize
load

Step 6 Diagram

Clamp
attached to
back end of
beam

Direction of
Travel

I-Beam

10

Hoist chain with
safety hook

Chain sling with
safety hooks at
both ends

Step 8: Lower the beam. Make sure that the beam is not swinging or rotating, and then slowly lower the hoist
until the beam contacts the ground or other supporting surface; lower the load sufficiently to create slack in the
hoist chain (or rope) so that the interior of the hoist hook and the attachment spacer are no longer in contact (see

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Photos 11 and 12). DO NOT disconnect the clamp from the beam until you appropriately immobilize the beam to
prevent it from rolling, falling over, or moving in an uncontrolled manner

.
In the following photographs, the beam weighs little and lacks dangerous projections that could cause injury. It
can easily be controlled by the operator. If you cannot control BOTH the clamp and beam without difficulty, find
someone to help you. However, despite these suggestions you should always use the procedures developed by
your employer for safely handling beams.

11

12

Step 9: Disengage the clamp. Turn the handle counterclockwise to open the clamp and release the beam.
Raise the hoist high enough that the clamp no longer contacts the beam, and then disconnect the clamp from
the hoist.

You should fully open the clamp to prevent accidental or partial engagement of the beam.

13 14

15

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Maintenance and Inspections:

A designated person must verify that the clamp complies with all regulations, codes, and standards that
apply to “Under-the-Hook Lifting Devices” in the location where the clamp is used. The person(s)
designated to conduct inspections must do so before
it is installed for use.

Inspections:

The end-user is responsible for performing inspections as recommended in ASME B30.20.

The standard categorizes examinations based on regularity of performance. Highlights of the
recommended inspection procedures appear below. However, the full procedures as given in the
published standard must be followed.

DO NOT use a clamp that is structurally damaged. Structural damage includes, but is

not limited to, bending, warping, cracking or other deformation of one or more of the spacers, clamping
arms, or of the threaded shaft (see FIG. 1 on p.6). Restore the clamp to normal operating condition
BEFORE using it again.

Inspections Before & During EVERY lift
AND during each lift. In particular, the operator should inspect for:

1. Debris on the load surfaces; AND

2. Condition and operation of the controls.

Frequent Inspections

: the specific meaning of “frequent” varies from daily to monthly depending on the
service classification (normal, heavy, severe, and special/infrequent) of the clamp. Definitions of the
service classifications appear in ASME B30.20. The operator or other designated person(s) should
visually inspect the clamp for:

1. Deformation, cracking, or excessive wear of any part of the clamp;

2. Operating mechanisms for conditions that interfere with proper function; AND/OR

3. Loose or missing fasteners, stops or nameplates.

Periodic Inspections

: complete visual inspections performed AND recorded by a qualified person. The

inspection should specifically look for:

1. Loose bolts or fasteners;

2. Excessive wear of friction pads, linkages, and other mechanical parts; AND/OR

3. Excessive wear at the points where the clamp connects to the hoist hook, and load support
clevises or pins.

Maintenance: the end-user must implement a maintenance program to ensure the proper function and
safety of the clamp. A qualified person may establish a program that is used in preference to the
maintenance procedures described below. However, if you apply the procedure that follows, complete
EVERY step each time

maintenance is performed.

: visual examination must be performed by the operator prior to

the clamp is used for the first time, and EACH time

Vestil DOES NOT provide replacement parts for the beam clamp. Any condition which

requires replacement parts can ONLY be corrected by purchasing a new clamp.

ONLY qualified persons may perform maintenance on the clamp. A qualified person is
someone “who, by possession of a recognized degree in an applicable field or certificate of professional
training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating
to the subject matter [beam clamp] and work [use of the beam clamp].” See ASME B30.20-0.2-2003.

: All sources of power must be disconnected, locked out and tagged, “Out of Service.”

Step 1

: Disconnect the clamp from the hoist hook and tag it, “Out of Service.”

Step 2
Step 3

periodic).
Step 4

new clamp

attachment spacer or any other spacer warrants immediate replacement of the clamp).

: Perform all adjustments indicated as necessary during any inspection (every lift, frequent, or

: If other conditions exist which require new/replacement parts to repair, contact Vestil to order a

. Deformity, corrosion, rusting, or excessive wear of fasteners, clamping arm(s), and/or the

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The reader should understand the significant difference between “Adjustments” and

“Repairs,” and “Modifications”.
¾ An adjustment or repair refers to a simple correction that restores the clamp to normal operating

condition, such as tightening loose fasteners, or removing debris from the surface of the clamp. DO
NOT use the clamp if adjustments and/or repairs are incomp lete! Return the clamp to service ONLY
after finishing all necessary repairs and adjustments.

¾ A modification is a change that alters the clamp from normal operating condition, like bending the

structural members. NEVER modify the clamp w ithout the express, w ritten approval of Vestil.
Modifications may render the clamp unsafe to use.

: Perform a periodic inspection, as recommended in ASME B30.20.

Step 5

: Make a dated record of the repairs, adjustments and/or replacements made.

Step 6

Markings:

Only use the clamp if ALL labels are readable and undamaged. Contact Vestil for replacement labels.

FIG. 2: Product label placement

Manufacturer’s Name Label

Rated Load label

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