A brick clamp, also called a brick grab or pack clamp, is a lifting accessory that grips a pack of bricks or blocks from the sides so a crane can move the whole pack in one go. It is the tool that makes carrying material by hand unnecessary.
It works on the scissor principle: the heavier the load hanging from the hook, the harder the jaws squeeze the pack. Hydraulic and manually tensioned versions also exist.
Why handle mechanically
Getting material to the wall is the physically heaviest part of bricklaying. A bricklayer lays hundreds of units on a productive day; carrying all of them by hand means lifting tonnes daily. Around 25 kg is widely used as a guide limit for occasional lifting, and the acceptable load is considerably lower for repeated lifting. Mechanical handling has therefore become standard practice.
Types and capacity
| Type | Use |
|---|---|
| Scissor clamp (self-gripping) | Standard for brick and concrete block packs |
| Fixed-jaw clamp | For one fixed pack size, very quick in use |
| Adjustable clamp | For varying pack widths |
| Vacuum or hydraulic clamp | Heavy calcium silicate and concrete elements |
Capacities typically run from a few hundred kilograms to well over a tonne. The safe working load (SWL/WLL) on the identification plate is the only figure that counts.
Safe use
- Inspection. Lifting accessories must be thoroughly examined at regular intervals — commonly at least once every 12 months by a competent person. Keep the report with the equipment.
- Check before every use: jaws for wear, pivot pins for play, lifting eye for deformation.
- Never stand or walk under the load. Clamps can release under shock loading or with a load hanging out of level.
- Only lift what the clamp is designed for: the right pack size, squarely stacked, with no loose or broken units on the outside.
- Lift smoothly. Snatching and sudden braking increase the load significantly.
- Set down on firm, level support — on a scaffold deck only if the deck load rating allows it.
Warning: a scaffold deck has a limited permissible imposed load per square metre. Landing a complete brick pack on it can exceed that. Land packs on the floor slab instead and supply from there in smaller quantities.
Related terms
- Bricklayer’s labourer
- Bricklaying
- Calcium silicate block
- Brick
- Site safety
Learn more about building terms in our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.