(By Greg Rourke) – I once toiled daily in the demolition industry. Even when all safety rules are followed, it’s a dangerous business. When rules are thrown out the window, all sorts of misadventures can happen. Example: this thrill seeker.
Skid loaders are a staple of the demo business. They fit into all sorts of small places, and they have countless attachments available. When the outfit I worked for was wrecking was taking down the projects in Chicago (think Cabrini Green, Stateway Gardens, and other 17 story concrete cubicles) we had backhoes and skid loaders with hydraulic hammers lifted to the roof. They hammered until debris fell to the floor below, they used it to build a ramp, drove down the ramp, and pushed all the material over the side. Wrecking ball was ineffective,( we tried, to the amusement of the locals as the ball just bounced off the walls) and Chicago wasn’t allowing implosion methods at that time. It worked well.
Here we have a guy with a hammer equipped Bobcat, dangling from a crane, and hammering away at the floor under him. Didn’t I see Wile E. Coyote pull a similar stunt? It appears they have good rigging, and I happen to know lifting eyes are available from Bobcat, but it just seems there would be a better way.
Wait, never mind. I just watched the vid again in full screen. The operator has a high vis vest and a hard hat, as he gives the crane operator a smile and thumbs up.
