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Avenue Construction

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
Definitely someone who didn't know what they were doing. A good demolition man wouldn't have dropped a stick on the barricaded sidewalk. Have you ever seen as good an example of a feces-eating-grin as on that seat warmer on the hoe?
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,375
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Looks like the low bid demo contractor worked out well for the owner. Look at all the publicity they received..:rolleyes::Banghead
 

heavylift

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
1,046
Location
KS
not to mention the unknown substances that were released into the air..
Lead ...Asbestos...Dust...
 

Dusty Roads

Active Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
41
Location
NW Arizona
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator
Another one bites the "DUST"

I bet when the lawsuits are over there will be some more equipment for sale :beatsme wth were they thinking?
 

digger242j

Administrator
Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
6,644
Location
Southwestern PA
Occupation
Self employed excavator
news story said:
A photo shows a woman pushing a stroller along the sidewalk toward the site as the building as the demolition work begins. She was clear of the area by the time the storefront collapsed onto the sidewalk.

Not to take anything away from the obvious negligence of the company, but you gotta wonder--it says she "was clear of the area by the time the storefront collapsed onto the sidewalk", but it doesn't say anybody warned her of the danger. Did the photographer just let her walk past as Old Smiley there was about to drop part of the building on the sidewalk?
 

245dlc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
1,228
Location
Canada
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator
Pretty obvious start at 5 when workplace health and safety have all gone home, have the structure flattened by 6:30, and by 8:30/9:00 have the garbage hauled away. I'm glad they got caught there are way to many fly by night outfits that claim they can do demolition because they have a thumb or a breaker for they're machine.
 

AmericanLandMgt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
118
Location
Wilmington NC
So in the interest of using someones stupidity as a learning experience...How exactly would you bring down that wall without dropping it on the sidewalk. I am new to demo and have taken down some small buildings but I dont feel comfortable even bidding on tight spaces like this that could end up badly. Is there a code that describes exaclty what type of fences you have to have up for a demo like this?
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,375
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
.How exactly would you bring down that wall without dropping it on the sidewalk.

It's not so much as how to bring the building down without getting any debris on the sidewalk since there are many unknowns in demo work and you have plan for the obvious. The most obvious in this case is the fact that there will be some debris that will fall onto the sidewalk.:rolleyes: The demo contractor should have obtained the proper permits to shut down the sidewalk and barricade it to protect the general public.

This particular case is just gross negligence. Most cities have codes, permits and regulations regarding demolition, sidewalk closure and general public protection from construction/demolition activities. The "contractor" in this video obviously disregarded the regulations and common sense and showed his true colors as the hack that he is. My $.02.
 

245dlc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
1,228
Location
Canada
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator
CM1995 is right after obtaining the proper permits and after the asbestos abatement is done and other hazardous materials are properly removed. The contractor would have to setup portable fencing and have one or more spotters while the excavator operator would work room to room starting from the top down and always keeping the floor clean on the section that is being worked on. It's kinda hard to explain over a forum like this as every structure is different and every situation is different. I recently took down a 2 story house that had been burnt and suffered a lot of damage to the second floor and the roof without dropping a wall or having anything collapse. I couldn't even chop a hole into the basement as the whole wriggled and jiggled like jello I just tore a hole into the back side of the house and broke up material between the bucket and the thumb and then pulled it towards me into a small pile then threw it to the side out of the way, and then started on the next section. After I had the second floor and most of the first floor folded in, then I chopped a hole into the basement and jammed all my debris into there while breaking it up smaller and smaller so I can fit more crap into the dumptrucks. Oh and I made sure to pick out all the copper pipe I could of course.:tong I'm going to talk to my boss about filming when we demolish houses on twenty five foot wide lots and posting it on youtube. I see a lot of videos on youtube of people knocking down houses and buildings and they seem to just smack stuff any old way.
 
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