Interior demolition with a twist: Watral Brothers, Inc. puts new Multi-Tool to work in confined spaces.

Recently Watral Brothers, Inc. of Bay Shore, N.Y., was contracted for an interior demolition job. As a long-time demolition contractor they had done other interior projects. However, this job had some tight requirements including confined work spaces. The job had to be completed within the client's very strict two-week timeline. Additionally, access to the project was limited to an 8-foot wide access door, making getting equipment in and materials out a challenge.

THE PROJECT

The job consisted of an interior strip-out of the underground level at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, N.Y. The project included the complete removal and processing of all utilities and interior structures except the structural support components such as trusses and support columns. As the team at Watral analyzed the project, they identified a number of challenges that would need to be addressed. First, due to limited access, they faced a major challenge in terms of material handling. Everything they removed would need to be sized to fit into a skid steer bucket so it could be transported out of the basement level. This required all materials to not only be removed, but to also be processed within the confined basement area. Additionally, the building's structural sup ports and floor surfaces could not be damaged during demolition. Further, the facility had some heavy components, such as high-pressure sprinkler lines that were up to 6 inches in diameter, meaning removing them could be a difficult process.

One major consideration Watral also had to weigh was reducing fire hazards to the vulnerable upper levels of the mall. To remove and process much of the internal plumbing and utilities would require substantial "hot work" (burning/torching,) dependent almost entirely on man-lifts. Using man-lifts in these confined workspaces can be cumbersome, creating labor-intensive operations while raising additional safety concerns. Furthermore, that traditional approach would add to project cost considerably by increasing the number of workers on-site as well as the laborer hours. They needed a better solution--and they found one.

A BETTER WAY

Robert Watral met with representatives of Allied-Gator who introduced him to their MT[TM] Series Multi-Tool. Allied-Gator shared with him that their unique design allowed them to provide a small tool that could be mounted on a mini-excavator. Additionally, they could offer a third member configuration that would afford Watral the ability to reach, rotate, remove and process targeted materials easily. This configuration would also allow him to virtually eliminate the use of man-lifts and substantially increase productivity.

After reviewing all of the options, Watral made the decision to invest in an Allied-Gator MTR 5 with a Shear Jaw Set. It was the only tool light enough to be carried third member on their mini-excavator yet powerful enough to cut all of the material at the site. The tool was then mounted on a Komatsu PC 35 Mini-Excavator. The 900-pound tool delivered 140 tons of effective cutting force--plenty of power for the job at hand.

SOLUTION SATISFACTION

As the Watral team began to use the tool they quickly realized the efficiency it was delivering. "The tool eliminated a lot of labor. It does the work of four men in man-lifts, but that tool never gets tired," says Robert Watral. "It had more power than we expected from a 900-pound tool, and the cycle time is really fast," he continues. The mobile shear also eliminated the liabilities and risks associated with "hot work."

Putting that kind of efficiency to work for them, Watral Brothers was able to meet the job's requirements, clearing the complex and getting out within the strict two-week requirement. "It's definitely a neat tool for specific work like this, and it makes up a lot of time," Watral says. The company cleared and processed a range of materials, including general plumbing components such as water lines and 6-inch sprinkler lines, conduit, miscellaneous angle iron, channel, ductwork and sheet rock. Everything was cut to size and removed via a skid steer. The strip-out project proved a very successful operation for Watral Brothers while fulfilling all of their client's requirements and meeting their contractual obligations.

In looking back at the acquisition of the tool Watral notes, "Another advantage of this tool is its versatility. We used it third member on a mini-excavator, but we can also use this same tool on our skid steers. People have never seen anything like this before. Everybody liked it."

Video segments of the MT Series Multi-Tool working can be viewed on Allied-Gator's website: www.alliedgator.com.