Tearing Down High-Rises Raises Job Safety Challenges

Taking down a high-rise office tower raises concerns not only about the safety of the workers involved, but also of all the people in the immediate surrounding area.

Developers faced with desirable urban areas already filled with aging high-rises are more often demolishing or completely remodeling them to create new work or living space. Amazon Inc.’s decision to open a new headquarters complex in already built-out Arlington, Va., is among the latest such projects.

John Swagart, Clark Construction Group LLC’s vice president for field operations, told Bloomberg Law the biggest misconception is that high-rise demolition is chaotic and uncontrolled.

“There ...