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[Quantumtroll]

This is a recurring problem I'm running into. I build a perilous ramp or staircase or something, and then I realize I built it wrong so I order it deconstructed. A dwarf (often a child) will dutifully go and see to it.

Typically, the doomed dwarf will stand on top of a ramp, deconstruct it, and plummet to a certain death, sending limbs and blood flying to places where it can't possible ever get cleaned.
Unfortunately I can't deconstruct the thing from the bottom, because falling debris will break much more than I'm willing to rebuild.

I ask the community, how can I avoid having dwarves stand on top of the very thing they're deconstructing? It's not that I can't spare these dwarves, but these are going to be the King's Golden Apartments, and covering them with blood and limbs just won't do.

[penguinofhonor]

I'm not sure about ramps. If there's a free space next to a constructed floor they'll stand on that instead. So try constructing a floor next to the thing to remove first?

[DrKillPatient]

If the drop isn't too far, pasture an animal directly on the tile under the dwarf who's deconstructing the staircase. He shouldn't take damage if he lands on the animal (which will be unharmed no matter what). Note that very large (10+?) drops will negate the ability of the animal to save the dwarf. It seems to be all-or-nothing situation, as in, a dwarf will either fall onto the animal and walk away without a scratch, or fall from (even slightly) too high up and explode all over the place. He can't be cushioned and just break an arm or something.

[Mitchewawa]

but these are going to be the King's Golden Apartments, and covering them with blood and limbs just won't do.

What is he, an elf king? Dwarven High Kings like their rooms like we like our Fortresses; smeared with blood and mysterious purple gas!

Try using staircases instead of ramps, or have a floor/bridge right underneath to catch said dwarf.

[Quantumtroll]

The thing is that they have a safe place to stand.  Right now I have a ramp adjacent to 3 more ramps, all three of which are designated to be removed.  Two morons (one with a pet) are standing on the ramp they're removing.. and one is not...

Dammit, I am the moron here.  Obviously what's happening is that they dwarves just aren't communicating. They're not removing the construction under their own feet, but the constructions under their coworkers' feet.  So the solution is to remove one construction at a time.

Sigh

  There's an upside, though.  This makes for an excellent "game" for nobles, immigrants, children, and other undesirables fun-loving citizens.  Let's play "Who can remove the construction the fastest and send the opponent into the elk bird pit"!

[melphel]

Build scaffolding.
Construct up-down stairs up to the level of the ramp being deconstructed.  When the ramp and whatever else is gone, you deconstruct the scaffold one level at a time starting from the top, they should be able to take out the stairs from below.

[Quantumtroll]

Thanks anyway for the creative advice!! 

[Yoink]

Wow, stationing a fluffy animal beneath a construction worker in case of a fall? WHO THE F*CK NEEDS SCAFFOLDING?!!

[Loud Whispers]

Wow, stationing a fluffy animal beneath a construction worker in case of a fall? WHO THE F*CK NEEDS SCAFFOLDING?!!

+1 use for cats

[Broseph Stalin]

Dwarves are very picky about which side of an object they stand on when they deconstruct it. You can corral them to one side to do the job but sometimes they'll refuse to do it. 

[melphel]

Dwarves are very picky about which side of an object they stand on when they deconstruct it. You can corral them to one side to do the job but sometimes they'll refuse to do it. 

iirc, due to the way the game paths them to the job, they will stand to the north or the west when possible.  This applies to other designations too.  You can try to coerce them to not stand in a spot by designating a construction and then suspending (not cancelling) it's construction.  Restricting traffic on that tile may not work if it is the only path to the job.  Learned that the hard way after trying to remove the last bit of floor holding up an aquifer punching cave-in, dumb dwarf wanted to stand on the plug he was about to drop.

[Kofthefens]

If the drop isn't too far, pasture an animal directly on the tile under the dwarf who's deconstructing the staircase. He shouldn't take damage if he lands on the animal (which will be unharmed no matter what). Note that very large (10+?) drops will negate the ability of the animal to save the dwarf. It seems to be all-or-nothing situation, as in, a dwarf will either fall onto the animal and walk away without a scratch, or fall from (even slightly) too high up and explode all over the place. He can't be cushioned and just break an arm or something.

I have tested this, at least in part. A drop of 53 z-levels onto a few badgers just sort of turns them into... How shall I put it? Paint I suppose. Paint covering about 80 tiles in every direction.

[Quantumtroll]

If the drop isn't too far, pasture an animal directly on the tile under the dwarf who's deconstructing the staircase. He shouldn't take damage if he lands on the animal (which will be unharmed no matter what). Note that very large (10+?) drops will negate the ability of the animal to save the dwarf. It seems to be all-or-nothing situation, as in, a dwarf will either fall onto the animal and walk away without a scratch, or fall from (even slightly) too high up and explode all over the place. He can't be cushioned and just break an arm or something.

I have tested this, at least in part. A drop of 53 z-levels onto a few badgers just sort of turns them into... How shall I put it? Paint I suppose. Paint covering about 80 tiles in every direction.

Fascinating.  I played an adventurer once who fell through a hole on the surface all the way to the 3rd cavern layer.  How did she survive a 100+ level fall?  I thought she landed on a hungry head on the bottom.  Maybe she landed on a couple more on the way down? 

[Loud Whispers]

If the drop isn't too far, pasture an animal directly on the tile under the dwarf who's deconstructing the staircase. He shouldn't take damage if he lands on the animal (which will be unharmed no matter what). Note that very large (10+?) drops will negate the ability of the animal to save the dwarf. It seems to be all-or-nothing situation, as in, a dwarf will either fall onto the animal and walk away without a scratch, or fall from (even slightly) too high up and explode all over the place. He can't be cushioned and just break an arm or something.

I have tested this, at least in part. A drop of 53 z-levels onto a few badgers just sort of turns them into... How shall I put it? Paint I suppose. Paint covering about 80 tiles in every direction.

Fascinating.  I played an adventurer once who fell through a hole on the surface all the way to the 3rd cavern layer.  How did she survive a 100+ level fall?  I thought she landed on a hungry head on the bottom.  Maybe she landed on a couple more on the way down?

Maybe hit some flying creatures? Was she fully armoured?

[Quantumtroll]

Fascinating.  I played an adventurer once who fell through a hole on the surface all the way to the 3rd cavern layer.  How did she survive a 100+ level fall?  I thought she landed on a hungry head on the bottom.  Maybe she landed on a couple more on the way down?

Maybe hit some flying creatures? Was she fully armoured?

No armor except for the leather clothes she spawned in.  I think she must have hit some flying hungry heads, seeing as it was a huge swarm and they were present both at the top of the hole (causing the ill-fated dodge) and at the bottom (providing the final soft landing).