I'm currently watching HBOs "Chernobyl". I'm in the episode in which the Russians are clearing the roof of one of the reactor buildings. It is littered with radioactive debris.

They cannot use a robot to clear the roof because the radiation destroys the microchips used to control the robots. So they decide to use humans instead, even though they know that the humans will be exposed to high levels of radiation.

Question: Why didn't they construct a crane tower next to the reactor building, attach a crane and then use the swinging arm and a broom (or something similar) to clear the debris? All you have to do is sweep or knock it all over the side.