I've worked from the top down....VERY carefully and constantly testing stability as I went.
Diesel driven hydraulics makes it much safer (,faster, and easier).
Didn't use it on the last pile pre-tractor or think of it...but I have enough straps and chains to use a come-a-long to pick apart a pile if I needed too.
Back in the 90s I had a pile at a log landing in the woods I worked that I developed a routine to "twitch" the logs so they ended up at a right angle to the pile with a logging chain, tow strap, and my S-1o.