SafetyTalk On September 30, 2024, a miner sustained permanently disabling injuries while operating a Caterpillar 992K front-end loader (FEL) beneath a highwall. A roughly 50-ft. section of highwall fell onto the FEL crushing the cab and pinning the miner's legs under the dashboard. Best Practices * Develop and follow procedures for the safe control of all highwalls where miners work and travel in close proximity to the highwall. MSHA Safety Alert Highwall Failure Accident * Train miners to recognize highwall hazards. * Conduct highwall examinations and eliminate hazards (loose rocks, overhangs, trees, etc.) prior to working or traveling near the highwall. Examine highwalls from multiple perspectives (bottom, sides and top/crest). Examine highwalls more frequently after rain events and periods of freezing and thawing. * Use auxiliary lighting during low light conditions to conduct highwall examinations and illuminate active work areas. * Never park equipment, perform maintenance or store materials beneath the highwall. Figure 1. A FEL operator was seriously injured when a section of highwall fell onto the CAT 992K FEL while operating next to a highwall. A large rock from the collapsed highwall crushing the FEL front cab pinning the miner's legs under the dash. 34 The Journal of Explosives Engineering November/December 2024