Are miners allowed to work under dangerous highwalls?

• A. Yes, under supervision
• B. No, they should be taken down immediately
• C. Yes, if the work is urgent
• D. Only with a permit

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is recognizing that an unstable, dangerous highwall creates an imminent burial risk to workers. Miners should not be working under a highwall that could fail or shed large rocks. When a highwall is deemed dangerous, the immediate safety step is to remove or neutralize the hazard and stop work in that area right away. That’s why the correct approach is to take down the dangerous portion or otherwise stabilize and clear the area before any further activity resumes. Until the highwall is made safe, continuing operations underneath would put miners in extreme danger from rockfalls or collapses.

Options that imply continuing work under the risk, even with supervision, or only applying safety rules in special cases, aren’t acceptable because they don’t eliminate the immediate hazard. Relying on a permit doesn’t automatically make it safe to proceed under a known dangerous highwall; the hazard must be addressed first.