Abstract: At approximately 5:00 p.m. on October 9, 2003, a coworker, the water inspector, of Western Pipeline, Inc. forgot to remove his pressure gauge from a fire hydrant after a water line pressure test. The coworker called Employee #1, the foreman, and asked if he would remove the gauge for him. The water line was pressurized to 160 psi. Employee #1 went to the fire hydrant and turned the valve to what he thought was in the "off" position. He then loosened the pressure gauge to relieve the residual pressure in the fire hydrant. The pressure gauge assembly did not have a bleed off valve to relieve the residual pressure. When Employee #1 loosened the pressure gauge assembly, it blew off the hydrant and pulled him down into the stream of water blowing out of the fire hydrant. Employee #1 was injured when the stream of water struck in the back. The water continued to blow out for several minutes. Employee #1was transported to Mercy San Juan Hospital in Sacramento, California where he was treated for a broken back.