Two employees of Total Western were replacing an 8-inch valve on a steam line located on an oil lease owned and operated by MacPherson Oil Company when they both suffered significant burn injuries.

After being burned by the 550-degree water and steam, the plaintiff lost consciousness and rolled down hill to the road.

MacPherson failed to identify a low point bleed valve that needed to be opened to bleed down a high pressure and high temperature steam line prior to plaintiffs commencing work on the line to replace a valve; failed to shut down the steam generation plant 24 hours prior to the scheduled work in accordance with best oilfield practices; failed to follow its own procedures related to the lock out/tag out process inasmuch as MacPherson failed to confirm that all isolation points were listed on its Hazardous Energy Isolation List; and informed the plaintiffs that they were safe to commence working on the line after MacPherson mistakenly believed that the line had been relieved of its pressure and hot water.