Legal Definitions - simple-tool rule

The simple-tool rule is a legal principle that can limit an employer's responsibility for certain workplace injuries. It generally states that an employer is not obligated to warn employees about dangers that are clearly obvious to anyone involved in the situation. Furthermore, an employer is typically not required to inspect a basic, uncomplicated tool that is solely used and controlled by an employee who is already fully aware of that tool's condition.

Essentially, this rule assumes that employees can recognize common, apparent risks associated with simple tools or situations. Therefore, the employer does not have a special duty to point out such obvious dangers or to constantly check the condition of simple tools that are under the exclusive control and knowledge of the employee using them.

Here are some examples to illustrate the simple-tool rule:

• Example 1: Obvious Danger with a Simple Tool

  A construction worker is using a standard claw hammer to remove nails from a wooden frame. The hammer's head has a noticeable chip on one side, which is clearly visible. While striking a nail, the chipped part of the hammer breaks off, causing a minor cut to the worker's hand. The employer might invoke the simple-tool rule, arguing that the chipped hammer head presented an obvious danger that the worker, as the user, should have recognized. Since a hammer is a simple tool and its defect was apparent, the employer might not be held liable for failing to specifically warn about or inspect this obvious condition.

• Example 2: Employee Control and Knowledge of a Simple Tool

  A professional gardener regularly uses their personal, well-worn pair of pruning shears for daily tasks. Over time, the spring mechanism on the shears becomes slightly stiff, a condition the gardener is fully aware of and has adapted to. One day, while pruning a thick branch, the stiff spring causes the shears to unexpectedly snap shut, pinching the gardener's finger. The simple-tool rule could apply here because pruning shears are considered a simple tool. The gardener had exclusive control over their use and was fully acquainted with the tool's condition (the stiff spring). Therefore, the employer might not be responsible for failing to inspect or warn about a defect the employee already knew about and managed.

• Example 3: Apparent Risk in a Common Task

  A warehouse employee is tasked with moving boxes using a hand truck (a simple two-wheeled dolly). The employee notices that one of the hand truck's tires is visibly deflated, making it harder to maneuver. Despite this, the employee decides to use it to move a heavy stack of boxes. Due to the flat tire, the hand truck becomes unstable, causing the boxes to tip and strain the employee's back. The employer could argue that the deflated tire was an obvious condition, and using the hand truck in that state presented an apparent risk. Under the simple-tool rule, the employer might not have had a duty to specifically warn about the obvious danger of using a hand truck with a flat tire, as it's a simple tool and the condition was clear to the user.