You CAN do something abou

DRODUCT LIABILITY is a con- I stant threat to retailers. especially those who sell hand tools. Can anything be done about it?

Yes, says the Hand Tools Institute. The fact that you aresued does not necessarily mean that you are legally responsible or liable. However, the chances of your getting involved are increasing as more and more people become do-it-yourselfers and more and more law suits are filed in this era of consumer protectionism.

Simply put, the product liability laws as they apply to a retailer say that a dealer can be legally responsible if he contributed to a defect or creates a defect which causes or con- tributes to an injury. The law also tools for specific uses. sales people, makes the retailer responsible if a unless they have been schooled in salesperson, or anyof his employees, the correct use of tools, should not misinforms a customer on the proper give advice or make recommendaand safe use of a product. Advertise- tions to customers. ments which directly or inadver- Rung also urges retailers to pre- tently misinform buyers also make pare consumer handouts carrying the retailer responsible. If during instructions on the proper use of unpacking of merchandise, warning tools with safety precautions. These, labels are removed, intentionally or he explains, strouto be given to each unintentionally or if the hand tools person purchasing a haid tool. are modified or damaged in any way, other precautions include offerthe retailer is at fault. ing clinics or VHS presentations on ^ .?on \ung, manager of technical tool safety, displaying safety charts field services for Lumber Mutual In- prominenily in itre tra-no tool section surance co., recommends that in ad- and testing all sales people on their dition a retailer take precautions tool safety knowledge. against allowing uninformed, un- what should a ietailer do if he trained sales people to recommend suspects a possible product liability