At common law an employer must take reasonable care to provide adequate plant and machinery and see that it is properly maintained. This includes the provision of protective devices and clothing and, where appropriate, a warning or exhortation to use such equipment. The employer may also have to take account of any special disabilities of the workman (Paris v. Stepney B.C. (1951)). Under the Employers’ Liability (Defective Equipment) Act 1969 the employer is strictly liable for injury caused by a latent defect in a tool, even though the fault is that of the manufacturer. See PUWER.