At page 670 Determining if staircase constitutes passageway under safety regulations12 citing cases“However, in view of the rule that leave to amend “shall be freely given” (CPLR 3025 [b]) and that defendant has shown no prejudice attributable to plaintiffs omissions, we find that plaintiff should be permitted to proceed with his Labor Law § 202 claim.”
- Villa-Farez v. 840 Fulton, LLC, 2025 NY Slip Op 51422(U) (N.Y. Sup. Kings 2025).unpublished On the other hand, Imperiex has failed to demonstrate, prima facie, that Industrial Code (12 NYCRR) § 23-1.7 (d), which addresses slipping hazards caused by "ice, snow, water, grease and any other foreign substance which may cause slippery…
- Riley v. Mem'l Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr. (David H. Koch Ctr.), 2025 NY Slip Op 30005(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. 2025).unpublishedStairways, ramps or runways shall be provided as the means of access to working levels above or below ground except where the nature or the progress of the work prevents their installation in which case ladders or other safe means of acces…
- Villa-Farez v. 840 Fulton, LLC, 2024 NY Slip Op 50591(U) (N.Y. Sup. Kings 2024).unpublished While the staircase at issue would constitutes a passageway within the meaning of section 23-1.7 (d) because it was plaintiff's only means of accessing the roof ( see Wowk v Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC , 94 AD3d 669, 670 [1st Dept 2012]; Wh…
- Castillo v. West End Towers LLC, 210 A.D.3d 406 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2022).published The Labor Law § 202 claim was correctly dismissed in the absence of citations to any applicable Industrial Code provisions that had been violated ( see Bauer v Female Academy of Sacred Heart , 97 NY2d 445, 452-453 [2002]; Wowk v Broadway 2…
- Tolk v. 11 W. 42 Realty Invs., L.L.C., 201 A.D.3d 491 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2022).publishedFor purposes of the applicability of Industrial Code (12 NYCRR) § 23-1.7(d), a staircase may constitute a passageway when that staircase is the sole access to the work site ( see Harasim v Eljin Constr. of N.Y., Inc. , 106 AD3d 642 , 643 […
- Ohadi v. Magnetic Constr. Grp. Corp., 182 A.D.3d 474 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2020).publishedWhile a staircase used to provide access to a job site is not a passageway or other working surface within the meaning of the provision unless it is the sole means of access ( Wowk v Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC , 94 AD3d 669, 670 [1st Dept…
- Gjeka v. Iron Horse Transp., Inc., 151 A.D.3d 463 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2017).publishedPlaintiffs’ failure to present any reasonable justification for the timing of *465 their amendment does not warrant reversing the court’s exercise of discretion, in light of “the rule that leave to amend ‘shall be freely given’ ” (Wowk v B…
- Harasim v. Eljin Constr. of New York, Inc., 106 A.D.3d 642 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2013).published Indeed, the staircase was the sole means of access to the work site, and it was not an open area accessible to the general public (Wowk v Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC, 94 AD3d 669, 670 [1st Dept 2012]).
At page 671 ascending and descending them, that the wetness was caused by condensate from the nearby air conditioning units and their water tanks, and that there was…2 citing cases
- Sandoval v. 4 World Trade Ctr. LLC, 238 A.D.3d 468 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't 2025).publishedSupreme Court properly dismissed the Labor Law § 241(6) claim because that statute does not apply to routine exterior window washing ( see Wowk v Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC , 94 AD3d 669, 671 [1st Dept 2012]).
- Barreto v. Bd. of Mgrs. of 545 W. 110th St. Condo., 2024 NY Slip Op 30489(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. 2024).unpublishedHowever, cases where the work performed was “routine exterior window washing” are not within the ambit of Section 241(6) (Wowk v Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC, 94 AD3d 669, 671 [1st Dept 2012]).
v.
Broadway 280 Park Fee, LLC, and Istithmar Building 280 Park, LLC, (And a Third-Party Action.)
[*670] Order and judgment (one paper), Supreme Court, New York County (Judith J. Gische, J.), entered April 12, 2011, which, to the extent appealed from, granted defendant Istithmar Building 280 Park, LLC’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint as against it, unanimously modified, on the law, to deny the motion as to the Labor Law § 240 (1) and § 200 and common-law negligence claims, and to deem the complaint amended to assert a claim under Labor Law § 202, and otherwise affirmed, without costs.
Plaintiff, a professional window washer, was injured while carrying water up to the scaffold upon which he worked, when he fell down the fixed exterior staircase that provided the sole means of access to the scaffold.
Exterior window washing is a protected activity under Labor Law § 240 (1) (see Broggy v Rockefeller Group, Inc., 8 NY3d 675, 681 [2007]). Moreover, plaintiff’s act of carrying water for washing the windows was an integral part of cleaning the windows (see Caraciolo v 800 Second Ave. Condominium, 294 AD2d 200, 201-202 [2002]).
Defendant accurately points out that plaintiff stated for the first time on appeal that his first cause of action, which was undenominated, was brought under Labor Law § 202. Plaintiff identified the specific provision of the Industrial Code (12 NYCRR) that defendant allegedly violated, a prerequisite for a Labor Law § 202 claim, for the first time in opposition to defendant’s motion. However, in view of the rule that leave to amend “shall be freely given” (CPLR 3025 [b]) and that defendant has shown no prejudice attributable to plaintiffs omissions, we find that plaintiff should be permitted to proceed with his Labor Law § 202 claim. His activity manifestly is covered by the statute. We also find that the reference in 12 NYCRR 23-1.7 (d) to “passageway[s]” can encompass a permanent staircase, when that staircase is the sole access to the work site (see Ryan v Morse Diesel, 98 AD2d 615, 616 [1983]).
In opposition to defendant’s motion as to the Labor Law § 200 and common-law negligence claims, plaintiff raised an issue of fact whether defendant had constructive notice of a dangerous condition on the work site, based on a recurring condition (see e.g. Martinez v White Cottage Enters., 2 AD3d 506 [2003]; Padula v Big V Supermarkets, 173 AD2d 1094, 1096 [1991]; Sutton v Bruno’s Vil. Inc., 2005 NY Misc LEXIS 3439, *19-21 [2005]). He testified that the treads on the staircase were wet when he was[*671] ascending and descending them, that the wetness was caused by condensate from the nearby air conditioning units and their water tanks, and that there was moisture on the same part of the staircase every morning in August and September until 10:00 or 11:00 a.m., when it burned off.
Labor Law § 241 (6) does not apply to routine exterior window washing (see Agli v Turner Constr. Co., 246 AD2d 16, 24 [1998]). Concur — Andrias, J.E, Saxe, Catterson, Renwick and Roman, JJ. [Prior Case History: 2011 NY Slip Op 30827(U).]