New York has strict premises liability laws, and property owners are required to maintain reasonably safe premises. Reasonable precautions must be taken to avoid the risk of a slip and fall. This includes snow and ice removal from the sidewalks and walkways outside a building or home. It also includes ensuring that any area with icy, snowy, or a slippery or wet floor has warnings in place, and the area is cleaned throughout the day.
New York law requires any owner, tenant, occupant or other person in charge of a property to clear the snow and ice from the sidewalk within four hours from the time the snow stops falling, or by 11 a.m. if snow was still falling at 9 p.m. the prior evening. When snow has become frozen solid or is too hard to remove, it is allowable to spread unused kitty litter, salt, sand, sawdust or other suitable materials within those same time limits.
