N.Y. MDW Law § 188

§ 188. Bulkheads and scuttles. Except as provided in paragraph g of\nsubdivision three of section one hundred seventy-one, bulkheads and\nscuttles shall conform to the following provisions: 1. Every required\nbulkhead to and through the roof shall be fireproof or constructed of\nwood covered with metal on the outside and fire-retarded on the inside,\nand shall have a fire-retarded door and assembly with the door\nself-closing. Every stair extending through a bulkhead shall have a hand\nrail.\n 2. Every scuttle shall be at least twenty-one inches in width and\ntwenty-eight inches in length, covered on the outside with metal and\nprovided with a stair or a stationary iron ladder leading thereto and\neasily accessible to all occupants of the dwelling. Every scuttle shall\nbe located in the ceiling of the stair hall on the top story and access\nto the roof through the scuttle shall be direct and uninterrupted. It\nshall be unlawful to enclose in any manner the ladder or stair leading\nto a scuttle.\n 3. Every bulkhead door or scuttle shall not be self-locking and shall\nbe fastened on the inside with movable bolts, hooks, or a lock which\ndoes not require a key to open from the inside of the dwelling.\n 4. Where a dwelling has a peak roof with a pitch of more than fifteen\ndegrees, no bulkhead or scuttle, or stair or ladder leading thereto,\nshall be required.\n