The New Jersey Supreme Court has declined, in a 5-2 ruling, to impose a duty on landlords to install protective covers over radiators in apartment buildings.

A plain reading of the state’s Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law shows radiators are excluded from a list of items that must be insulated or covered to prevent burns, the justices said in the majority opinion. The court also found no obligation under common law for the landlord to install a protective cover on the radiator, based on the fact that the tenants in the present case have access to a control valve that permits them to turn the heat on and off.