Handrails and guards look similar but do different jobs, and the code treats them separately. Handrails (IBC 1014) are graspable rails for stairs and ramps: top of the gripping surface 34 to 38 inches above the nosing, continuous, with extensions at the top and bottom of stair flights, and a graspable profile. Guards (IBC 1015) protect open-sided walking surfaces from falls: at least 42 inches high where the drop exceeds 30 inches, with openings that won't pass a 4-inch sphere (to keep children from slipping through).
A required stair generally needs both — a handrail to hold and a guard at open sides.
The common mistake is a guard with a horizontal "ladder" pattern or openings larger than 4 inches, or handrail extensions omitted at the ends of a flight. Reviewers check handrail height, continuity, and extensions, and confirm guard height and the 4-inch sphere rule wherever there's a drop — these are among the most frequently red-lined details on any set.
This guide describes the model code for general understanding and is not a substitute for the adopted code and amendments enforced by your local authority having jurisdiction. Verify all figures against your jurisdiction's codes of record.