A. General. Every exterior and interior flight of stairs having more than four (4) risers shall have a handrail on one (1) side of the stair and every open portion of a stair, landing, balcony, porch, deck, ramp or other walking surface that is more than thirty (30) inches (seven hundred sixty-two (762) mm) above the floor or grade below shall have guards. Handrails shall be not less than thirty (30) inches (seven hundred sixty-two (762) mm) in height or more than forty-two (42) inches (one thousand sixty-seven (1,067) mm) in height measured vertically above the nosing of the tread or above the finished floor of the landing or walking surfaces. Guards shall be not less than thirty (30) inches (seven hundred sixty-two (762) mm) in height above the floor of the landing, balcony, porch, deck, or ramp or other walking surface. Exception: Guards shall not be required where exempted by the adopted building code.