(1) The open sides of every platform, balcony and stairway forming part of a fire escape shall be protected by guards not less than 920 mm high measured vertically above the nosing of any tread or platform.
(2) The top rail of a guard is permitted to serve as a handrail if it is free from obstructions that could break a handhold.
(3) A wall handrail shall be installed if the fire escape is more than 550 mm wide.
(4) Openings through any guard that is required by Sentence (1) shall be of a size that will prevent the passage of a sphere having a diameter more than 100 mm unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings that exceed this limit do not represent a hazard.
(5) Unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings do not present a hazard, a guard for a fire escape shall be designed so that no member, attachment or opening located between 140 mm and 900 mm above a platform or the nosing of any tread will facilitate climbing.