A handrail must be built if a deck or platform is over one metre in height.
Types of handrails required
Handrails must be continuous - i.e. no gaps or openings big enough for children to squeeze through.
They must be at a minimum height of one metre and strong and rigidly built
(i.e. they must not wobble or move).
The maximum gap between vertical supports is 100mm.
There are to be no climbable horizontal rails between 150mm and 760mm above the floor or ground.
Old handrails
Handrails built before the 1991 Building Code do not have to be upgraded to comply with the Code unless they are structurally unsound, grossly inadequate or non-existent.
There have, however, been a number of accidents where handrails or barriers built before this date have proved inadequate.
You don't necessarily have to rebuild your handrail, but there are some ways you can make older handrails safer:
Fixing fine mesh to existing handrails to cover large gaps
Extend the top rail to increase height
Additional fixings to make the handrail stronger or more rigid
