We often come across short sections of stairs and can be be very challenging to deal with form a design and safety perspective.
According to the building code a guardrails are required when there is a difference of 30 inches or greater between two upper and lower surfaces. Anything over 30″ will require a 36″ – 38″ high railing to protect against falls. In practice, 30″ is a substantial drop and fall protection should be considered in certain circumstances. When it comes to stairs, a railing is required if there are more than four risers.
Here are some examples o glass and stainless steel railing being used for short sections of stairs.