The purpose of a minimum guard height is to ensure that guards are high enough to help prevent accidental falls over the guard. The height of a guard should be close to the waist height of an average person so that jostling or pushing under crowded conditions will not result in accidental falls over the guard.
The lower minimum height for guards serving dwelling units and houses with a secondary suite (including their common spaces), with the exception of exterior guards protecting walking surfaces above a certain height, is rationalized on the basis of occupant familiarity.
In other occupancies, guards protecting level surfaces, such as balconies and landings, are required to be higher than those serving stairs other than required exit stairs. However, the specified minimum height for guards serving stairs, which is measured vertically from the top of the handrail to a line drawn through the tread nosings, corresponds to an effective height in relation to a stair user that is comparable to the specified minimum height for guards serving level surfaces.
Quoted from Illustrated User's Guide - NBC2015
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