ran into a 1996 home with deck balusters that were 4 3/8" apart instead of 4"
deck was about 1 ft off of the ground.
How many would call this out as needing modification.
Can anyone cite where the 4" or smaller requirements reside?
being that it is only 12" off the ground I would not call this out.
2003 irc 312
I would note that the area may not be child safe but would not call out a need for modification.
You bet I do over 4 inches a child can go through and the head gets caught .
I care less if they fix it I do not want to miss it.
I write Hard and talk soft and try to miss nothing.
I’m with Roy. Did one last week wasn’t even a deck just a railing surrounding a dirt area. Still notified the client, although who ever put the railings up did not measure anything anywhere.
Would also notify them about the spacing being a safety hazard to small children…but would also let them know that in our area, anything under 2 feet doesn’t even require a railing/balusters.
Isn’t that a 30" requirement?
Darrell is in Canada…
I don’t walk around with a tape measure, but if I run into balusters that appear more than 4" wide, I call it out.
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Would balusters with a spacing of, say, ten inches be a ssafety hazard for children? (if they were in a location where a railing would not be required)
everything is a safety hazard for kids ! 
we are really not in a position to say.
Noted and pointed a situation similar to this out to a Client on an inspection last week.
An Hour Later, the Client’s 2 year old had her head stuck in the Railing.