My cat is helping model the staircase in our new home. It was built in the late 80s and follows not one single code. We are hiring a blacksmith to redesign it so that it is child safe (and up to code). I can find code restrictions for most any aspect of stairs except I can’t find code related to how far a railing can be away from the stairs. Traditionally, the railings are right above the stairs, but they aren’t in our case. Must they be or is there a dimension that they can be away from the stairs and still be up to code?