Interpretation #7842

It's pretty clear that the load combinations apply. For
one, there's nothing in the code or ASCE 7 that exempts load
combinations for handrail/guardrail design. Secondly, what's
the justification for not applying the load combinations?
There's not one. It's a structural member in that loads are
required to be applied and it has to be designed, whether
steel, wood, plastic, or glass (not to mention that loads
for handrails/guardrails are located in the "Live Load"
section of the code). Now, the 200 lb. load doesn't have to
be applied concurrently with the 50 psf uniform load. You
might ask does it make sense to design for these live loads
on handrails/guardrails in combination with hurricane loads?
Are people gonna be on their balconies during a hurricane?
Probably not. But if you look at the load combinations for
ASD, there's only 1 that includes live and wind which is

D + .75L + 0.75(0.6)W + 0.75(Lr or S or R)

So you are basically design for 75% of the Live load in
combination with 45% of the Wind load. So in general, the
load combinations take this into account.