Welcome RJ,
1st and foremost remember that the specifications for requirements for what and where within model and adopted building codes are a minimum standard and as thus what might seem to some as "very dangerous" is in fact considered perfectly fine, acceptable and legal to be constructed. Building environments are not designed to be Styrofoam safety boxes.
Points of note for your questions:
- A guard at the top level prior to the seating area, is it required per code?
- Guards are required for walking surfaces, and are also only required when the drop is 30-inches or more in vertical height and that drop is achieved within the first 36-inches from the edge of the open side it would serve.
- Thus you could have a consecutive set of "step like drops" that are 29.5-inches high for a level distance out from each edge for 36.125-inches and not require guards at all.
- As thus most of these types of seating areas fall into to this design concept, so as not to require guards and provide an open seating area.
- However, if the 30-inch drop is achieved within the first 36-inches, then yes they would be required.
- Handrails, since these areas are technically "Assembly Seating" this moves you over into Section 1029 for when and were handrails are required, which are relaxed from 1014 to allow for access and egress.
- As thus breaks in the running of the handrails and handrail extensions at seating areas which provide access to the walking surface at each row are specifically allowed within the code under 1029. The parameters are spelled out in 1029.
From my experience on projects with these types of areas the designers normally work to stay within 3 riser maximums between levels, which would be around 21-inches or less. Thus if you look closely at the picture in post #5 by ClassicT, you will see that each level is set at 2 riser changes in level, thus every 2 levels would establish a 28-inch drop I am guest-i'-mating and every 2 levels of horizontal seating/walking surface is larger than 36-inches, which is perfectly compliant and allowed when the adopted building code has not been modified from the model code during adoption by the authority having jurisdiction.
Also, I will note that when talking with plan reviewers, they tend to comb over these areas with a fine tooth comb during permit submittals to make sure they are within the criteria of what the "Adopted Building Code", hence "Law" allows to be in a public or private facility.
So making an arm chair guess on what you are looking, I can't say for sure, but I would venture a guess that they are legally allowed to not have guards and the handrails, well again without an inspection report spelling out all the details, pretty much no one here can tell you if they comply or not, but guessing they do if the property was inspected during construction.
Regards - Tom