And always a violation

This service drop was located too close to the roof surface. The service entrance raceway was located on the other side of the building that was once used to prepare very special breakfasts near an airport in Raleigh, N.C. I took this photo from the back seat of a taxi a long time ago, when I was on the way to the Raleigh airport.

It's interesting to note that the service was released for connection, and was in use for many years. The Code clearances, requiring 8 ft from the roof surface, are for the benefit of firefighters. In this case they would have jumped over the drop, or tripped while trying to save lives.

Section 230-24(a) covers installations above roofs, requiring that service conductors must have a vertical clearance of not less than 8 ft above the roof surface. The vertical clearance above the roof level is required to be maintained for a distance of not less than 3 ft in all directions from the edge of the roof.