General Order 95

Section VIII

Detailed Construction Requirements for Communication Lines
(Class C Circuits)

84.8    Service Drops

A.    Material and Size (See Table 8 Rule 49.4C7b )

Note:    Revised January 21, 1992 by Resolution SU–10.

B.    Attached to Surface of Pole

(1)    Service Drops from Open Wire Lines Supported on Crossarm:Attachments, (by means of hooks, knobs, or brackets) on the surface of pole shall be not less than 6 feet below or 4 feet above the level of the nearest unprotected supply conductor supported on the same pole.

Note:    Revised January 21, 1992 by Resolution SU–10.

(2)    Service Drops from Cabled Lines:

a)    Cable Supported on Crossarm: Service drops attached to crossarms supporting cables shall not be less than 15 inches from the center line of pole as required by Table 1, Case 8, Column B .

b)    Cable without Guard Arm, Supported on Surface of Pole:

1)    Attachments shall not be less than 6 feet below the level of any supply conductor of more than 750 volts and shall not be less than 5 feet vertically below the level of any unprotected supply conductor of 0 - 750 volts.

2)    Drive hooks shall occupy pole surface areas not more than 8 inches in height and 1 inch in width, and not more than four hooks shall be placed in each of these areas.(See Appendix G, Figure 39 ).

3)    Service drops shall not be attached to more than three sides (there being four sides) while maintaining climbing space.

c)    Cable with Guard Arm, Supported on Surface of Pole: Attachments may be placed on the face, back and bottom of the guard arm not less than 15 inches from the center line of pole, provided the drop wires are below the top surface of the guard arm and the lateral run of the drop wires is installed with the provisions of Rule 84.6–C .

C.    Clearances above Ground and Buildings

The vertical clearances shall not be less than the minimum clearances specified in Rule 37 , Table 1, Column B , with the following modifications:

(1)    Above Public Thoroughfares: Vertical clearance shall not be less than 18 feet.

EXCEPTION:    Not more than 12 feet horizontally from the curb line, the 18 foot clearance may be gradually reduced to not less than 16 feet at the curb line. In no case shall the clearance at the center line be less than 18 feet. Where there are no curbs, the foregoing provisions shall apply using the outer limits of normal longitudinal vehicular movement in lieu of a curb line.

(2)    Above Private Thoroughfares or Private Property:

a)    Industrial and Commercial Premises: Over private driveways, lanes or property accessible to vehicles, service drops shall not be less than 16 feet.

b)    Residential Premises: Over residential driveways, lanes or over property accessible to vehicles, service drops shall not be less than 12 feet.

EXCEPTION:    If the building served does not permit an attachment which will provide this 12 foot clearance without the installation of a structure on the building, the clearance shall be as great as possible, but in no case less than 10 feet

Note:    In exceptional circumstances see Rule 14 .

Note:    Revised January 21, 1992 by Resolution SU–10.

(3)    Above Ground in Areas Accessible to Pedestrians Only:

a)    Industrial and Commercial Premises: Over areas accessible to pedestrians only, the vertical clearance shall not be less than 12 feet.

b)    Residential Premises: Over areas accessible to pedestrians only, the vertical clearance shall not be less than 10 feet.

EXCEPTION:    If the building served does not permit an attachment which will provide this 10 foot clearance without the installation of a structure on the building, the clearance shall be as great as possible but in no case less than 8 feet 6 inches.

c)    Above Ground on Fenced Railway Rights–of–Way (See Rule 84.4–A4 )

Note:    Revised January 21, 1992 by Resolution SU–10.

(4)    From Buildings and Structures: Service drops should be arranged so as not to hamper or endanger firefighters and workers in performing their duties.

Service drops are not required to clear buildings any specified horizontal distance but shall be so installed that they do not interfere with the free use of fire escapes, windows, doors and other points at which entrance or exit might be expected.

Service drops are not required to clear the roofs of buildings on the premises served any specified vertical distance.The vertical clearance above buildings on premises other than the one being served shall not be less than 8 feet, except that a reduction to not less than 2 feet is permitted under either of the following conditions;

a)    Over roofs whose slope exceeds 9 inches of rise per 12 inches of run (see sketch), or

b)    Over roofs where the service drop does not overhang the building by more than 6 feet.

Note:    Revised November 21, 1990 by Resolution SU–6.

(5)    Over Swimming Pools (See Rule 84.4–A5b and Figure 84–1 ).

Note:    Added January 2, 1962 by Resolution No. E–1109, and Revised November 21, 1990 by Resolution SU–6.

D.    Clearances between Conductors

These clearances shall not be less than the minimums specified in Rule 38 , Table 2, Column C , with the following modifications:

(1)    Above or below Supply Line Conductors (See Rule 32.2–F ):

a)    Crossings in Spans: ( Table 2, Case 4, Column C [48 inches]):Vertical clearance may be reduced to not less than 24 inches provided:

1)    Crossing is below line conductors of 0 - 750 volts, or above line cables as in Rule 57.8 , and

2)    Crossing is 6 feet or more from any pole supporting one , but not both, involved conductors.

b)    Supported on the Same Pole: ( Table 2, Case 9, Column C [48 inches]): Vertical clearance may be reduced to not less than the values shown in Table 15 , provided pole–top clearance attachments are not involved.

Note:    Revised January 21, 1992 by Resolution SU–10; and November 6, 1992 by Resolution No. SU–15.

Table 15:    Minimum Radial Clearance Between Communications Service Drops and Line Conductors

(2)    On Clearance Crossarms: Communication service drops may be supported on a clearance crossarm at a vertical distance less than as specified in Table 2, Case 9, Column C (48 inches), but not less than 24 inches above or below supply circuits of 0 - 750 volts, or above supply cables when treated as in Rule 57.8 , provided the communication service drop conductors are at least 25 inches horizontally from the center line of pole or are attached to suitable brackets on each end of the clearance arm and carried on the underside of the clearance arm from end to end in fiber or plastic conduit or under wood protective covering as specified in Rule 54.6–C .

Service drops installed in accordance with this rule will not entail any change in the supply conductors supported on the pole.

Note:    Revised June 7, 1965 by Decision No. 69071.

(3)    On Pole–Top Extensions: Communication service drops may be carried in a clearance crossing on pole–top extensions or brackets above supply conductors of 0 - 750 volts with a minimum vertical conductor separation of 24 inches, provided the service drop conductors clear the center line of pole (projected) not less than 25 inches horizontally, and further provided the service drop conductors clear the outside pin position conductors of the other circuit not less than 24 inches. Where, in addition to the pole–top extension or bracket, the communication service drops are supported on a bracket on the end of the 0 - 750 volt supply line crossarm, a minimum radial clearance of 12 inches will be permitted at the point of crossing of the outside pin position conductor. In such construction the crossarm of the extension shall be of wood.

Service drops installed in accordance with this rule will not entail any change in the supply conductors supported on the pole.

(4)    Above or below Supply Service Drops: The radial clearance between communication service drop conductors and supply service drop conductors may be less than 48 inches as specified in Table 2, Column C, Cases 4 and 9; Column D, Cases 3 and 8 , but shall be not less than 24 inches. Where within 15 feet of the point of attachment of either service drop on a building, this clearance may be further reduced but shall be not less than 12 inches.

(5)    Above Trolley Contact Conductors: Service drops may cross above trolley contact conductors, including messenger in catenary construction, at a vertical distance of not less than 4 feet, provided they clear the top of rails a vertical distance of 26 feet where the railway crossed transports standard freight cars or 23 feet where the railway does not transport freight cars. See also Rule 32.2–F .

E.    Clearance from Other Poles

Service drops shall clear the center line of any pole by which they are not supported by not less than 22.5 inches, except where such pole is less than 10 feet from the pole which supports the service drops. Where these two poles are less than 10 feet apart this clearance may be less than 22.5 inches but shall not be less than 15 inches.

(1)    From Nonclimbable Street Lighting or Traffic Signal Poles or Standards: (See Rule 84.4–D4a )

Note:    Added January 8, 1980 by Decision No. 91186 and revised March 9, 1988 by Resolution E–3076; and November 6, 1992 by Resolution No. SU–15.