Could the accident at Trouville-sur-Mer, in Calvados, on November 30, during which an animation element in the shape of a giant bird fell on part of the public and caused thirteen injuries, occur at carnival or during a flower fight in Nice?
The question arises to the extent that the seven-ton self-propelled structure – which could have tipped over due to a rear wheel caught on a slope – belongs to a company of carnival workers from Nice.
In Nice, during the February festivities, around fifteen carnival floats for the corsi and as many for the flower battles, although much smaller, parade at Place Masséna, avenue de Verdun, on part of the Promenade des Anglais and avenue Max -Gallo. They are driven by drivers.
Between these tanks there are street art troupes with various elements, sometimes self-propelled, sometimes pulled, sometimes propelled by pedals.
We questioned the town hall, organizer of the Nice demonstration. Graig Monetti, Deputy Mayor for Events, provides answers.
Nobody among the giants
To return to the initial question, could the Trouville accident take place on a Nice corso, the answer is as follows: “Guaranteeing the safety of spectators during the carnival is our priority and we consider all situations with the carnival-goers and the various services. Beyond the control of the floats and the entertainment elements, everything is put in place to secure the welcome from the public: trackers, barriers, soft ropes.”
In fact, what must be remembered is that now, for several years, the public has no longer had the right to move along the festive route among floats with oversized subjects, which was not the case at the Trouville Christmas parade where the public was in the middle of the structures.
In Nice, it is contained on both sides of the parade. So, already at this level, the risks are limited.
In three stages
However, this route must still be secured and controlled. How? Things happen in three stages.
First, the journey of the floats from the warehouses to the party grounds: “It is defined in advance with the carnival-goers. If a road element hinders the passage of the floats, the necessary actions are taken to correct the problem.”
Next, the parade route itself: “Before the entry of spectators, the carnival teams carry out a check of the route to ensure that no obstacle or road defect hinders passage. A check was also carried out by the carnival goers. For the next edition, this recognition will be done jointly with the carnival-goers and participating troops.”
Finally, during the parade, “the carnival holder holding the lot, therefore the float, is obliged to provide the necessary personnel, on the one hand for the good circulation of the floats to guide the driver, secure the passage of the float and facilitate circulation, and on the other hand on the other hand, for the maintenance of the installations during the event. The City also provides trackers, also positioned around each tank..
Everyone has their responsibility
The other major security concerns the tanks and street art troupes. Are they controlled? In what way?
The floats are made up of a platform, property of the City, and elements (patterns, subjects, etc.) belonging to the holder of the lot, therefore the carnival operator, under whose responsibility they are placed.
“The City carries out the necessary maintenance and revisions on all platforms before leaving them to the holder for the construction of his tank. The technical inspection of the elements making up the tank is obviously registered in the market and is the responsibility of the holder of the lot. The work covered by the contract is subject to technical inspection by an approved body. The float holder must provide, at least seven calendar days before the start of the festivities, certificates from an inspection office attesting to the conformity of the float. to safety standards and making status, in particular, of all checks concerning wind resistance, electrical installations and fire extinguishers installed on the platform. The receipt of each tank by the community is conditional on the prior provision by the holder of these technical inspection certificates. .”
As for the street art troupes performing during the parades, “these are professional troops, responsible for their installations, for which the City requires a certificate of control approved by an organization. They carry out a scouting of the route before the parade and are accompanied, throughout the route, by City trackers “.
