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Irish company working in France

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  • 13-03-2013 11:27pm
    #1
    scwazrh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,694 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone have any experience of an Irish company carrying out work in France .Its in the construction industry and is a small scale works over a 4 month period.I have cleared all the practicalities of getting staff there and sourcing materials but I need to find out is there any issues with health and safety or other regulations with working there.

    Thanks in advance


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    #2
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    Yeah - the natives! :eek: Seriously.

    I worked for a UK company last year on a big site officially as a translator, but mostly as a "liaison officer". Everything was going grand till the Big Boss decided he didn't need to pay for a "translator" because they had someone in the office (back in England) who spoke French. I tried to convince them that the reason they were paying me to speak French was to keep talking and make sure "bad stuff" didn't happen.

    The Big Boss didn't listen, insisted I was surplus to requirement and politely told me to sod off which I duly did. Three weeks later, the French H&S guy - who I had been keeping sweet - decided they were working more than the regulation 35 hours a week (they were - clocking up about 60) and sent them all home for six weeks to get the average back down. They were all subcontractors, a third of them didn't come back, the project ran way over time; not having me around cost the company an estimated 25.000€

    So, H&S - big headache if they want it to be; working hours - don't expect to be allowed work like in Ireland, depends on whether there's a union involved. You may be limited to 0800-1800, max 39 hours per week, no work on Sundays or Bank Holidays (and there are a lot of those from April-July).

    Supplies - don't expect next-day deliveries. French wholesalers re-order when they've got nothing left, not when they're running low. :( And don't expect any deliveries on Sat, Sun or Mon (HGVs are banned from the roads on weekends in July and August)

    Accommodation - give yourself at least three months to find somewhere suitable and if it's in the summer, especially in a tourist area, make sure you budget accordingly (Co. above gave me the job on Monday afternoon, the team was arriving Monday evening; budget 10€ pp/nt ... :pac: After putting the guys up for four weeks in a 3-star hotel at 30€ pp/nt, Big Boss agreed to up the rate, by which time the best deals were gone. That cost him another 10k altogether)

    If you're still up for it and you need on-site help, especially before you get started, that's what I do. PM for details.


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