With its 700 rooms, 67 staircases, 2,153 windows and 27 acres of roofing, the sprawling 17th Century Palace outside Paris sets the international standard for a challenging restoration programme.
Forming one part of the massive seventeen year, €390 million restoration project, the UBIX® temporary roof system from Combisafe has been integral in providing protection to the exposed elements of this fragile building during the renovation of the King’s private apartments.
The palace has been in a state of restoration for much of the last four centuries, however the latest masterplan ‘Great Versailles’ is the largest in history. Launched in 2003 by President Chirac, the entire estate is to be restored to its former glory by 2020 through a combination of public funding and support from businesses and individuals.
Until June 2012 a huge artistic canvas will hide scaffolding and building works in the Palais de Versailles’ Royal Courtyard as the roof and main building undergo restoration. To provide weather protection to both the building and workers while the delicate gold leaf is being replaced on the roof of the King’s private apartments, the fast application of the lightweight and robust UBIX temporary roofing system proved ideal.
Specialist scaffolding contractor Ulma specified the UBIX system to cover an area of 800m². With superior strength and durability, UBIX was easily adaptable with Ulma’s multidirectional scaffolding whilst offering the protection the building and contractors required.
Designed with safety as the top priority, UBIX is the lightest and most economical temporary roofing system on the market. With a choice of bay widths – 2.07m, 2.57m and 3.07m – and two beam depths of 45cm and 78cm, UBIX allows for totally bespoke solutions to meet cost and span requirements. Due to its innovative structure and engineered approach, UBIX has the ability to create very large spans of up to 40 metres and more.
By choosing the UBIX system the working at height risk is removed, and the scaffolders were able to benefit from its quick and easy handling and simple erection. Requiring no specialist tools or lifting gear, it can also be managed at height by a relatively small team, and with the boltless fixings and loose components eliminated, all parts snap together for a rapid assembly process.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Versailles is France’s most visited historical monument. While there is some way to go before this glittering palace is restored to all its baroque glory, Combisafe has ensured the building and workers can remain unaffected by the weather, further enhancing the company’s reputation for providing cutting edge temporary roof systems. U.K. Edition
Scaffolding by its nature can be a high risk occupation if it is not carried out in accordance with the latest standards and in compliance with the correct skills. The only recognised training scheme for scaffolders is the CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme), within this scheme there are currently 8 different cards that identify what the particular individual can (and cannot) do with regards to the construction/assembly of a scaffold structure. The 8 cards range from Labourer and Trainee through to Advanced Scaffolder and Scaffold Inspector.
In accordance with CDM (Construction Design Management) Regulations 2007 all clients and contractors must be legally satisfied with the “competence of those engaged” in any works, including scaffolding. To help inform clients and contractors on the scope of any of the 8 CISRS cards available in the UK today two new aids have been launched.
Free Site Poster
CISRS have launched an easily read and informative A2 poster that clearly explains the scope of work that any individual holding a CISRS card can carry out. Designed to be an ideal aide-memoire to any site the poster provides a simple to follow explanation ensuring that any individual’s card can be verified prior to any scaffolding works commencing.
The poster is available free (subject to stock availability) and can be requested directly by contacting CISRS at telephone number 0844 815 7223 or via email at 
Apache Workwear Trousers
The apache brand seems to amaze me every time top quality gear at such a cheap price and these trousers did not disappoint.
First off great styling with different color stitching on the knee area with a simple but effective velcro pocket to place the knee pad in. The trousers have seven pockets including a handy mobile phone pocket.
Very comfortable to wear although not as lightweight as the snickers, the apache pair are made from Cordura Brand Fabric which guarantees hard wearing reliable durability.
Overall the best pair of work trousers for your hard earned money, unbelievable price for what you get.
Price £25.99
ScaffMag Rating: 
Snickers Ultimate Trousers
Probably the most well known brand of work trousers out there and quite rightly so. The Snickers trousers performed well during the review, they felt very comfortable and durable to wear.
The trousers are made from Cotton/Polyamide which make them incredibly lightweight. I also found the velcro pockets for the knee pads great for quick easy access to the pads.
Each pair comes with enough pockets to suit everybody including a handy mobile phone pocket for easy access.
Overall an amazing pair of work trousers but I cannot help but think you would be paying a premium just for the name.
Price £49.15
ScaffMag Rating: 
Blaklader Craftsman Trousers 1570
All the seams on the Blaklader Craftsman Trousers are triple stitched and guaranteed for life. The knee pad pockets are made from Cordura for extra durability with plenty of pockets to keep you happy but thats where the good news stops.
I think there is a few things lacking with the blaklader trousers, they seem to lack any kind of style at all also the knee pad pockets lacked velcro to keep the knee pad in position which was quite frustrating.
Overall if you are looking for a pair of work trousers in this price range I would say save your money and get your self a pair of Apache’s.
Price £41.00
ScaffMag Rating: 
The Greater Manchester services to Eccles and MediaCityUK were suspended while police negotiated with the scaffolders to move the trucks.
The protest was over the collapse of Grace Scaffolding Limited 
At the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire, electricians, scaffolders and welders all stayed out of work. More than 200 electricians picketed both gates at SSI steel works (formerly Corus) in Redcar, Teeside. Scaffolders and electricians refused to work.
A student delegation from Teesside University unfurled a banner saying “Students and workers unite and fight”. One worker from Middlesbrough said, “These protest are about freezing wages. “We’re going to need national action as these changes are going to have a knock-on effect on everybody.”
One electrician spoke of the solidarity they have received from students while another spoke about the importance of unity between public and private sector workers. A short meeting concluded with electricians blocking the Redcar entrance of the site. Traffic backed up around the roundabout.
Workers also stayed off the job at the Pembroke power station in Wales. Other sites to have walkouts included Stanlow in Ellesmere Port, Grangemouth in Scotland, Sellafield in Cumbria, West Burton in Nottinghamshire, Runcorn, Drax and Eggborough in north Yorkshire, Ferrybridge in west Yorkshire, Hinckley point in Somerset and Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire.
In Saltend workers on one project protested and in Liverpool 20 workers from the John Moores University site refused to work and joined a protest there. In London, up to 200 workers protested at the Farringdon Crossrail construction site.
The electricians are campaigning to stop building bosses tearing up their national JIB agreement and cutting wages by up to 35 percent. Agencies are already recruiting the new grade of “installers” in preparation for the introduction of the new contracts.
Many of the workers protesting aren’t covered by the JIB agreement but are covered by the “blue book” national agreement instead.
One scaffolder said, “Our bosses are pushing through a pay freeze for us and pay cuts for the sparks.
“They are coming for us all, so we all have to fight back together.”
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The ‘Get Britain Building’ initiative will focus on ‘shovel ready’ construction sites where work has stalled.
The government is aiming to build an additional 450,000 new homes by 2015.
Developers will compete for funds and building work on selected schemes could start next July.
It is hoped that up to 3,200 of the proposed new properties will be affordable homes and that the initiative will support up to 32,000 jobs.
The initiative is part of the new government housing strategy, also launched today, which includes:
A scheme worth hundreds of millions of pounds to underwrite a small percentage of mortgages for new-build homes. It is designed to reduce the size of a deposit, particularly for first-time buyers, by shifting the loan-to-value ratio. Banks are currently demanding deposits of up to 20% of the value of a property from first-time buyers.
An extra £50m on top of the £100m from this year’s budget towards an initiative to refurbish empty homes, mainly in deprived areas. Andrew Stunell, the Liberal Democrat communities minister, has said there are two years’ supply of homes locked up in empty property.
In a foreword to the government’s new housing strategy, Cameron and Clegg say: “By the time we came to office, house building rates had reached lows not seen in peace time since the 1920s. The economic and social consequences of this failure have affected millions.
“That lack of confidence is visible in derelict building sites and endless For Sale signs. It is doing huge damage to our economy and our society, so it is right for government to step in and take bold action to unblock the market.
“With this strategy we will unlock the housing market, get Britain building again, and give many more people the satisfaction and security that comes from stepping over their own threshold. These plans are ambitious – but we are determined to deliver on them.”
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