Flixton Plant in Cluster 14 has recently had its mess room replaced after rats decided they liked the look of the old one and tried to take up residence. Matthew Yaxley, Cluster Manager, explains what happened: “We have been looking at the mess room for some time but with the Plant Welfare & Housekeeping Improvement Project it was decided that a new mess room would be undertaken as part of this project.

Due to the mains electrics being housed within the mess room, careful consideration and thought was needed as the costs to move the electrics from its current location would have run into tens of thousands of pounds. Following consultation with contractors and employees it was decided that we would work to enclose the area and create a separate electrical shed leaving the mains supply where it was and making it ‘rat proof’, and to install a new steel container rather than wood like the existing mess room.

After several weeks of careful planning and the use of our own labour rather than contractors, again saving money with exception to an Electrician, the old mess room was destroyed, a separate electric shed and a new steel container put into place. This was all possible thanks to the Operations Team in the Cluster and the results are better Welfare facilities for our employees and visitors.

I would like to finish the story by thanking everybody involved making this possible and through the great Team work.  A vast amount of money was saved by building an electric shed around the current electrics rather than the costly exercise of moving them.  I am pleased that this was completed as part of the Plant Welfare & Housekeeping Improvement Project. The transformation is absolutely fantastic and more importantly better for our Employees, Contractors and Visitors.”