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The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has been recognised for innovation and improvement for its health and safety e-Learning modules, which, since their release, have resulted in a reduction of around a third in reported employee accidents.
The VOA was a runner-up in The HR, Learning and Development Award at the National Civil Service 2008 Awards for its e-learning on health and safety. The four module programme was designed to educate staff who undertake pre-arranged visits to property, incorporating ‘Safety on Site’, ‘Hazards’, ‘Personal Protective Equipment’, and ‘Asbestos Awareness’. The latter module was produced to comply with legislation requiring mandatory training for anyone who could potentially be exposed to asbestos.
Face-to-face workshops would have proved costly, given the need for expert trainers to lead each workshop, and there was also a need to provide for ongoing refresher training. The VOA’s solution was to produce an e-learning programme in collaboration with experts from the private sector, to achieve a balanced, informative approach incorporating interesting activities and engaging visual designs. The modules meet both current and future needs for training utilising the most cost-effective approach. The modules have been popular with the Agency’s staff and, in addition to meeting the mandatory training requirement, they have been successful in raising awareness of health and safety issues and have resulted in a reduction in employee accidents.
Andrew Hudson, the VOA’s Chief Executive, said:
“I am delighted that our Health and Safety e-Learning has been recognised in this way. Our HR Learning team has done an excellent job in developing informative, engaging e-Learning. Health and safety is extremely important, and the e-Learning has proven to be very effective. We are keen to share these products with other organisations within the profession.”
Notes to Editors
- The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an Executive Agency of HM Revenue & Customs. Its main responsibilities are assessing rateable values for the purpose of non-domestic rating (business rates) and valuing domestic properties for council tax purposes in England and Wales. It is also involved in establishing capital values for HM Revenue & Customs in connection with capital gains tax and inheritance tax, as well as carrying out a range of property related services for other government departments and public sector bodies. It has about 3,800 employees in 86 offices throughout England, Wales and Scotland, providing local knowledge and services.
- The VOA was a runner–up for the HR, Learning and Development Award, for their Health and Safety e-Learning, at the National Civil Service 2008 Awards, which were presented on Wednesday 26 November 2008 at Lancaster House in London. The National Civil Service Awards, run by Whitehall and Westminster World, recognise innovation and improvement across the civil service. The VOA has been developing in-house e-Learning solutions since 2004, and in 2008 created a multi-module Health and Safety programme to help educate staff. The modules have resulted in a reduction of reported employee accidents, 18 in the six months following release of the modules, compared with 29 in the same period the previous year.
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