The COR and SECOR certifications have a common characteristic: both are certifications that recognize the effort of the companies in maintaining a valid health and safety management within the work environment.
What makes one different from the other? To answer this question, SECOR and COR must be compared. Read on and find out.
Qualification for Certificates of Recognition
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A small business, with less than ten employees enrolled in WBC-Alberta premiums, is eligible to apply for a SECOR, which is a Small Employer Certificate of Recognition.
On the other hand, a qualifying company with more than ten employees enrolled in the WBC-Alberta premiums requires a COR.
Within the qualification of employees, we can find employers, family members, regular or partial employees, volunteers, managers, partners, etc. It is important to correctly account for payroll to initiate the correct process.
It is also important to emphasize that this accounting must be taken into account one year prior to the application.
Evaluation process
This is a key differential between SECOR and COR.
For the COR, the evaluation system is more extensive and rigorous, consisting of an external audit where the company’s infrastructure is inspected, personnel are interviewed and a thorough review of the verification documents is carried out.
For big companies, in-depth investigations are expected, such as past work incidents and their current approach to risk, as well as training plans recommended by the internal auditor to the rest of the staff.
Employers who qualify in SECOR are required to pass a self-assessment that can be performed by an internal or external evaluator. This process is digital, requiring the company to fill out a form and submit supporting documents.
Training
Both processes require as a requirement compliance with three basic trainings that can be carried out by one workday worker or split the responsibility among several.
However, these courses are different for each application.
In the case of SECOR, the following is requested: "Principles of Health and Safety Management. They may also opt for the Small Employer Health and Safety Management (SECOR) Course", "Standard First Aid (SFA)", "Safety training directly associated with the company's line of business".
Employers seeking the COR are required: "Occupational Health and Safety Management", "Knowledge of Alberta Occupational Safety and Health Legislation", and "Leadership in Safety Excellence”.
How are the two processes similar?
COR and SECOR are similar to each other in that they both motivate employers in the same direction, to make their occupational health and safety policies effective to avoid risks and incidents in the companies.
In addition, although the process of applying for and obtaining them may have obvious differences, the manner in which they are maintained is similar. Both maintenance certificates are valid for three years and require a yearly maintenance period in which checks on the progress of the safety strategies must be submitted.
We cannot forget that both documents bring economic and reputational benefits to the companies that obtain them, whether they are large or small, all apply to the reimbursement of the PIR.
