Within the process that companies must comply with to obtain their COR recognition certificate, they must pass an important step, the audit.
An audit of a company’s risk management system is the last step to apply for the certificate; at this point, the company must have already completed the previous steps, including preparing employees and implementing safety strategies to minimize risks.
When requesting a visit from an auditor, two possibilities are usually considered:
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Self-audit or internal audit:
It is possible for small companies or with certain characteristics that allow a member of the company, trained to audit, to comply with the evaluation according to the standards established by law.
External audit:
This is the hiring of an external agent, trained to audit, which performs all the procedures considered within an audit.
What is the auditor's duty?
In order to fully comply with its responsibility, the auditor must ensure that the company complies with the risk management standards; for this purpose, it completes a report stipulated by the certifying partner and issues scores to the company to make a report then.
Among the aspects to be audited, this agent must interview employees at all levels to understand their situation, role, and perception of the company. It should review the documentation of reports, training, and practices that have to do with risk management and, finally, observe in detail the conditions and practices of the place to issue a score.
With all the data obtained, the auditor must determine the performance of the occupational health and safety department; according to the score obtained and his perception, the auditor will issue a report.
The report score must be above 80% of the total score of the audit; if so, the certifying partner may issue the application for the certificate to be signed by the Alberta government and the company that is the certifying partner.
How do I get the auditor?
Before calling an expert, depending on your company’s needs, the location, and the capabilities of each professional, it is better that you ask your verification partner which auditors are right for you so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
If you have already contacted a certifying partner who has been supporting you throughout the process of changes and improvement of occupational health and safety, then, with more reason, you require an external auditor.
How long does this process take?
Audits can take up to twenty-one (21) days; depending on the size of the company, more days may be added to the auditor’s work, after this date there is more time to issue the report to the certifying partner.
Keep in mind that between October and December are the months where auditors or consultants have more workload, therefore it is to be expected that a process will be delayed during this period, if you want a fast action, start your process a few months earlier.
