On-site audits are an essential requirement for obtaining the COR recognition certificate; during these visits, the auditor can evaluate in detail the company’s situation, risk management capacity, and the situation of the employees during the work routine.
The maximum time limit for the auditor to perform the inspection and submit the report is forty-five (45) days; however, achieving recognition is not such a short process.
In this forty-five (45) days period of time, the audit member will be in charge of observing and evaluating every detail of the company, understand the work situation of the team and evidence that the risk strategy is being applied and, above all, that it is aligned with the standards established by the regulations in force. After this period, a descriptive report must be sent to the certifying partner so that it can issue, or not, the certificate request to be signed by the government, all this in a period of forty-five (45) more days.
How long does a company need to obtain a COR?
The time it can take for a company to acquire COR depends on the company and its risk management policy. There are companies that can take a long time to acquire new strategies and apply them effectively in their daily routine.
Changes in risk management, growth, and strengthening of the occupational health and safety department are essential to make the company fit for COR acquisition; however, some companies may be slow to make these changes.
It should be noted that the government has extended the authority to certifying partner companies to promote more efficiently the changes within the companies; these companies can help the changes to be carried out in a simpler way, guided by experienced members and specific trainings.
The certification partners become a real support for companies wishing to obtain the COR; thanks to their experience, they can guide the way to identify flaws and strengthen security strategies in a shorter time.
There is no specific equation that determines the time it takes for a company to achieve certification; however there is an estimate that ranges from four months to 18 months, depending on the pace of each company.
Hand in hand with a certification partner, the path to COR becomes more manageable, managers, executives, and employees can be guided by an experienced team that can advise on risk management and effective implementation of changes.
What is the difference between a certification partner and an external auditor?
They are different services, the certifying partner is the one that receives the reports from the internal or external auditor of the company and, depending on the score obtained in the audit, decides whether or not to issue the certificate to the company. These companies also provide consultancy services to companies to manage the concepts and prepare themselves for the moment of being audited.
While the auditor is in charge of evaluating the work routine, identifying risks and qualifying the occupational health and safety management. Auditors can be internal, permanent employees of a company who are certified by the BCCSA. Or external auditors are agents hired for projects and must also be certified.
Depending on the capacity and characteristics of the company, an internal auditor may or may not be used to request the COR.
You can find services related to obtaining COR in Alberta here.
