The COR and SECOR certifications share a common characteristic: both are certifications that recognize a company’s efforts to maintain valid health and safety management within the workplace.
Both certifications are maintained through an ongoing auditing process aimed at helping companies identify risks, create effective strategies to mitigate them, and improve the health conditions of each employee. Thanks to these certifications, companies reduce the rate of workplace injuries in Canada, which is why the government seeks to encourage companies to participate in this initiative.
So, what sets one apart from the other? To answer this question, a comparison between the acquisition processes of each is necessary. Keep reading to find out.
Qualifications for Recognition Certificates
A small company with fewer 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 company that qualifies with more than ten employees enrolled in WBC-Alberta premiums requires a COR.
Within employee qualifications, you can include employers, family members, full or part-time employees, volunteers, managers, partners, and more. It’s important to accurately account for the payroll to initiate the correct process.
It’s also important to emphasize that this counting should be taken into account one year prior to the application.
Evaluation Process
This is a key differentiator between SECOR and COR
For COR, the evaluation system is more extensive and rigorous, consisting of an external audit that inspects the company’s infrastructure, interviews staff, and conducts a thorough review of supporting documents.
For larger companies, in-depth investigations are expected, including past workplace incidents and their current risk management. Recommendations for training plans for the rest of the staff are also provided by the internal auditor.
In contrast, employers qualifying for SECOR need to pass a self-assessment, which can be conducted by an internal or external evaluator. This process is digital, requiring the company to fill out a form and support it with supporting documents.
Training to Obtain COR/SECOR
The certifying partner provides companies with the necessary courses and training to understand, identify, and improve occupational health and safety conditions. Some of these training sessions are mandatory to achieve the certificate.
Risk Assessment: In this training, potential risks within the company are defined, and the type and level of exposure to each risk are identified for each team member.
Management and Communication: Preparation to lead and implement effective changes within the company.
Companies choosing to pursue a certificate of recognition must make changes to their daily work routines to accommodate the improvements in occupational health and safety. This can include continuous reporting, frequent audits, infrastructure improvements, and more.
Both processes require the completion of three basic training sessions that can be done by a full-time worker or distributed among several individuals.
However, these courses differ between the two types of certificates.
Courses to Obtain a SECOR:
- Principles of Health and Safety Management. Small Employers (SECOR) can also opt for Small Employer Health and Safety Management training.
- Standard First Aid (SFA).
- Safety training directly related to the company’s industry.
Courses to Obtain a COR:
- Occupational Health and Safety Management.
- Knowledge of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Legislation.
- Leadership in Safety Excellence.
To complete this entire process, it’s important for companies to rely on partner certifying organizations that audit and certify after ensuring good management of occupational health and safety.
